Umbria Road Cycling: Loop Tour Through Lush and Scenic Landscapes

Day 1: Arrival to Assisi

The start of this cycle tour is Assisi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In this enchanting city, many places and monuments have a strong unbreakable bond with the saints Francis and Clare, who lived here in the 13th century. The medieval character of Assisi is well-preserved and a delight to explore.
Overnight in Assisi.

Day 2: Assisi – Torgiano
42 miles/68 km or 67 miles/108 km

Today's longer route crosses the valley of Spoleto. You will pass stunning little towns like Montefalco, built on a hilltop and famous for its excellent wines, and Bevagna with its medieval square.

Today's shorter route passes the small medieval towns of Spello-Montefalco-Bevagna-Torgiano. You start your journey through the valley of Spoleto, passing Foligno, before your route heads up to Montefalco, known as ‘the balcony of Umbria’ because of its fantastic panorama. Here's a spot for capturing phenomenal photographs! The Franciscan church, now a museum, is decorated with magnificent frescoes from the 15th and 16th century by artists like Benozzo Gozzoli and Perugino. The next town you will visit is Bevagna, whose characteristic medieval square still hosts two Romanesque churches.

Your overnight stay is in Torgiano, once a fortified medieval village that is situated on a hilltop above the confluence of the rivers Chiascio and Tiber. Interesting to visit are the wine museum and the ‘osteria’ of the Lungarotti family, where you can taste their excellent wines.
Overnight in Torgiano.

Longer route - Ascent/descent: +774m -946m
Shorter route - Ascent/descent: +552m -718m

Day 3: Torgiano – Passignano
50 miles/80 km

Today you cycle through spellbinding Umbrian scenery. You will bike through an undulating landscape with a few steep climbs to conquer, to be rewarded with a magnificent view of Lake Trasimeno. You will pass small, typical Umbrian ‘borghi’ built on a hilltop such as Castiglion del Fosco, Pietrafitta and Panicale, which still boasts a preserved 13th-century Palazzo del Podestà.
Overnight in Passignano.

Ascent/descent: +986m -934m

Day 4: Rest Day or Ride around Lake Trasimeno
58 miles/94 km

Today you can enjoy a rest day or choose to cycle around the lake. Lake Trasimeno is the fourth largest lake in Italy. It is surrounded on three sides by a backdrop of gentle rolling hills covered with olive trees. On the side facing Tuscany, a wide open plain stretches out. You will cross this plain going to the Tuscan town of Chiusi, which has an Etruscan origin. After your visit, you return to your hotel at the lake.
Overnight in Passignano.

Ascent/descent: +835m -826m

Day 5: Passignano – Umbertide
55 miles/88 km or 28 miles/47 km

Today's longer route passes Cortona in Tuscany and is a very nice ride through the valley of the Tesse, which brings you to Cortona. This lovely Tuscan town is built on a hilltop. Leaving it, you will cycle over a ridge through mountainous terrain with magnificent views over the surrounding mountains.

Today's shorter route also goes from the lake to Umbertide. It leads you through unspoiled scenery to the quiet little town of Umbertide, whose town center is dominated by a majestic tower - the remains of a castle dating back to 1385. A steep climb brings you to Castel Rigone from where you will have a magnificent view over the lake. Then, your route follows undulating landscapes to Umbertide.
Overnight in Umbertide.

Longer route - Ascent/descent: +1405m -1430m
Shorter route - Ascent/descent: +837m -855m

Day 6: Umbertide – Gubbio
52 miles/84 km

Today you will reach the fortified hill town of Gubbio. You will cycle through the mountains and the green hills of the lower Apennines. You'll visit Montone, a quiet little town built (1,582 feet/482 m) on a hilly ridge, situated between the Lana and Carpina streams, which are both tributaries of the Tiber. Then, the route takes you slowly uphill to Pietralunga with its old partially, walled-in centre and the Long Bards Castle (8th century). You will enter Le Marche and cycle along a quiet country road to arrive in Gubbio, where you will stay in a hotel in the center of town.
Overnight in Gubbio.

Ascent/descent: +1699m -1408m

Day 7: Gubbio – Assisi
44 miles/70 km

On this last day of the tour, you will cycle through a beautiful hilly landscape passing quiet mountain villages. The first stretch begins with a steep climb, but after that, the road undulates gently until it brings you to the bottom of a valley. The last stretch brings you through characteristic little villages and, finally, you will see Assisi from afar, built on a spur of Mount Subasio.
Overnight in Assisi.

Ascent/descent: +1158m -1254m

Day 8: Departure from Assisi