A food tour through the Valle Umbra (G 010 UMB) Old traditions, culture and hilarious food

This eno-gastronomic tour is a wonderful discovery trip to the culinary traditions of the beautiful, green Valle Umbra: a fertile and water-rich valley surrounded by green hills covered with vineyards and olive groves. This valley contains not only some of the most important Umbrian medieval towns such as , Montefalco, and , but also the larger provincial capital and , which lies at the foot of the thickly wooded Monteluco mountain. You spend the night along the babbling river Clitunno, in an eco-structure that is centrally located between Trevi, Bevagna and Montefalco. In the restaurant, delicious Umbrian dishes are served, with frequent use of local products such as truffle, mushrooms and extra-virgin olive oil. In the country house is organized a cooking lesson in which some fabulous Umbrian dishes will be prepared. The black truffle is found in and with a truffle hunter, you head into the hills of Trevi. Afterward, the truffle is served in a delicious pasta dish. The next day, medieval Assisi is on the program. In the morning you visit a herb garden in an ex-benedictine monastery at the foot of the Basilica of Saint Francis. This interesting experience is followed by a cooking lesson and lunch. Afterwards you have time to visit Assisi. A detailed cultural route description takes you past the famous monuments of this lovely pilgrim city.

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Period: Daily all the year round (During holidays and festivities only on request)

Day 1: Arrival in Umbria In the afternoon you are expected in a Country House near Trevi. Carla will give you a warm welcome and show you the country house. Overnight and dinner in the Country House.

Day 2: A cooking class In the morning, you have time to visit Montefalco or Bevagna, two medieval towns not far from your country house. In the afternoon you have a cooking class. During this course, typical local dishes are prepared. In the evening a dinner where you will taste the tasty prepared dishes. Overnight with breakfast at the Country House.

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Day 3: Truffle hunting in the hills of Trevi After breakfast, you leave the country house and head into the mountains above Trevi, an area where black truffles are found. You are expected at 10.00 am and go with Alessandro or Antonio and their trained dogs to find the ‘black diamonds of the kitchen’. An omelet with fresh truffle is prepared in the field. Afterward, you will have lunch where also a truffle dish will be served. In the evening you are free to dine somewhere on your own. Overnight with breakfast at the Country House.

Day 4: herbs of an ex- Benedictine monastery, a cooking class and exploring Assisi. After breakfast, you are expected at a very special place, at the foot of the basilica of Saint Francis. You will have a course to discover the wild & cultivated herbs in the vegetable garden (2000sqm) of an ex-Benedictine monastery at the foot of the Basilica of Saint Francis. Here the Monastic Hortuli are reborn and a bio-conservative park of officinal species among the largest in Europe is re-created. You go with the gardener to the vegetable and herb garden to collect fresh products for your cookery course and he will explain the use of herbs. After the walk through the garden, you have a cooking class with the Chef of the Locanda degli Orti using vegetables and herbs. Finally a special lunch, tasting what you have cooked during the course. A really one of a kind experience!

After lunch, you have the time to visit beautiful Assisi. A detailed route description of a cultural walk will show you every corner of Assisi. You walk past the most famous 3 monuments of this old medieval city. In the evening you are free to dine somewhere on your own. Overnight stay with breakfast at Country House.

Day 5 End of tour after breakfast After breakfast ends this tour to discover the Umbrian delicacies and extraordinary wines.

What to see in the surroundings of the country house:

Spoleto Spoleto is a nice town built again the holy mountain, Monteluco. There is a lot to see in the old town centre: the cathedral with frescoes of Fra. Filippo Lippi, the Roman house, and Amphitheatre, the castle (Rocca Albornoziana) and the famous Ponte delle Torri.

Trevi A small hill town known for its good olive oil. Trevi is also called the capital of olive oil. It has a small characteristic center.

Montefalco Also called the balcony of Umbria, because of the beautiful view that one has from the town over the Valle Umbra. Well known for its DOCG Sagrantino wines and the DOC Rosso di Montefalco it has many wine-tourists every year. You can taste these delicious wines in one of the many wine bars or wine cellars around town. There is a nice museum in the ex-saint Francis church.

Spello Spello is known for the flower mosaics made during Cropus Domini in June and the frescoes of Pinturicchio in the Baglioni chapel of the S.Maria Maggiore church. Just like Assisi, the town is built against the slope of Monte Subasio. The medieval center is well preserved and there are many alleys decorated with colorful flower boxes. There are also some monuments dating back to Roman times, such as the mosaics of a Roman villa.

Assisi Assisi is of course the pearl of the Valle Umbra, a city full of art and history. It has a jumble of small streets and pleasant squares where you can enjoy an Italian ice cream or a delicious Cappuccino on a terrace. You will find a cultural city walk in your travel documents, so that you can visit Assisi on foot and see all its monuments.

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Your country house

The country house, managed by the friendly Carla e Luigi, is an 18th-century farmhouse that has been completely renovated to the standards of an eco-architecture: the use of natural and recycled materials and solar panels for energy. There are six apartments of various sizes, a restaurant, garden, salt-water swimming pool and car parking. Local products such as saffron, truffles, spices, olive oil, nuts and honey are used in the restaurant.

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Participants: from two people

Price per person: 780,00 Euro in a double room 885,00 Euro in a single room 715,00 Euro 3e person in a triple room

Included in the price  4 overnights with breakfast  1 diner (exclusive drinks) in country house  Cooking lesson in the country house + dinner  Truffle hunting with lunch  Visiting herb gardens & cooking class with lunch  Description of a cultural walking route in Assisi  Pre-Tour information  Local assistance

Ecologico Tours & Meravigliosa Umbria www.ecologicotours.com www.meravigliosaumbria.com e-mail [email protected] tel. (0039) 346 3254167 & (0041) (0) 79 2457505

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