Gastronomy, art and nature in the ancient and mystic Umbria

Arrival. In the afternoon enjoy a guided tour of the town. Spoleto is visually stunning, presided over by a formidable medieval fortress and backed by the broad-shouldered Apennines. The Romans left their mark in the form of the grand arches of the Bridge of Towers and an amphitheatre; the Lombards made it the capital of their duchy in 570, building it high and mighty and leaving it with a parting gift of a Romanesque cathedral in the early 13th century. The visit includes Spoleto's pretty pale-stone cathedral, originally built in the 11th century using huge blocks of salvaged stones from Roman buildings for its slender bell tower. Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight.

Breakfast. Head for Norcia, set in the heart of the Valnerina, on the edge of the Sibillini National Park. The pretty walled town is gastronomic heaven. Agriculture is key here in the “green heart” of Italy, where lentils grow on the plains and even in the height of summer the area is a vibrant green. The region is famous for its salami, black truffle and wild boar and pork products. Live a unique experience, searching the precious tuber with the truffle hunter and his dog. Genuine lunch with truffle specialties. The afternoon is yours to discover the small town of Norcia and to shop for local products. Return to Spoleto. Overnight.

Breakfast. Today is all about olive oil. En route to Bevagna, stop for an olive oil tasting. Extra virgin olive oils that are fruit of dedication and respect for Umbrian traditional wisdom, borne by trees growing in craggy terrain that yield but a few thousand bottles... and enormous satisfaction! Following the visit reach the winery for a visit and wine tasting topped off by a light lunch. In the afternoon discover medieval Bevagna on a private guided walking tour and admire its ancient theatre, the temple, the forum (main square), the Roman baths and its mosaics and the Medieval House of Mastro Cecco. Return to Spoleto and overnight.

Breakfast and check-out. Meet your local guide in Montefalco for a guided visit of the lively 12th-century town, with its five gates each of which is associated with a parish church and each giving into a lane that leads up to a (more or less) five-sided piazza at the town's highest point. Visit the church of San Francesco, with Benozzo Gozzoli's Saint Francis fresco cycle of 1452. Montefalco also has a tradition of woven linen and linen-cotton.