Central Italy: Marche & Umbria

Arrival at Rome Fiumicino airport and be received by your accompanying guide. The tour will begin by going through some of the most beautiful landscapes of the Central Apennines, with the final destination Pesaro, on the Adriatic Coast.                                                            Arrive at your elegant villa / cottage in the Pesaro countryside and, after registering, take some time to relax by the pool before enjoying a fabulous welcome dinner prepared by the main chef of Relais. accommodation

After breakfast, departure by minivan and transfer to Ancona. Overlooking the sea, with one of the largest ports in Italy, Ancona is a city full of monuments and beautiful landscapes; It is also known as Dorica City, a name that refers to its Greek origins.
 The cathedral that dominates the city from above and from where you can enjoy a special view, the picturesque arch of Trajan and the Mole Vanvitelliana on the side of the port, the War Memorial that dominates the sea in one of the most unique areas of the coast. Do not stop at the most famous monuments! Walking through the alleys and historic streets, you can discover hidden places and panoramic views.
 After lunch at a local winery where you will taste Rosso Conero, one of the best red wines in the region, you will have a panoramic tour of the Riviera del Conero: the stretch of coast on the slopes of Monte Conero, rich in beaches, bays and coves . Of exceptional beauty.
 The last stop of the day, but not the least important, will take place in Loreto, a beautiful city on a hill that is only after Assisi and Rome as a place of religious pilgrimage. The city is a sample of some of the best artists and architects of Italy. People come from all over the world to visit the Basilica of the Holy House, known for consecrating the house in which some believe that the Blessed Virgin Mary has lived. Pious devotees believe that the same house was flown by angelic beings from Jerusalem to Tersatto (Trsat in Croatia) and then to Recanati before arriving at the current site.
 At the end of the day, you will arrive at the beautiful resort in the South Marche countryside; After registering you will have a tasteful dinner with local products. accommodation

Today, after breakfast, we explore the land once ruled by the lords of Montefeltro. The day is dedicated to visiting Urbino, one of the most fascinating cities of the Renaissance in Italy, home of an old university and perfect destination for art history lovers. It is also the birthplace of Rafael, a UNESCO world heritage site.
Take a guided tour of the magnificent Palazzo Ducale, one of the most interesting architectural and artistic examples of the Italian Renaissance; It is a wonderful and mysterious place, which houses the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche with its beautiful paintings by Piero della Francesca, Titian, Paolo Uccello and Rafael. Among the many rooms of the building there is a private one where Duke Frederick used to spend his time: the study room. It retains valuable stuccoes in the vaulted ceiling and a lower section with engraved wood panels.
Lunch will be free, and your expert local guide will be happy to give you some tips to choose the best places. In the afternoon, you will go to a local farm and observe the farmer in the manufacture of casciotta cheese; Of course, you will have the opportunity to taste this delicious typical product with crescia bread and some sausages from the area, Prosciutto di Carpegna (ham) and Salame di Montefeltro (salami).
Return to the relay, dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast at the Resort / hotel. This morning you will go to Recanati, the small city that gave birth to the famous poet and essayist Giacomo Leopardi, one of the most radical and challenging thinkers of the 19th century. The poet's memory is kept alive throughout the city, in fact, you can admire the Leopardi House, the poet's house, which houses his valuable library, as well as visit his mother's house: the Antici Mattei Palace. Recanati also honored Beniamino Gigli, one of the best Italian tenors.
After lunch, we will leave by minivan and proceed to Macerata, birthplace of Jesuit Matteo Ricci, this historic city is surrounded by walls dating from the 16th century. It is crossed by many roads that lead to Piazza della Libertà, the heart of the old town, which is surrounded by the most important monuments and churches and the entrance to the University Palace. Nearby, there are the Civic Museums of the Buonaccorsi Palace, known for their 18th-century paintings depicting the Histories of the Aeneid. Macerata also hosts the famous Sferisterio Opera Festival, on the open-air stage of the same name, with shows of international importance.
On the way back to Pesaro, we will stop at a local winery in Morro d'Alba, where we will taste the true attraction of the city: Lacrima di Morro d'Alba, an unmistakable aromatic red wine that is soft and complete, produced in Very limited quantities. Morro d & rsquo; Alba is also known for its pleasant walk along the Scarpa, a covered path around the 15th-century city walls. Return to the Resort / hotel, dinner and accommodation

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we will leave the Marche region towards Umbria. The first stop will be in Assisi. San Francisco was born here in 1182 and spent most of his adult life preaching in this area of ​​Umbria. Meet your local guide upon arrival and take a half-day excursion, which includes the Roman remains under the temple of Minerva, and the Basilica of San Francisco with the frescoes of Giotto that decorate the lower church. It is also worth visiting the Basilica of Santa Chiara, dedicated to Santa Clara de Asís, a follower of San Francisco de Asís and founder of the Order of the Poor Ladies, known today as the Order of Santa Clara; The remains of Santa Clara are kept in the Basilica.
Free lunch and in the afternoon we will continue towards Gubbio, a city with a decidedly medieval aspect, which has an austere appearance due to the dark gray stone, the narrow streets and the Gothic architecture. Many houses in the center of Gubbio date from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and were originally the homes of wealthy merchants. The hills above the city were already occupied in the Bronze Age and it was an important city of the ancient inhabitants of Umbria in pre-Roman times, it became famous for the discovery there of the Eugubin Tables, a set of bronze tablets which constitute the largest text in Etruscan language and transcribed to the old Umbrian. At the end of the day, you will arrive at your 4-star country house in the Montefalco area, the best of the fascinating villages of the Spoleto Valley. Prepare for a very special Umbrian dinner, with local dishes prepared with km0 products. accommodation

Breakfast in hotel. This morning we will have free time in Assisi: San Francisco was born here in 1182 and spent most of his adult life preaching in this area of Umbria. Assisi is the quintessence of the picturesque Italian city on the hill, and here you can visit the Basilica of San Francisco.
 In the afternoon, departure to Torgiano, famous worldwide for its excellent wines. Here you will visit a winery and have a wine tasting. Then, we will visit Bevagna: the city was recently voted the most beautiful town in Italy by the censists. Return to your country house in the Montefalco area, dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast in hotel. This morning you will visit Spoleto: in its wooded surroundings, it is the most beautiful city in the Umbrian hills. Founded by the Umbria, Spoleto was one of the most important colonies in central Italy. You will have a free morning to explore Spoleto. In the afternoon, you will experience an interesting cooking class, learning some traditional Umbrian recipes. Together with your private chef, you will prepare local dishes that you will taste for dinner. Accommodation.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will take the bus and visit more of Umbria, the green heart of Italy. First we will make a stop in Orvieto located on a plateau at 300 m. Orvieto looks down on a mottled plain of vineyards. Visitors flood the city to admire the Duomo, one of the largest Romanesque-Gothic cathedrals in Italy. In the afternoon, we will continue to Todi, one of the most famous mountain cities in Umbria. Former Etruscan settlement and then Roman, it still retains an incorrupt medieval air, with several tiny churches, three austere public palaces and many numb corners. Return to the farmhouse at the end of the afternoon, dinner and accommodation.

After breakfast, transfer to Rome airport to take the return flight.