UNESCO-listed sites you will see on this tour

• Historic Centre of Urbino (1998)
• San Marino Historic Centre and Mount Titano (2008)
• Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites (2000)

Local delicacies you will sample on this tour

• Acqualagna truffle
• Fossa cheese
• Piadina
• Perugia chocolate
• Wine

ITINERARY 

1.Arrival
Transfer from Rome FCO Airport to your hotel in the Pesaro-Urbino area

2. Urbino & truffle tasting in Acqualagna
Today we visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Urbino, one of Italy’s most important Renaissance towns after Florence and the birthplace of Raphael. We enjoy a guided tour of the magnificent Ducal Palace which houses the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche with its precious paintings by Raphael, Piero della Francesca, and Tiziano, before continuing to the house where Raphael was born
In the afternoon we head to Acqualanga, famous for its white truffles. For centuries the white truffle of Acqualagna has graced the tables of emperors, popes, princes and landowners. Over two thirds of Italy’s production of this well known tuber still comes today from Acqualagna. Truffles actually give value to all dishes: from the simplest risotto, to the humble fried egg, and an ordinary pasta dish or sandwich. All dishes are fit for a king if sprinkled with truffles. We stop to sample this magnificent tuber and visit the Truffle Museum.

3. San Marino & San Leo with fossa cheese lunch
We travel just over the Le Marche border for a visit to the tiny Republic of San Marino. San Marino is the world’s smallest and oldest republic and is worth a visit for its history, pageantry and magnificent hilltop setting, which offers excellent views of the surrounding countryside.
In the afternoon, we continue to San Leo with its ancient castle perched above sheer cliffs. We visit the beautiful town square and have a light lunch, tasting the delicious formaggio di fossa: a cheese walled up to mature for months in rock caves.

4. Pesaro & Gradara with piadina lunch
We head off today to Pesaro, a charming town on the coast, nestled against a backdrop of hills dotted with ancient towns and castles. We explore the town and its treasures and see the old centre with its Ducal Palace, Piazza del Popolo, and lovely churches before visiting the house of the famous composer Gioachino Rossini.
In the afternoon, we continue to Gradara, a medieval town dominated by its magnificent castle which overlooks the Adriatic Sea. We visit the castle and the impressive walled town which was made famous by the legendary love story of Paolo Malatesta and Francesca da Rimini in the 5th canto of Dante’s Inferno.
For lunch we sample a piadina , a warm flat-bread sandwich with tasty filling, together with a glass of local Verdicchio wine .

5. Transfer to the hotel on Lake Trasimeno with visit to Gubbio & boat ride on Lake Trasimeno
This morning we make a stop in Gubbio on our way to Lake Trasimeno. Gubbio appears to be just another lovely medieval Umbrian town, but its history goes back in fact much further The rare heavy metal sediment found in a road on the outskirts of Gubbio reveals the story of how a gigantic meteor shattered upon impact with the Earth here. The magnitude of this event would have devastated the climate and is thought to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. Most visitors meandering their way through Gubbio’s lovely squares are unaware that they are treading on phenomenal ground!
In the afternoon we continue to Lake Trasimeno. We take the boat to Isola Maggiore and visit the small, sleepy fishing village there, with its castle and church before checking in at our hotel.

6. Assisi & Perugia with chocolate tasting
Pilgrims have been drawn for centuries to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Assisi to visit its numerous sites of historic and spiritual importance as the birthplace of the Franciscan order. Our guided tour includes a visit to the Basilica di San Francesco. Multiple other saints were born in Assisi and the sites dedicated to them are interwoven in the city centre.
We continue to the art city of Perugia, and discover the secrets of Umbria’s cultural capital with a local guide. Our taste buds will be satisfied at the end of the day on a visit to a chocolatier as we taste the magic of handmade chocolate.

7. Orvieto & Civita di Bagnoregio with lunch and wine tasting in an agriturismo
We depart to the wonderful medieval Umbrian town of Orvieto, surrounded by hills cultivating olive trees and vineyards, with its narrow streets, beautiful churches and historic palaces.
We make a stop for lunch and wine tasting at an agriturismo before continuing to Civita di Bagnoregio, a village which seems to be suspended both in time and in space. Civita is accessible only by crossing a narrow pedestrian bridge and is considered to be one of the most beautiful and characteristic villages in Italy.

8. Departure
Transfer to Rome FCO Airport for your flight home