About Italy: assisi to rome
At a glance...
Countries: Italy
Group size: Minimum of four (4)
Duration: 8 days/ 7 nights
Activity: Walking and sightseeing
Travel style: Guided
Difficulty grade: Moderate
Comfort: 3-4* hotels
Watch the brief video below to get a sense of the amazing Umbria region of Italy where this adventure takes place.
Italy: Assisi to Rome
- Dates are subject to slight changes. These dates will proceed with groups of four or more.
May 18 – 25, 2024
September 14 – 21, 2024
Must book at least 60 days prior to trek start date.
ASSISI TO ROME Details
- Marvel at Roman ruins and Renaissance paintings
- Walk in the footsteps of St. Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment, and visit an active monastery from his youth
- Explore the tunnels of the Orvieto Underground
- Enjoy the fascinating Sacro Bosco
- Eat authentic local food and drink wines of the region
- Make your celebration meal under the guidance of a well-known local head chef
- Hobnail Trekking Co. long-sleeve trekking shirt and ball cap
- Custom Hobnail mobile app
- Lots of freebies
- Opportunities to get to know your fellow trekkers include an invitation to a private Facebook group for your trek, group training hikes if trekkers live in proximity to each other, and other local social gatherings
- Airport transfers
- 7 nights double occupancy in 3-4* hotels with breakfast included
- 6 picnic and/or buffet lunches
- 6 dinners with water included
- All transfers with private transportation and train as detailed in itinerary
- Luggage transfer from day 3 to day 8
- Guided visits of Perugia and St. Francis Basilica
- Entrance tickets to Orvieto Underground and Sacred Wood
- Cooking class activity on day 7
- Expert local, English-speaking guide(s)
- City taxes
- Wine tastings on day 5 and on day 7
- All ferries on Como Lake
- The company of new friends and the experience of a lifetime
- Trip insurance (See the Trip Insurance section on this page for details)
- International flights
- Entrance Visa
- Alcoholic beverages
- 2 dinners
- Excess baggage charges
- Tips for leaders, guides, and others (we’ll give you guidance on this)
- Spending money, including for souvenirs
- Personal trekking equipment (hiking boots, clothing, etc.)
- Personal expenses (phone calls, laundry, room service, extra hotel nights, extra meals, etc.)
- Anything not included in “Included”
- All expenses associated with nonscheduled departure
We rate this trek as “intermediate” in difficulty, or three boots. This means that you should expect 3-7 hours of hiking
OK, here’s where we get serious. Hobnail requires that all trekkers purchase travel/medical insurance that covers them properly for all trekking activities.
There are a lot more details you need to know about travel insurance than we want to put in this limited space — including stuff about trip cancellations and what company we recommend — so when you’re ready, pop over to our Travel Insurance page.
We consider our treks to be adventures, not vacations. We’re not Hobnail Vacation Company, after all! Don’t get us wrong; we like vacations as much as the next person, but with our treks, you need to be physically and mentally ready. Here’s what we ask of you:
- You thoroughly read all the information we send you prior to departure.
- You get yourself an accountability partner and train properly. This doesn’t mean doing a few squats two weeks before departure.
- You familiarize yourself with your gear prior to leaving. Practice adjusting your backpack, filtering water if necessary, etc.
- If you purchase new boots, they are broken in well in advance of departure.
- When on trek, you FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF YOUR GUIDE. His or her only concern is helping you achieve your goal safely and in good health, but this won’t happen unless you follow their advice. This includes – but is not limited to – food recommendations, speed of pace, when to sleep and when not to, when to walk and when to rest, when to turn around due to illness, etc.
- When on trek, you treat your guide and the locals you encounter with the utmost respect. We are guests in their country and very grateful to be there.
All of these things may seem like common sense — and they are — but we feel that we must mention them. Hobnail’s goal is to provide you with the best experience possible, and you have an important role in achieving that goal.
