The Hidden Medieval Villages of Tuscany and Umbria

Great trip. Our guide was exceptional. Wonderful fellow travelers. Trip of a lifetime. A great educational experience. Would highly recommend to anyone.

Road Scholar does a great job in providing educational tours.

This trip was one of the best I've participated in. Caterina, the group leader was excellent. Her knowledge of the area, and personal interaction with the group--outstanding. This was an exceptional group of travelers. I attribute much satisfaction to Caterina. I cannot say enough about her leadership. I had visited Italian cities in the past, but not small villages. This trip exceeded my expectations. Each city brought new experiences. Road Scholar always provides a little something that I would not have experienced on my own. Some of my favorites: visiting a family owned winery, visiting the ancient ruins of Little Jerusalem in Pitigliano, and hearing the histories of each Medieval Village. Each day brought new surprises! Road Scholar is my choice of travel, and I'm not disappointed, though our first hotel stay (Grand Hotel Admiral Palace) was not the quality I expect from RS. The meals, especially breakfast, were subpar. Each morning, arriving at the start time for breakfast, there was not enough food. This occurred daily. Also, there is usually a lecture room, but our group meetings were in the common area. Thanks to RS personnel and their great planning. Judy

We thoroughly enjoyed the Hidden Villages of Umbria and Tuscany! Our tour guide Caterina was exceptional and the small group comradery added to the overall experience. Road Scholar found a variety of villages that were each different from the other with varied activities/focus at each village. The provided meals delicious, memorable, and varied. This was our first Road Scholar trip but won't be our last!

Loved the trip. The sites were well planned, guides were experts and got us into areas on our tour group could see. Be prepared for lots of art in medieval castles/churchs, good food and getting a taste of Tuscany and Umbria via wine and food. Unfortunately members in our group failed to wear masks when symptomatic, despite multiple requests (discussions) from the guide and I eventually got sick too. I’d give the trip 2-3 stars because of non-compliance with masks when people were symptomatic.

This is a great program that explores the beauty and the complex history of medieval villages in Umbria and Tuscany. My first trip to Italy was to Rome, Florence, and Venice. I worried that this program would not hold my attention as much as the first trip but I was so wrong. I loved it. The group was small and full of interesting people equally interested in the history of the region. So much fun!

Great trip and interesting hill towns, and superb local guides. Admiral Palace Hotel refuses to provide A/C, and if its hot - tough. RS, choose another hotel. We paid for a service they refused to provide.

This is my 6th trip with Road Scholar. Each trip gets better!

This was a super enjoyable trip with an absolutely fantastic guide. I would have benefitted from a second history discussion mid way through the trip.

This is a lovely journey to hill towns that are not otherwise easily accessed.

This was a wonderful tour. Catarina our trip leader has a great personality and went out of her way to make us all feel comfortable. The local guides were simply amazing. So filled with knowledge and willing to share their love of Italy and the area. Still trying to process the wealth of art, ancient sites, great food, and more we experienced every day. All that and gelato!! As a solo traveler, felt lucky to have a fun group which made the experience even better than expected. Highly recommended!

An excellent program with highly qualified guides.

Outstanding experience of the beauty of Tuscany and immersion in its history, art and culture. Bus rides are necessary for covering this much territory, but the beautiful landscapes made them a pleasurable part of the Tour

This program was wonderful and educational. Food and wine was excellent. Be aware that in Tuscany and Umbria, many shops and restaurants are closed from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. i highly recommend this tour.

We had a fabulous & non-stop trip! Our guide Erika was sweet and knowledgeable, kept us organized and moving, and just all around very talented as a guide. I believe we had a variation of this trip that RS was trying out, and it was very busy. However we loved it and toured so many towns that were not as busy as you'd expect for a September visit.

Tuscany and Umbria are green even in winter, and it was a treat to see these cities when there are virtually no other tourists--and no other tour groups at all. My small group was congenial and excellent company, our tour leader a delight. The guides were mostly excellent. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the accommodations and food.

Our tour of the medieval villages of Tuscany and Umbria was outstanding. It gave us a new appreciation for the culture, history, and people of Italy.

