Umbria is Italy’s green heart – a land of wooded hillsides, olive groves, medieval hilltop towns and ancient abbeys and the best way to experience it authentically is on foot, slowing the pace of life to a steady walk through the beautiful, vine-clad hills.
Umbria is one of the most popular destinations for European, self-guided walking tour operator, On Foot Holidays, which has announced enhancements to its eight-night hike through Umbria, with shorter versions available and also a longer option that includes an extended stay in a rustic, artisan retreat nestled in the lush Sabine Hills.
New four and five-night routes have been designed for those keen for a taste of Umbrian ambience but short on time, and a longer, nine-night itinerary has also been curated for those after a more immersive, in-depth, sensory connection with enchanting Umbria.
Designed for independent travellers, On Foot Holidays’ Umbria journey sees walkers stay at a series of rural B&Bs, farmstays, boutique hotels and rustic villas, with luggage transferred between the accommodation each day so hikers can follow the trail unencumbered by heavy rucksacks.
The eight-night Umbria walk begins in the medieval town of Spoleto, with its cathedrals, fortress and cobbled streets, with travellers walking over vine-clad hills to the lake at Piediluco and up to the picturesque hilltop village of Labro. From there, travellers will cross to the Sabine Hills at Greccio – where Saint Francis is believed to have invented the Christmas Nativity scene, and whose hermitage cell travellers can visit.
The journey then continues through woodland, bucolic pastures, hilltop villages and an ancient bridge, before arriving at Casperia, one of the most picturesque medieval villages in the region. There, guests will stay at La Torretta – a boutique B&B located in a 15th century historic house. Reachable only on foot, the elegant B&B boasts the opportunity, as an optional extra special experience, for guests to learn how to prepare a traditional Italian four course meal with pasta made from scratch and sourced from local ingredients. Guests can taste the fruit of their labours in the evening, accompanied by local wines and an after-dinner liqueur.
The final two days of hiking will bring you through open woodlands around Misciani to the pretty village of Castelnuovo di Farfa with its olive oil museum, and then to two abbeys – the thriving Abbey of Farfa and the meagre hilltop ruins of San Martino. From this last vantage point you may be lucky enough to glimpse Rome in the distance. 
Including eight nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation, three dinners, two picnics, local transfers and luggage transfers, the walk costs from £1140 per person, twin-share (approximately A$2103 depending on exchange rates). The walk is available between April and October each year. Shorter four and five-night options are available, as well as a nine-night holiday which includes three nights at the beautiful, organic farm of Le Mole sul Farfa.
** If walkers add on another of On Foot Holidays’ walking routes to their European holiday, they can save 10 per cent on the lower-priced hike. On Foot Holidays offers seven other walking holidays in Spain.
On Foot Holidays offers 35 hiking routes in 11 countries across Europe – with six walks in Italy – and all are curated for independent travellers keen to enjoy authentic, immersive and eco-sustainable experiences in the most beautiful corners of Europe, away from crowds. Walkers select their departure dates from those available and all routes are designed by locals and tested by staff from On Foot Holidays.
Visit www.onfootholidays.co.uk
The direct link for the Umbria walk is www.onfootholidays.co.uk/routes/umbria (direct link)