A few days after registering for a trek, we’ll give you a quick call to say hello and answer any initial questions you may have. If you use WhatsApp, we’ll add you to a group with your fellow trekkers so that you may interact with them, and possibly your guide, before departure. You’ll be able to post questions in the group anytime you’d like, talk about the cool gear you’re planning to take with you, organize group hikes if you live near each other, and generally just get to know those who will be sharing this incredible experience with you.
Within the first weeks after your trek is confirmed, you will receive a Welcome Kit from us. It contains stuff that you can use during training as well as on the trek itself, and some other just fun things to get you (even more) excited about your trip.
You’ll also receive a login to our Hobnail app, which is full of great information including a day-by-day schedule, nearby points of interest, beautiful photography, and yet another way to contact us – through its messaging service. As your trip gets closer, we will load your flights and other more specific information into the app so you’ll feel even more secure in knowing where you’ll be staying and even how to get around the airports you’ll travel through.
The closer you get to your trek, the more you’ll hear from us — but of course, you can reach out any time you have a question.
What happens if my trek is not confirmed?
If the minimum number for the trek you booked is not reached before the 60-day booking deadline, you will be eligible for either a refund or to transfer your deposit to another trek. See details HERE.
Our Mobile App
When you book, we send you the login credentials to your own, customized app. By departure, your app will contain your flight info, passport, travel insurance docs, and COVID info, as well as your full itinerary, points of interest, and other amazing stuff. Get more details at our app page.
TREK ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive in Rome, transfer to Assisi
Welcome to Italy! From the airport in Rome, you’ll make your way to Assisi on your own. It’s easy – take a train from the airport to Rome Termini Railway Station (about $14 for the 30-minute trip), then take the train to Assisi (about $10-20 for the 2-hour trip). Once in Assisi, get yourself settled into your hotel before meeting your guide in the lobby at 2pm.
Assisi is one of the most mystical places in Italy. It is the birthplace of St. Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment and the founder of the Franciscan order in 1208. Assisi itself is a historical treasure, home to Roman ruins and known for hiding Jews during World War II. It rises under Subasio Mountain, protected by lush oakwood trees. Its finely preserved marble buildings and historical center as well as its incredibly scenic location lend to its reputation as one of the most beautiful towns in the Umbria region.
This afternoon, you’ll enjoy a walk through the town and then make your way to the Basilica of St. Francis. The Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage site where the frescoes painted by Giotto are preserved, will be your destination this afternoon as you enjoy a guided visit of this important structure. Later, enjoy dinner (included) on your first evening in Italy.
Additional transfers: Rome to Assisi via two trains: less than $35
Overnight: 3* hotel in Assisi
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2: Eremo delle Carceri, the footsteps of St. Francis, and the medieval village of Spello
After breakfast you’ll catch a short transfer to Eremo delle Carceri. This hermitage served as a spiritual retreat for the young St. Francis and is still home to a small group of Franciscan monks. Thankfully, they let you visit their beautiful sanctuary.
Following in the footsteps of St. Francis, you’ll hike on a mix of dirt and gravel trails through the huge oakwood trees of Monte Subasio Natural Park before passing through vineyards to reach your destination. Spello is a quiet medieval village that dominates the typical Umbrian countryside with its beautifully intact pink-stone town center.
After your visit to Spello is complete, you’ll take a private transfer back to Assisi (10 minutes).
Overnight: 3* hotel in Assisi
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Activity: 4.5 hours hiking
Distance: 7.5 miles
Day 3: Perugia, Panicale, and Orvieto
Good morning! After breakfast, you’ll transfer by private vehicle to the noble and elegant village of Perugia. The medieval hill town of Perugia was founded by the Etruscans more than 2,500 years ago and conquered by the Romans in 309 BC.
Here you’ll discover the Saint Lorenz Cathedral and the works of the Renaissance master Pietro Perugino, one of Umbria’s native sons and the teacher of the famous painter, Raphael. Enjoy a 2.5-hour guided visit of the village before bidding farewell to Perugia and boarding private transportation for the next hour (28 miles) to Panicale.
