I have just returned from Umbria in Italy and had the most wonderful experience. This totally unspoilt region of Italy far exceeded my expectations. We saw no other tourists and were priveledged to enjoy Italy at its best. The tour was a good balance between the life of St Francis visiting the iconic places of Assisi, Gubbio and La Verna and the agricultural and historic aspects of the region. The medieval towns perched on hills were breathtaking. We visited 2 agricultural family owned farms and sampled local organic food in the form of delicious multi course meals in stunning settings. Having a go at bread making in a big open air tent felt like The great ITALIAN Bake Off and was great fun. The family run Hotel Italia based in the picturesque town of Foligno was lovely - very traditional and welcoming albeit basic. The hotel LIdo on Lake Tresemeno was tired and not very clean and the food was disappointing but the setting was lovely. Overall a fabulous holiday with a lovely group of people and an excellent tour manager francois.
