Authentic Umbria Food & Wine Tour

Mingle with locals and discover this enchanting region that remains little-changed by the centuries and is far away from the tourist crowds.

What to expect?

Join Susan Guerra, a wine professional and the owner of Via Del Vino Food and Wine Tours. Susan lives in Umbria and will show you the sights that only the locals know. You’ll get a peek into daily life in this beautiful city and feel like a local living in this undiscovered region of Italy.

Stay at a 5-star hotel in the historic center of Perugia, Susan’s adopted hometown. First founded by the Etruscans, Perugia is a beautifully preserved, medieval city. You’ll have shops, museums, cafes, restaurants, and Etruscan ruins right at your door. You’ll mingle with locals as you discover this enchanting region that’s remained little changed by the centuries and is far from the usual tourist crowds.

Our week in Umbria will feature a selection of food and wine activities including cooking classes, wine tastings, an artisan chocolate experience, truffle hunting with a local family, Perugia’s top-rated food tour plus sightseeing and free time to meander in several of Umbria’s most iconic, and beautiful hill towns. 

Day to Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival to Perugia

Today is your arrival day to Umbria and to your hotel in the historic center of Perugia. Your home base for the week is a 5-Star hotel located on Perugia’s main pedestrian Corso, just steps to shops, museums, cafes, and historical attractions. At the hotel’s outdoor bar, you can enjoy an afternoon drink with views over the Umbrian countryside. Drop your bags and have an afternoon stroll or lunch on Perugia’s main Corso. Later, you’ll have time to relax before getting to know your fellow travelers at an evening meet and greet followed by dinner.

Accommodation: 5-star Sina Brufani Hotel

Meals: Welcome Aperitivo, Dinner

Day 2: Perugia Food Tour and Spello

Today we’ll we explore Perugia on our top-rated Taste Perugia food, wine and historical highlights tour. As we stroll through its maze of medieval streets, you’ll be struck by the beauty of this ancient city and by the delicious simplicity of Umbrian food. We’ll meet the local restaurant and shop owners as we learn about the fascinating history of the city including Etruscans, Romans, Renaissance artists and ruthless Popes. We’ll end the tour with an artisan chocolate tasting followed by gelato from one of Italy’s Top 100 artisan gelaterias. In the afternoon you’ll have free time to relax. We’ll spend the evening in Spello with free time to stroll and visit the many artisan boutiques before a wine pairing dinner at local enoteca.

Accommodation: 5-star Sina Brufani Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Cooking + Artisan Visit

After breakfast we’ll head to a local winery. We’ll meet Chef Jacopo at Vineria del Carmine, a beautiful winery just 30 minutes outside Perugia. We’ll be joined by the winery’s wonderful staff as we make traditional pasta shapes and pasta with fillings along with the appropriate sauces for each type in the winery’s state of the art DeManicor kitchen. To conclude you’ll learn how to make chef Jacopo’s modern take on the traditional Italian desserts. Jacopo will conduct this hands-on class and answer all your questions about Umbrian food.
 During the class, we’ll have finger food and wine. The meal you have made will be served downstairs in the Vineria accompanied by Carmine Estate wines. In the afternoon, we’ll visit Susan’s friend, Marta Cucchia a fourth-generation weaver. We’ll meet Marta in her studio, a former hermitage built by St. Francis and his disciples in 1212 as a place of refuge. This characteristic location now houses Marta’s studio, the Giuditta Brozzetti Museum Workshop, one of Italy’s last surviving hand-weaving workshops. Marta still weaves on the original working looms from the 18th and 19th centuries. In the evening we’ll have an aperitivo prepared by Richard and enjoy the view from their terrace that sits on top of a 3rd century BC Etruscan gate.

Accommodation: 5-star Sina Brufani Palace Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Aperitivo

Day 4: Assisi

Today we’ll head to Assisi. The birthplace of Saint Francis and Saint Claire, the city is the spiritual heart of Umbria. You’ll visit Assisi’s majestic Basilica, a UNESCO world heritage site, that stands above the valley and offers panoramic views in every direction. The basilica, a religious pilgrimage site and also the final resting place of Saint Francis is famous for its series of Giotto frescoes depicting his life. The city itself is built into Monte Subasio, a national park in the Apennine Range famous for its many hiking trails and symbolic places where Saint Francis retreated from civilization to meditate and pray. You’ll have free time to meander and shop before an afternoon stop at a local winery in the Assisi DOC. Here, we’ll be welcomed by the mother and daughter team for a private tour and tasting of their organic wines, olive oil, and balsamic vinegars served with a light lunch of local cheeses and homemade Umbrian flatbread. Later in the day we’ll return to Perugia with free time before dinner at a local Osteria.

Accommodation: 5-star Sina Brufani Palace Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5: Truffle Hunting with a Local Family

Today we’ll hunt for truffles on a farm where Francesca’s family has been living off the land since the 1400s. When we have enough of this local delicacy to make lunch, we’ll stop in a panoramic spot and have our first taste of a freshly dug truffle with scrambled eggs (an Umbrian favorite) and a glass or two of Prosecco. Then back at the village you can lend a hand to Francesca as she makes fresh pasta or simply sit back and watch as you enjoy home-made snacks, pecorino cheese and loads local wine. When the pasta is made, we’ll sit down to a traditional Umbrian meal where all of the recipes have a distinctly ‘wild’ flavor. Family and friends from the village often join for this relaxing, fun and totally authentic lunch. In the afternoon we’ll head back to Perugia.

Accommodation: 5-star Sina Brufani Palace Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6: Cheesemaking in Todi

Today we’ll have a visit to a local cheese producer (probably the best in Umbria) and meet the passionate owner, Riccardo. Our first part of the morning will be a visit to the production area to see how the cheeses are made fresh daily. Next, we’re going to make our own fresh cheese at Riccardo’s new venture, the Montecristo Academy. According to Riccardo, anyone can learn to make fresh cheese, flavored with local ingredients in a way that can easily be done in your home kitchen. After we make our fresh cheeses, we’ll have a cheese-tasting and light lunch. Time permitting, we can visit the town of Todi in the late afternoon.

Accommodation: 5-star Sina Brufani Palace Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Orvieto

Today we head to Orvieto, a city with an ancient and mysterious atmosphere that soars above the surrounding valley, perched atop a tufa cliff. Your day includes a ticket to Orvieto’s magnificent Duomo and example of Italian Gothic architecture, renowned for its striking facade and intricate detailing. You’ll have free time to meander in the many shops and beautiful piazzas before a short visit to the ancient laboratory of L’Orvietan. Our host Lamberto will tell us the story of this renowned, local amaro. This traditional herbal liqueur, steeped in history and crafted with a secret blend of local herbs, roots, and spices, was first concocted as a medicinal remedy in the 17th century.an herb-based amaro with a long and storied history. After lunch on your own, we’ll head to the port town of Fiumicino for a farewell dinner and an overnight stay at the 4-star Hotel Tiber.

Accommodation: 4-star Hotel Tiber Fiumicino

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Note

Although every effort is made to adhere to the stated tour, itineraries are subject to change at any time due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of Via del Vino, LLC and its travel providers. A day-by-day tour schedule with contacts, transfer information, and additional details is provided before your departure.