Panicale is a real architectural gem, set amongst rolling hills with vineyards and olive groves, villas and farms. The view of Lake Trasimeno is astonishing. Trasimeno is the fourth largest lake in Italy. Fairly shallow and loaded with carp, pike, and tench, it’s also home to a lot of mosquitos because it’s not too deep. In fact, mosquito larvae-eating fish had to be imported from the US in the 1950s to help combat the problem. It has made a big difference in the number of mosquitos in the area, but they’re still there – so wear some bug spray if the weather is mild.
After enjoying this town, with its narrow cobblestone streets, beautiful churches, and fountains, you’ll sit down to enjoy a 100% organic meal nearby. We hope you’ve built up an appetite!
After lunch, you’ll ride almost two hours to your next destination, Orvieto. Orvieto sits high above the Paglia Valley on a crag of soft volcanic stone called “tufa.” You’ll have some free time to discover the town when you arrive. Here you’ll walk the cobblestone streets and visit the town’s unusual black-and-shite banded marble cathedral. This Gothic building has an intricate and colorful façade made up of both mosaic and sculptural elements. The cathedral lies in the very well-preserved medieval town center. You can’t miss it.
Later you’ll have a guided tour of the incredibly fascinating Orvieto Underground. This tour will help you to know and understand Orvieto’s underground world, and the culture of the ancient Etruscans. This series of underground tunnels was created over about 2500 years of uninterrupted digging. The tour lasts about an hour.
Whew! What an exciting day. Relax a bit before enjoying a delicious dinner in the city.
Overnight: 3* hotel in Orvieto
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 4: Orvieto to Bolsena, volcanic lake
After breakfast, you’ll follow an ancient Roman road to Bolsena, a medieval Roman town with a rich history. Archeologists have identified Roman baths there, as well as temples, a small theater, and amphitheater, all believed to be from the 3rd century AD. The surrounding landscape is equally rich with black volcanic sands and beaches stretching for miles.
Through woods of oak and wild boars (don’t worry, we’ll keep you safe!), hills, and fields, you’ll reach the old town of Bolsena and its castle. Known for the miracle of Corpus Domini, the town developed on the banks of the beautiful lake of volcanic origin. You will be on the eastern shore of this, the biggest volcanic lake in Europe.
It’s here you’ll stay the night.
Overnight: 3* hotel in Bolsena
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Activity: 5 hours hiking
Distance: 10.5 miles
Day 5: Via Cassia to Montefiascone
Enjoy a delicious breakfast this morning before heading out for today’s destination. Your path heads south as you hike along the ridge overlooking Lake Bolsena. You’ll follow a stretch of the ancient Via Cassia (built in the 1st or 2nd century BC) en route to Montefiascone, the city of popes and excellent wine. The Via Cassia is an important Roman road that once connected Rome with Italy’s northwestern coast. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Montefiascone and nearby Viterbo became safe havens for numerous popes; the castle in Montefiascone was often the residence for popes.
The town is a real gem with its arches, alleys, and artisans, keeping the flavor of yesteryear. You can easily imagine what medieval life might have been like for the residents of this village.
Here, in the agricultural Tuscia Laziale region of Italy, you’ll notice volcanic lakes, flower-filled fields, and olive groves of rare beauty. Rest in the cool shade of the ancient Pilgrim’s Oak along your hike. From there, you’ll hop on board private transportation to your hotel. Later, you’ll enjoy a tasting of the famous wines of the region.
Overnight: 3* hotel in Montefiascone
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Activity: 5.5 hours hiking
Distance: 8 miles
Day 6: Ancient beech forest on Monte Cimino, Sacro Bosco visit, and Viterbo
Enjoy a delicious breakfast this morning before heading out of the village for a really exceptional day.
From Montefiascone’s Rocca dei Papi (the old papal summer residence), you’ll transfer to the small village of Soriano nel Cimino. Here, you’ll enter the regional park to enjoy a walk deep into the very old beech forest of Monti Cimini known as Tenuta Sant’Egidio. This ancient beech forest of the Cimini Mountains is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll hike the lush slopes of Monte Cimino (3,455 ft), an extinct volcano, following forest trails surrounded by 200-year-old trees that tower up to 130 feet.
