Overview
A seven day, self-guided walking holiday along ancient trails in both Umbria and Lazio, starting and finishing in the ancient hilltop town of Orvieto, a stunning halfway point between Florence and Rome, and a quick train journey from both. If you love to combine history with your hiking, this trip is a treat. Ancient architectural highlights include the exquisite Etruscan city of Civita di Bagnoregio, the Necropolis of Pianezze and the Renaissance Rocca Farnese. Geologists also fawn over the vast waters of Lake Bolsena, which is actually a crater formed by the Vulsini volcano, which erupted in Roman times. On this tour you stay mostly in small locally-owned hotels, with luggage transfers.
- Orvieto
- Bolsena
- Lake Bolsena
- Capodimonte
- Montefiascone
- Civita di Bagnoregio
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, and 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 – Bolsena | 21km
Leaving Orvieto, the walking trail takes you through valleys, shaped by centuries of agricultural activity and settlements. Approaching Bolsena, the landscape transitions into a wide volcanic basin with low ridgelines tracing the edges of the ancient Vulsini caldera which has been filled with water over the years to create Lake Bolsena.
- Walking for the day: 21km, 6h ↑529m ↓537m
- Accommodation: Casale 1541 or similar in Bolsena
Day 3: Bolsena – Capodimonte | 18-33km
The day begins with a private transfer to the town of Gradoli, before continuing over hills, ancient olive groves, pristine countryside and along the shores of Lake Bolsena. The day ends in Capodimonte, a lakeside village with narrow stone streets, flower-adorned balconies and views over Lake Bolsena. Overlooking the town is Rocca Farnese, a Renaissance-era fortress that historically guarded the southern part of the lake. Depending on availability you might spend the night in Marta instead of Capodimonte. Please note that you can do a longer walk (33km) by walking directly from Bolsena to Capodimonte.
- Walking for the day:18km, 4h ↑101m ↓219m or 33km, 8h 30mins ↑344m ↓355m
- Accommodation: Hotel Ristorante da Otello or similar in Marta or the nearby area
Day 4: Capodimonte – Montefiascone | 16km
From Capodimonte, the trail passes through the village of Marta, before gradually starting to ascend, giving you great views of the lake. Approaching Montefiascone, the trail continues to climb, as the dome of San Flaviano and the outline of the town comes into view. The final stretch of the ascent is more demanding but offers wide-reaching views of the surrounding landscape before arriving in Montefiascone, known for its Est! Est!! Est!!! wine, the cathedral and panoramic viewpoints that extend from Lake Bolsena to the Apennine Mountains.
- Walking for the day: 16km, 4h 30mins ↑509m ↓243m
- Accommodation: Belvedere del Lago or similar in Montefiascone
- Optional hotel upgrade: Villa Paladini or similar in Montefiascone
Day 5: Montefiascone – Civita di Bagnoregio | 21km
Start by following the Via Francigena through farmland, vineyards and volcanic landscape, with panoramic views of Civita di Bagnoregio. As the route approaches the ancient stone village of Civita di Bagnoregio, the landscape becomes more dramatic with deep ravines and cliffs. Civita di Bagnoregio, perched on a plateau and only reachable by a footbridge, is known locally, and somewhat dramatically, as the Dying City, because of its appearance to be crumbling due to erosion. Even though it’s survived since Etruscan times. For most people, however, it’s an architectural wonder.
- Walking for the day: 21km, 5h 30mins ↑338m ↓493m
- Accommodation: Acqua di Civita Rooms or similar in Civita di Bagnoregio
- Optional hotel upgrade: Corte della Maestà or similar in Civita di Bagnoregio
Day 6: Civita di Bagnoregio – Orvieto | 18km
Walk to Lubriano, then continue following the trail to Canale. The approach to Orvieto follows a gradual ascent as the landscape shifts toward the volcanic plateau where the town is located. The route continues through an idyllic rural landscape, passing remnants of Etruscan tombs and other historical features, as Orvieto’s medieval walls begin to appear in the distance.
- Walking for the day: 18km, 5h ↑489m ↓567m
- Accommodation: Casa Vèra or similar in Orvieto
- Optional hotel upgrade: Virgilio Boutique Hotel or similar in Orvieto
Day 7: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Standard: Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels and B&Bs. 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)
- Casale 1541 (Bolsena)
- Hotel Ristorante da Otello (Marta)
- Belvedere al Lago (Montefiascone)
- Acqua di Civita Rooms (Civita di Bagnoregio)
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 upgraded hotels
- Virgilio Boutique Hotel (Orvieto)
- Villa Paladini (Montefiascone)
- Corte della Maestà (Civita di Bagnoregio)
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 easy to moderate and is suitable for walkers with a good level of fitness, with most days offering 4-6h of walking. The routes cover a variety of terrain including dirt roads and asphalt, with a series of short ascends and descends all over the way due to the hilly landascape (read more about difficulty grades).
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 and Lazio regions generally experience mild to warm weather. Spring and Autumn temperatures range between 5–20C, with occasional rain. Summer temperatures typically range between 25–30C, with plenty of sunshine, so it’s advisable to start walks 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 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
- 7 nights accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- Daily luggage transfers (one piece per person, max 15kg)
- Day three private transfer from Bolsena to Gradoli
- 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.
- Extra nights
- Hotel upgrades in Orvieto, Montefiascone and Civita di Bagnoregio
- Airport transfers