Caterina was very sweet but not as experienced as other guides I have had. This tour was a little light on the education. Could have added an Etruscan Museum to the itinerary and some lectures before dinner. Our free time was during the lunch hour when everything was closed. It would be better to switch free time to the morning and tour in the afternoon. The food and restaurants were good except for Orvieto. The winery and cheese farm were some highlights of the tour. My travel (done by Road Scholar) was a nightmare. I will have to think about using you in the future. I had to pay $50 extra for a seat I was already supposed to have on the way home. On the way to Italy, I had no seats and was seated in the middle with absolutely no room for anything. My travel companion was not even in the same section of the plane as I was.

Walking to and around several of the medieval villages of Tuscany and Umbria regions of Italy is a great way to learn how about the history and the culture of these towns and regions. Ten days of exploring churches, museums and local food/markets was a good immersion experience. Our guide, Catarina, did a remarkable job of keeping us on time and informed about program activities and local issues/challenges.

My first trip with RS, I was afraid I "might not keep up", no problem! The pace was great, plenty of free time, our tour director was great and I really enjoyed it. Prepare- no coffee in the rooms in most hotels and some of the food and wine quantities were sub par but I would go again.

If you want a little magic in your life, subscribe to the Tuscany and Umbria Road Scholar tour! I hated to come home...it was simply enchanting.

The selected location were scenic and beautiful. The history was amazing. I highly recommend.

Five stars, wonderful program. We got a great understanding of the selected hilltop towns, some small (Gubbio) some larger (Siena, Perugia). We were based in two towns and enjoyed not having to pack up every couple of days. We had to absorb a lot from the local guides who led us on Field Trips as we walked through cobblestoned narrow streets, and climbed hilly steps. Nice balance of programmed time, and time on our own; ditto for meals. It is good to be prepared for the variety of Renaissance artists that we come across, and to understand the history so as not to be overwhelmed. There were no hands-on activities, and this was fine by us. We would have welcomed more lectures as we’ve experienced on other Road Scholar programs. The crowds of tourists were not excessive as might be the case in Rome or Venice. Highly recommended.

Wonderful trip for anyone who enjoys history and has an appreciation of gorgeous frescoes. Tuscany is exactly like the pictures. Wonderful Tuscan food and wine also! You'll find a terrific person leading the tour, Erika, and gobsmacking guides on each field trip. Bring shoes with lots of cushioning!

I had a great experience on this trip. Erika, our leader, is fantastic. She’s kind, knowledgeable, and made us feel welcome. She’s also very funny. Erika went out of her way for us. The trip was well planned. For me, the lectures with Mario on the art were informative but a little too detailed. For others, it was way too much. He has a passion for the art but also a religious view that came through loud and clear. We got the anti abortion message-for American travelers, this is too much. I really enjoyed the trips to the olive farm and the winery. The day in Orvieto was fascinating as there was a festival. The guide that day, Roma, did ok given the circumstances. Overall, I would recommend this trip highly. I understand that the itinerary is changing and perhaps also that the guide will be Mario. In that case, it would be most enjoyable for those who want detailed art history and don’t mind a Catholic perspective.

The Medieval towns of Tuscany and Umbria is a fantastic trip filled with history, art, culinary adventure and local connections. If you want an intimate introduction to Bella Italia, this is the trip for you...amazing art without the lines of larger cities, delicious food, and close personal connections with both presenters and participants.

This is a wonderful program that takes you slightly off the beaten track in Tuscany and Umbria and the choice of medieval villages was excellent. Each one was unique with its own distinctive personality and sites. There is a great balance between planned activities and meals vs solo options and free time. The group leader and presenters were top notch and really enhanced the entire experience. I have traveled in Tuscany before, but this program introduced me to new places and experiences. I particularly enjoyed the visit and lunch at the olive mill.

This program provides a wonderful opportunity to walk the streets of Medieval towns and see and appreciate the appearance of early humanistic Renaissance artworks in the settings for which they were created.

My trip was amazing, well organized, exceptional staff and I made lifelong friends.

The Hidden Villages of Tuscany and Umbria was outstanding. The tour guide, Simone Spinazze, was terrific -- highly knowledgeable, well-organized, attentive to the needs of the group. His experience as an actor was a real plus, making him so entertaining. The villages featured on the tour were so beautiful -- and not overwhelmed by tourists in a year when most major European cities are so crowded it is difficult to appreciate them. This tour gets a "10"!

This is a gem of a tour, introducing us to the "hidden" medieval towns of Tuscany & Umbria. It was a great introduction to Italy, and such an interesting and well-run tour that we will come back to Road Scholar for other tours.