From the highest point in the forest, you will descend back to Soriano nel Cimino where you will enjoy a tasting of local products and have some free time to explore the village.
In the afternoon you will transfer to Bomarzo for the visit to Sacro Bosco (Sacred Forest), a stunning garden designed by Vicino Orsini in the 16th century. Also called the Parco dei Mostri (the Park of Monsters), this open-air museum is comprised of dozens of huge, Renaissance-era stone sculptures including dragons, giants, lions, and other fantastic creatures. Prince Orsini commissioned the sculptures in this park as a way to express his grief upon the death of his wife.
From Bomarzo, a short transfer will take you to your hotel in the fortified town of Viterbo. Before dinner, stroll in the Viterbo city center to explore the superb architecture of the town. Dinner is on your own tonight, and your guide will have excellent recommendations. Following dinner, take a quiet stroll through this small village back to your hotel.
Overnight: 4* hotel in Viterbo
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Activity: 4 hours hiking
Distance: 8 miles
Day 7: Etruscan ruins, cooking lesson, celebration dinner
Early this morning, we’ll leave the beautiful village of Viterbo to spend the day alternating between the countryside and the forest. Your hike through the Tuscia region will find you among the remains of the Etruscan civilization that, from 80 – 4 BC, populated the area. A long walk in a canyon excavated by this civilization will be the highlight of the day.
We’ll conclude our hike in the small town of Vetralia where we’ll eat in a local agriturismo (farmhouse) before heading back to Viterbo via private transportation.
After freshening up at your hotel, you’ll be treated to a special activity – a cooking class in one of the most famous restaurants in Viterbo. Under the tutelage of the head chef, you will learn how to prepare a typical Italian meal for your celebration dinner together.
Cheers to friends, new and old, and an incredible adventure in Italy!
Overnight: 4* hotel in Viterbo
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Activity: 5 hours hiking
Distance: 11 miles
Day 8: Departure
After your last breakfast in Italy, you will board a private transfer to Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino (FCO) Airport.
Safe travels, and come back soon!
Meals included: Breakfast
GENERAL INFORMATION
More about Eremo delle Carceri
The Eremo delle Carceri is a hermitage complex located 2,595 ft above sea level in a steep forest gorge upon Monte Subasio. The name Carceri derives from the Latin carceres, meaning “isolated places” or “prisons.”
In the 13th century, Saint Francis of Assisi would often come to this place to pray and contemplate, as did other hermits before him. When he first came in 1205, the only building here was a tiny 12th-century oratory. Soon, other men followed him to the mountain, finding their own isolated caves nearby in which to pray. The oratory became known as Santa Maria delle Carceri after the small “prisons” occupied by friars in the area.
The site and the oratory was probably given by the Benedictines to St. Francis in 1215, at the same time they gave him the Porziuncola in the valley below. Francis dedicated himself to a life of preaching and missions, but throughout his life he would frequently withdraw to the Carceri to pray.
More about orvieto underground
The city of Orvieto has long kept the secret of its labyrinth of caves and tunnels that lie beneath the surface. Dug deep into the tuff, a volcanic rock, these hidden tunnels are open to view only through guided tours. Their spectacular nature has also yielded many archeological finds. Saint Anselm College has set up a program where each summer, students travel to Italy to work at the college’s archaeology site located at the Coriglia excavation site, just outside town.
The underground city boasts more than 1200 tunnels, galleries, wells, stairs, quarries, cellars, unexpected passageways, cisterns, superimposed rooms with numerous small square niches for pigeon roosts, detailing its creation over the centuries. Many of the homes of noble families were equipped with a means of escape from the elevated city during times of siege through secret escape tunnels carved from the soft rock. The tunnels would lead from the city palazzo to emerge at a safe exit point some distance away from city walls.
Italy: Assisi to Rome
- Dates are subject to slight changes. These dates will proceed with groups of four or more.
May 18 – 25, 2024
September 14 – 21, 2024
Must book at least 60 days prior to trek start date.
