TODAY’S PICKS FOR YOU

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Feeling overloaded by Rome's epic sightseeing options? Why not leave Rome for the day and take an excursion to Assisi and the Umbrian hill town of Orvieto. Your journey will take you away from modern highways and large cities to discover the real Italy, where ancient villages are just waiting to be discovered.

Leaving Rome, you'll travel in a northerly direction and drive along the Tiber Valley to reach the marvelous medieval hilltop town of Orvieto, whose origins go back to Etruscan times. You'll stop here to admire Orvieto's magnificent 14th-century cathedral, a masterpiece of Italian Gothic architecture.

Your tour continues into Tuscany's green hills covered in olive groves and vineyards. This is the land of some of Italy's best known D.O.C. (quality controlled) wines, which include Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. You'll stop to taste some local wines and other typical Umbrian and Tuscan products.

After a lunch of traditional local dishes, you'll drive along the shores of Lake Trasimeno to arrive in Assisi, built at the foot of Mount Subasio. During a guided stroll through the alleys of this historic town you will see the Church of St Claire, St Francis' birthplace, his childhood home and Town Hall Square with its

People's Palace and Roman temple dedicated to Minerva. You'll also pay a visit to St Francis' Basilica, close to the ancient city walls, with its magnificent frescoes painted between the 12th and 14th centuries.

Leaving Assisi, you will stop at the town of Santa Maria degli Angeli, named after the church where St Francis died in 1226.

Hotel pickup is available, please click on 'View Map' below for full list of hotels included.