The Hill Towns of Tuscany and Umbria is a wonderful opportunity to explore the history, grandeur, people and diversity of one of the most interesting areas in Italy and and in the World. Highly recommended!

All of us in our varied group commented that this program exceeded our expectations. The program highlights an amazing part of Italy-uncrowded towns, beautiful art and architecture, and the ability to be immersed in Italian life. On a scale of one to ten, it is an eleven.

The villages we stayed in were small and charming. Hotel stays in Anghieri and Trevi were very pleasant. The villages and cities we visited were beautiful and we had the opportunity to experience some of the greatest early renaissance art by Piero della Francesco, Fra Angelico, Perugino, Lorenzetti and others. The tours of winery and olive grove were informative but took too much time, especially of the olive grove. Giulia was a very pleasant tour leader but she provided very little educational information along the way. Two of our three city guides were outstanding, especially the art historian, the third too subjective in her descriptions. Dinners were mostly of unremarkable quality but improved in the Umbria portion of our stay.

Time to enjoy art, food, wine, and history in some of Italy's most charming and uncrowded hill towns.

This is a very nice itinerary. Strong emphasis on religious art and churches, with a few cultural activities mixed in. Beautiful hillside towns and villages, loved the stay in Anghiari! Be prepared to walk uphill on cobblestones throughout! Meals are amazing! The guide, Giulia, was warm and fun, activities and timing were well organized. Loved our little language lesson, very helpful. Hope to do another Road Scholar trip very soon!

If you appreciate the charm and the ambiance of small towns and villages, this is the ideal program for you!

Fabulous trip in every way. If you love great scenery, art, medieval architecture, Italian food and want stay clear of the crowds this is a wonderful trip.

My first Road Scholar trip and it exceeded expectations!

"Five stars". This was an exceptional trip, and was expertly organized. We visited many cathedrals, walked on village cobble streets and had three lunches at smaller spots, including an Olive Mill (where the owner shared with us a wonderful overview of the production of olive oil) and two country homes. The accommodations were simple and clean, some with beautiful views and walking access. My only regret is that I did not complete more research prior to the trip, so that I could have more of a baseline understanding of all that the guides shared with us. However, by the last day, it all began to make sense. Our trip leader, Simona, was magnificent, and set the bar very high. She has deep knowledge and has worked with "turistas" from different cultural backgrounds, including Japan, United States and Canada. She is warm, well-organized, and has a lively sense of humor. We had a lovely diverse group, (cultural experience and religious background) and we felt absolutely comfortable and safe during our travels, thanks to Simona's presence and skill. She has both impressive formal background education as well as a kind of life wisdom that cannot be taught, interpersonal skills, cross-cultural sensitivity and a commitment to inclusion. The trip itself is structured so that there is free time, and there are different kinds of activities. There was an excellent balance to it all, again, not an easy feat to accomplish. As in many places in the world, the weather was unpredictable. We prepared more for warmer weather, but it was rainy and chilly at times, so "expect the unexpected".

Thank you, Road Scholar, for making my first overseas experience so wonderful. I was well taken care of on every level and had time to relax and enjoy. Exactly what I was hoping for. I will most definitely be traveling with you again!

This was the third region of Northern Italy that my wife and I have explored with Road Scholar and in many ways it was the most satisfying. You are taking a deep dive into Church history of the medieval and Renaissance period, but the guides were, without exception, intelligent and engaging. The program smartly avoids the crowds that make travel so hard at Italy's "greatest hits" of this historical period. Indeed, you will be virtually alone with some well-known masterpieces (Piero della Francesca frescoes for example) and discover wonders that are not yet famous (Roman mosaics in the new museum at Spello, for example). As is the RS custom, you will learn much about fortifications and foodies in the countryside, a nice tradition. The hotels were fine three-star establishments (another RS tradition) and while these may be below some people's notion of luxury, they were clean, cute, and accommodating. Our group bonded so well at meals, it is hard to remember just how good the food was in this pleasant company. You will have two dinners and several lunches on your own, if you are looking for the best restaurants in town (but all will be focused on traditional food of the region.) Simona, our group leader, was always patient and in good spirits; she held our diverse group of 16 in the palm of her hand. Is there anything to worry about? As another reviewer has said, but we were too dim to realize, hill towns in May are going to be colder than the valley below. Dress for Seattle more than for Sicily.