Umbria Culture Tour

We have just returned home from the 2023 Umbria Culture tour with Sempre Italiano and it was an amazing experience for all of us. The first adventure was just getting everyone together at Termini train station in Rome. We have never seen the city so full of tourists this late in October! We then headed to Marmore Falls as our first stop in Umbria. The Falls were built by the Romans and at 165 m (541 ft) is the tallest manmade waterfall in the world. We stopped for lunch in the town of Narni. Which is the name C. S. Lewis took for his Chronicles of Narnia series. We then proceeded to the lovely town of Todi and our accommodation there. The following day found us at the Roccafiore Winery for a tasting and tour, then a fantastic dinner at the Fiorfiore Restaurant. The food was absolutely phenomenal as was the service. The next day we traveled to the city of Orvieto for a guided tour of the underground city and the upper city as well. The restaurant Il Labirinto di Adriano where we had lunch had their own underground area. The next day was the truffle hunt where we found 9 truffles! We then sat down to some farmstyle snacks and our truffles were part of the meal. Next on to Assisi and a tour of the Basilica di San Francesco, the city itself, and lunch on a terrace overlooking the valley below. The next day we transfered to our next accommodation which was in a medieval castle turned hotel. We were all treated like kings and queens and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The following day we visited the town of Perugia, went to a wine tour, tasting, cooking class and dinner at the Goretti family winery. The next day we visited the city of Gubbio for shopping and lunch. Our last day in Perugia we visited the Cantina di Fillippo for tasting, tour and lunch. Then a stop at the Perugina Chocolate factory. On the way back to our hotel we stopped at an olive oil frantoia that has been in the same family since the 1700s. The next morning we were on our way to Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence and stopped by a buffalo mozzarella factory that served gelato made from buffalo milk. Yum! We said goodbye to our wonderful tour members in Florence as they made their way home and to parts unknown. We want to thank Denise, Dan, Oscar, Anne, Carol, Mike, Susan, Francine and Arlene for making the tour a success. Also our partners in crime Laura and Raff. A special thanks to our driver Enrico who went above and beyond!