We'll meet you at charming Corte del Sole country inn few km from Castiglione del Lago - you will arrive by the train to Chiusi-Chianciano station, a major stop on all the Rome-Florence lines. 

After fitting you with your high-spec bike you're free to explore this delightful hill town by bike, which gazes down on tranquil Lake Trasimeno's fishing boats and beaches. Castiglione boasts a 16th-century Town Hall and a ruined medieval castle.

Alla Corte del Sole is located in the vicinities of Lake Trasimeno. On one hand it enjoys the view of one of the most suggestive Italian lakes and of a nature filled with the sense of a wholly Franciscan mysticism, while on the other hand it is in close touch with Montepulciano.

Your first tour skirts this very large lake, winding past cornflower fields and isolated farmhouses, then into a series of gently rolling hills studded with tiny towns that you'll want to stop and visit. Your destination is Perugia, one of Italy's most fascinating medieval cities.

After sundown, this university city livens up considerably, first with the traditional passeggiata (evening stroll) and then with music and fun at many local night clubs and bars. Accommodation is in a historic hotel, Locanda della Posta, in the centre of town.

Locanda della Posta: During the second half of the 1700s, the "Posta", the stagecoaches used to transport people and postal documents. Since then, a lot of things have changed, but not the charm of the Locanda della Posta, which has been completely renovated, always old and yet new, unique and exclusive.

55km riding.

Today is an easy day, expressly designed to allow you plenty of time in Assisi. You begin with a nice downhill ride into Torgiano, followed by a short climb up to the hometown of Saint Francis, perched on an outcrop overlooking the valley, gleaming soft pink against the dark-green backdrop of wild Mount Subasio.

You'll want to explore the city's revered and very beautiful churches, its romantic castle and impossibly narrow streets. Visit Saint Mary of the Angels, one of the largest Christian basilicas in Umbria. Last stop is Spello and then you arrive in Bevagna a picturesque hamlet at whose nucleus is one of the most authentic Romanesque town squares in Italy. It is also home to some of Pinturicchio's most glorious frescoes.

Lodging at hotel Il Orto Degli Angeli an ancient family home having a warm atmosphere. The owners enjoy sharing their mansion with their guests and invite them to experience the way of life of a great Umbrian family surrounded by the beauty of an enchanting place.

45km riding.

Today is dedicated to the quintessential Umbrian delicacy: the medieval hill town. After bidding farewell to Assisi, you're off to visit "The Balcony of Umbria," Montefalco. Extremely tiny, it occupies a hilltop placed so strategically that majestic views are available at the end of every street. Along the way, you breeze past a few isolated rural churches and through a couple of towns too small to even make it onto the map. 

45km riding.

Back roads are the main roads for you today, as you wend your way over hill and dale, past the tail end of mountain streams, silent forests and wild mushroom stands.

You'll see fewer people today, hear fewer 21st-century sounds and see fewer modern sights than on any other day.

At the end of this unique excursion you'll take the customary uphill incline leading into Todi. The hill town still has almost all of its medieval walls, and its pristine charm has made it a favourite country home of wealthy Romans and artists, as well as a host of artisans who have enlivened its streets with their shops.

Accommodation is in a historic residence or a hotel, both in town.
The Hotel Fonte Cesia is the result of the careful renovation of an ancient and noble palace from the 17th century. The previous church of Saint Benedetto (13th century), which adjoins the hotel is today the beautiful frame of a lecture hall.

35km riding.

Yet another - perhaps the most glorious - church awaits you at the end of today, your reward for mastering some pretty steep inclines. Along the way you'll pass several ruined castles which provide a perfect backdrop for a picnic, based on local salamis, cheeses and breads.

By afternoon you'll see Orvieto, looming ahead on its strange plateau, crowned by the cathedral of Santa Maria, considered by one and all to be among the very finest churches in all of Europe. Accommodation is in a historic hotel.

The Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini is remarkable for its beautiful palace created for the pontifical family Piccolomini. The recent and accurate restoration has given new splendour to the different age-long structures; from the refined facade overlooking Piazza Ranieri down to the underground rooms cut into the tufa massif, on which the Etruscan Orvieto rises.

46km riding.

End of tour after breakfast – though there’s an optional short ride to Bagnoreggio before taking the train or bus to Florence or Rome. Here you can extend your holiday or travel onwards.