Route Umbrië

Umbria is often dubbed the green heart of Italy, and rightly so! Yet, what they forget to mention is its truffle-rich land, remarkable wines, charming towns, historical sites, Roman ruins, hidden gems, and incredibly warm-hearted locals. As you can tell, we’re huge fans! Italy has held us captive for years—from the South Tyrolean mountains, the rolling hills of Tuscany, the pristine beaches of Puglia, the island life in Sardinia, and now, adding to the list, the green heart of Italy: UMBRIA! Often overshadowed by its immensely popular neighbor, Tuscany, this region offers nearly everything Tuscany does, minus the overwhelming tourist crowds. Does this mean skipping Tuscany? Absolutely not. Tuscany remains an undeniable gem! However, if you’re venturing off-the-beaten-path during peak season or seeking a tranquil region with all the splendors of Tuscany, Umbria is a stellar, top-notch recommendation! Dive into our ultimate Umbria itinerary for more details.

Umbria is also known as the green heart of Italy! True! But they do forget to mention that this is also the region of truffles, fantastic wines, charming cities, history, Roman ruins, hidden gems, and incredibly kind people. You’re reading it right, we’re FANS!

For years, we can’t get enough of Italy. From the mountains in South Tyrol, the rolling hills in Tuscany, the pearl-white beaches in Puglia, island life on Sardinia, and this year we’re adding the green heart of Italy to the list: UMBRIA!

This region is often overshadowed by the neighboring and immensely popular Tuscany. A shame, because this region offers almost everything Tuscany does, but without the massive tourist flow. Should you skip Tuscany then? Absolutely not. Tuscany is and remains a gem without a doubt! But if you, like us, hit the road on the spur of the moment in high season or are looking for a quiet region with all the beauties of Tuscany, then Umbria is a big fat tip! Read on quickly for our ultimate Umbria route.

Umbria route 2 weeks:

Lago Trasimeno – 2 nights
Perugia (optional)
Gubbio – 1 night
Assisi/Spello – 2 nights
National Park Monti Sibillini – 2 nights
Spoleto – 1 night
Cascata delle Marmore – 1 night
Narni – 1 night
Orvieto – 1 night
Montepulciano – 2 nights

Umbria route 10 days

Gubbio – 1 night
Assisi/Spello – 2 nights
National Park Monti Sibillini – 2 nights
Cascata delle Marmore – 1 night
Narni – 1 night
Orvieto – 1 night
Montepulciano – 1 night / This is already Tuscany but a wonderful place to finish.

Combine Umbria with South Tyrol and/or Tuscany

If you’re traveling by car, driving to Umbria in one go can be quite a journey. We highly recommend making a stop in South Tyrol. The Seiseralm and Trentino regions are beautiful stops to break up your drive to Umbria. You can also perfectly combine Umbria with Tuscany. Check out our favorite Tuscany route here.

Lago Trasimeno – 1 night

Due to the heat, we decided to start our Umbria road trip at Lake Lago Trasimeno. The lake is enormous and absolutely stunning. It may not be the highlight of our Umbria route, but it’s definitely a great start to this journey. Around the lake, you’ll find numerous small towns where you can grab a bite and a drink.
From Lago Trasimeno to Gubbio, you’ll pass through Perugia. This is the capital of Umbria and thus a bit larger. However, we prefer small charming towns, and Umbria has more than enough of those. So we decided to skip Perugia.

Gubbio – 1 night

Gubbio was the first town in Umbria we visited, and we immediately fell in love! This town is still relatively quiet and has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. The streetscape is stunning! A truly medieval Italian town that you shouldn’t miss.
Moreover, Gubbio is a truffle paradise! That should be reason enough for a visit.

Assisi/Spello – 2 nights

Assisi is the most famous city to visit in Umbria, and we don’t find that surprising at all! Assisi seems like it’s straight out of a fairy tale. Time has literally stood still here. You’ll find countless ancient buildings, breathtaking views, and charming streets. The only minor downside to this city is that it can get a bit crowded due to its beauty.
One advantage of Assisi, however, is that it can be perfectly combined with a visit to Spello. Spello is just as beautiful, but slightly smaller and less crowded.

Monti Sibillini National Park – 2 nights

If you want to get into nature, you shouldn’t miss the Monti Sibillini National Park. Well, actually you shouldn’t miss it regardless! Just driving through this park is a joy in itself! Monti Sibillini National Park may not be the largest park in Europe, but it

Cascata delle Marmore – 1 nacht

You could potentially make a stop in Spoleto, but we chose to drive straight to Cascata Delle Marmore instead. These are, in fact, the highest waterfalls in Europe and you definitely want to see them. It’s a bit touristy, but certainly no less beautiful.

Narni – 1 night

Half an hour’s drive from the waterfalls you’ll find the breathtaking town of Narni. Yes indeed, Umbria does not lack for cozy charming towns. In Narni too, it seems as if time has stood still. Although a city like Assisi certainly wins the beauty prize, we found towns like Narni and Gubbio slightly more beautiful to visit because it’s so peaceful here. The atmosphere in Narni was also wonderfully relaxed and laid back, and you will certainly not fall short of beautiful buildings and ancient streets.

Orvieto – 1 night

Although we skipped Orvieto because it was no longer on our route – we were heading to Rome – Orvieto is considered one of the most beautiful towns in Umbria by many.