Overview
A five day, self-guided cycling holiday along the Cammino dei Borghi Silenti, by e-bike. This trail’s name translates as the Path through the Silent Villages and it’s Umbria at its most utopian, with ancient homelands that feel untouched by time, and yet supported by a network of walking and biking routes. The trail covers around 82km of rural and woodland paths on a circuit from Tenaglie, near the ancient hilltop town of Orvieto, where the tour starts and ends. Spend a blissful time pedaling through villages that encircle Monte Croce di Serra, the highest point of the Amerini mountains (994m). It may be silent in one way, but the Cammino’s natural beauty is verging on operatic.
- Orvieto
- Tenaglie
- Monte Croce di Serra
- Morre
- Civitella sul Lago
- Lake Corbara
- Montecchio
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Orvieto
Arrive in Orvieto, a fortified medieval town built on a volcanic tuff plateau in Umbria. Enclosed by defensive walls, it’s known for its 14th-century cathedral with the most stunning facade, all crafted with mosaic. The town is also famous for the Pozzo di San Patrizio, or St Patrick’s Well and network of tunnels, a masterpiece of Renaissance engineering, which you can visit. You may want a glass of wine after that, another reason why the city is so famous.
- Accommodation: Casa Vèra or similar in Orvieto
- Optional hotel upgrade: Virgilio Boutique Hotel or similar in Orvieto
Day 2: Orvieto – Morre | 33km
You are transferred to Tenaglie to collect your e-bike, guidebook and paper credential from the dedicated Cammino dei Borghi Silenti shop before heading along the first section of the camino. This takes you through the small villages of Guardea, Santa Restituta, Toscolano and Melezzole. Continue following the ascending trail to Mount Croce, reaching the highest point of the route at around 1,000m above sea level, where you get some great views across the Tyrrhenian Sea on clear days. The trail descends through another forest as far as Morre, where you spend the night. Morre is an ancient Roman hamlet surrounded by farmlands and blackberry bushes, the latter giving the hamlet its name.
- Cycling for the day: 33km, 4h ↑866m ↓678m
- Accommodation: Agriturismo Cerqueti or similar in Morre
Day 3: Morre – Civitella del Lago | 26km
Begin with a panoramic descent through the Gorges of Forello before a challenging ascent to reach Civitella del Lago, where a well-deserved break awaits. The town is also called the Terrace over Lake Corbara, as it offers the best panoramic views over the lake.
- Cycling for the day: 26km, 3h 30mins ↑593m ↓776m
- Accommodation: Agriturismo Il Casanova or similar near Civitella del Lago
Day 4: Civitella del Lago – Tenaglie | 23km
The scenery shifts to a landscape of olive groves and vineyards, with Lake Corbara providing a scenic backdrop. The route passes several local wineries which offer tastings and, as today’s is a shorter distance, you have more time to do so. The final part of the cycling holiday takes you past two ancient sites, the Etruscan Necropolis of San Lorenzo, dating back to 800BC and the village of Montecchio. The latter is known for its 11th-century castle, medieval fortifications and is also recognised as one of Italy’s most beautiful villages by the I Borghi più Belli d’Italia association. From here, the trail returns to Tenaglie, with time for a photo by the Pilgrim Benches to mark the end of the journey, before meeting your driver for the trip back to your accommodation in Orvieto.
- Cycling for the day: 23km, 3h ↑282m ↓589m
- Accommodation: Casa Vèra or similar in Orvieto
- Optional hotel upgrade: Virgilio Boutique Hotel or similar in Orvieto
Day 5: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and agriturismos. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view sample hotels
- Casa Vèra (Orvieto)
- Cerqueti Agriturismo (Morre)
- Agriturismo Il Casanova (Civitella sul Lago)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Click to view upgrade hotels
- Virgilio Boutique Hotel (Orvieto)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated moderate to strenuous and is suitable for cyclists with a good level of fitness and confidence with most days offering 3-5h of cycling. Previous experience with E-MTB is needed in order to complete the tour. The routes cover a variety of terrain, including uneven dirt roads, stone trails and asphalt, with a series of ascents and descents throughout due to the hilly landscape.
We strongly advise you only to follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from April to October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date within the season.
The Umbria region generally experiences mild to warm weather. Spring and autumn temperatures range between 05–20C, with occasional rain. Summer temperatures typically range between 25–30C, with plenty of sunshine, so it’s advisable to start cycling early to avoid the midday heat. For more information please read our Best time to go to Italy blog.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this tour are Roma Fiumicino (FCO) or Ciampino Airport (CIA).
By train or bus
- If you are able to travel to Italy without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with a train station in Orvieto. For more details, see the national rail operator Trenitalia, or use the Omio planner above
- From Roma Fiumicino airport take the Regionale train to Roma Tiburtina station (50mins), before changing here to reach Orvieto (1h 16mins). For more details, see the national rail operator Trenitalia, or use the Omio planner above. From Orvieto railway station, take the funicular opposite the station to reach the old town. From here you can walk (15mins) or take the A or CC bus lines to the accommodation.
- Transfers: private transfers to and from the airport can be arranged on request
Inclusions
Included
- 4 nights accommodation
- 4 breakfasts
- Daily luggage transfers (one piece per person, max 15kg)
- Private transfer from Orvieto to Tenaglie on day two
- Private transfer from Tenaglie to Orvieto on day four
- Digital tour materials: detailed roadbook including maps (digital format), a navigation app for smartphones, GPS tracks. Please note that no printed documents will be provided on-site.
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- International flights and land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Additional travel-related changes in the programme due to bad weather
- Entrance fees for attractions and museums
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Top quality double suspension e-bikes with helmet and lock
- Extra nights
- Hotel upgrades in Orvieto
- Airport transfers
- Local private transfers
E-bike rental
Regular carbon fibre road bicycles are available on demand. All bikes come with helmet, multi-tool, bike lock
Focus Sam 2 (Default)
- Model: E-bike MTB full suspended with 720W/h engine
- Frame: Aluminium frame
- Brakes: hydraulic disc brakes
- Wheel/tyre: 27.5-inch
- Telescopic seat post
Sample pictures shown above, please note that the exact models may differ depending on availability
Credential and Certificate
The Credential for the Cammino dei Borghi Silenti is included in the tour, it will be ready to be collected at the Amerini Trekking store located in Tenaglie. Please visit the official website for more information on it. The credential serves as a personal passport for the hike and is required to collect stamps from designated establishments along the route. At the end of the tour, if you have at least two stamps on your credential, you can receive the final certificate of completion
