Ita lian
WALKING BREAKS
Route 1. Gubbio City Tour Piazzas • Medieval his tory • Truffles Distance: 5 km | Time: 3-5 hrs Difficulty: Easy | Season: All year round If you like luscious countryside peppered with dense pockets of forest and gorgeous medieval towns then visit Umbria. In particular, head for sparsely-populated Gubbio with its 14th and 15th-century architecture, folklore and frescoes, never-forgotten truffles. Follow our suggestions for a very easy, self-guided walk through the narrow cobbled streets which offer plenty of surprises. It’s well worth making a full day of it rather than whipping through the highlights.
Borgo Di Carpiano, Umbria
DON’T MISS...
Must see
Must stay
• An exhilarating ride on the Funivia Colle Eletto (think ski lift style metal buckets, but apparently you get picked up and put in by a nice strong man). • The National Truffle Fair in October/November. • Hover over the city on Piazza Grande, the ‘hanging square’.
We’ve discovered Special Places in the ‘green heart of Italy’ so settle down in one just a short drive from Gubbio. From a restored monastery to a transformed old castle, you’ll feel mellow being looked after beautifully in the slow countryside where not much has changed for thousands of years.
Must eat Must drink
Delicious white truffles – enjoy a fresh plate of fettuccine with intense, flavoursome tartufo bianco grated on top Sip on Umbria’s famous reds: Montefalco Rosso DOC or Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Castello Di Petroia, Umbria
sawdays.co.uk/historical-walking-holidays-in-italy
Vaccaria, Umbria
Ita lian
WALKING BREAKS
Route 1. Gubbio City Tour Piazzas • Medieval his tory • Truffles Distance: 5 km | Time: 3-5 hrs Difficulty: Easy | Season: All year round 1.
Begin your day bright and early at the Palazzo Bargello. The 14thcentury ‘Fountain of Madmen’ must be circled three times in the company of a local and then you earn the right to be a ‘madman of Gubbio’ – you even get a licence. After all that, pop into Palazzo Bargello and see the large antique crossbow collection.
2.
Leave the madmen and walk down Via dei Consoli towards Palazzo Dei Consoli. This street is full of shops with locally made crafts such as pottery, leather goods and embroidery.
3.
Emerge into the heart of Gubbio: Palazzo dei Consoli. This 14thcentury church housed parliament in the middle ages and is a masterpiece of medieval architecture. Inside you’ll find the precious Eugubine Tablets inscribed with ancient runes. Walk along the ‘hanging square’ splayed before the church, and sit for a while above the city.
4.
Stroll to Palazzo Ducale, and explore the Renaissance building and
8.
its peaceful inner courtyard. The structure was designed by Laurana and was possibly completed by master architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini in the 15th century. 5.
Opposite, lies the miraculously-preserved 12th-century Duomo di inside. Climb high in Gubbio for brilliant views or go even higher to the top of Mount Ingino – for the super fit a 45-minute climb or an exhilarating ride in the Funivia Colle Eletto and a picnic at the top.
7.
Renaissance facades. 9.
Turn into Piazza San Giovanni for a church dating back to the 12th century with a stunning Romanesque bell tower.
Gubbio with its exterior symbols of saints and colourful frescoes
6.
Wander along Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi to see the many stunning
10. Nearby San Francesco is a wonderful brick church that houses frescoes painted by Nelli. 11. As the sun begins to dip, it’s time to make your way just outside the city walls to the ruins of the amphitheatre. Sit on a limestone seat and imagine Romans performing classic masterpieces bathed in the sun’s soft rays.
Clamber back to the old city and visit Museo Torre di Porta Romana for an extensive and exquisite collection of ceramics from prehistoric times to the middle ages.
sawdays.co.uk/historical-walking-holidays-in-italy
Ita lian
WALKING BREAKS
Route 1. Gubbio City Tour Piazzas • Medieval his tory • Truffles Distance: 5 km | Time: 3-5 hrs | Difficulty: Easy | Season: All year round
sawdays.co.uk/historical-walking-holidays-in-italy