We'll meet you at Rome Fiumicino airport (FCO) or the appointed pick-up spot, for van transfer to Allerona — about a 2-hour drive. Along the way, we'll get an introduction to the week ahead. We’ll take everyone to their rooms, which are spread around the village. This is your home for the week! After dropping off bags, we’ll have a quick lunch, then a tour of Allerona, including some of its special places and hidden corners. You’ll have some time to rest and unpack. We’ll enjoy an aperitivo at our local bar, followed by a welcome dinner in a private cantina.

On this full day, we’ll get to know Orvieto, the beautiful medieval city with Etruscan roots and a magnificent 14th-century cathedral. We’ll start in the oldest section of Orvieto, and a ceramics workshop where we’ll paint Etruscan-style pottery. From there, we’ll head up the hill to lunch at a traditional family-run trattoria. After lunch, we’ll meet our guide for a tour of Orvieto’s magnificent Duomo, its medieval streets, and an underground labyrinth where the city’s history unfolds, layer after layer. Late afternoon, we’ll return to Allerona and have a couple of hours to rest before dinner at our lovely fine dining restaurant.

Today, we’ll stay close to home and get a taste of rural life and traditional Umbrian cooking, family style: *Grape or olive harvest. Depending on the season, we'll pick grapes or olives and learn about the winemaking or olive-growing process. We'll update before your arrival and if a harvest isn't available, we’ll have an alternative outdoor activity, weather permitting. Enjoy a hearty homemade lunch in a private home. After lunch, we’ll visit the olive mill and watch the oil extraction process (depending on the season). Free time in the afternoon This evening, we’ll have a tour of a village palace, the ancestral home of a local family, followed by a tasting of local olive oil, wine, and other products, including a bruschetta-making lesson.

Today we’ll dip into Lazio, one of the regions bordering Umbria, and visit one of the area’s most enigmatic sights. Civita di Bagnoreggio, la città che muore, or the dying city, sits on a dramatic tufa plateau just a short distance from Orvieto. With our guide, we’ll walk across the long bridge — the only way to access the nearly deserted town — and spend some time exploring and taking photos. We’ll have lunch at Civita, then stop for a fantastic photo op of Orvieto. On the way back to Allerona, we’ll stop for a wine tasting at a cantina with cellars built by the Etruscans. This evening, those who still have some energy and appetite can join us at the bar just outside of town for drinks and snacks (walking, or transport provided).

We’ll stop at our small weekly market before heading to private cooking lessons from a real Italian nonna. Handmade pasta and tiramisu are on the menu! At lunch, we’ll dine on the delicious food we prepared earlier, followed by a grappa tasting. Your afternoon is free to rest and digest. This evening, we’ll head to Orvieto to dine in one of our favorite restaurants, with time for a walk around town and a gelato before we head back to Allerona.

Weather permitting, we’ll spend most of the day outdoors, taking a nature walk, foraging food, and hitting the thermal baths. This morning we’ll head up to Parco di Villalba and meet our friend Adio for coffee, followed by a ~2-hour nature hike, where he’ll offer an informal lesson on edible wild plants and herbs. We’ll end our walk at a cozy, wooded osteria, for a lunch of traditional Umbrian specialties and local wine. From there, we’ll head to San Casciano dei Bagni and take a dip in the ancient outdoor thermal baths, where water bubbles from underground at a constant 104F. This evening, it’s pizza party time!

On our last full day, we’ll return to Orvieto to meet our friend Lamberto, who offers two special experiences. We’ll start with a brief tour of the laboratory where he distills L’Orvietan, a modern version of a 17th-century cure-all. From there, Lamberto will lead us in a handmade marbleized papermaking workshop. Lunch and the afternoon in Orvieto are on your own for sightseeing and shopping. This evening, we’ll enjoy a festive cookout and get ready to say arrivederci.

After an early breakfast, we’ll say our farewells and, depending on your onward schedule, we’ll get you transferred to Rome airport, your Rome hotel or Orvieto train station.