Umbria, Abruzzo & Le Marche -

a Grape Adventure in June 2021

- 6 nights (5 FULL DAYS)

This is a Grapetrotters Adventure that involves 3 central Italian regions, usually overlooked by the regular traveller visiting Italy. In fact, this trip is for adventurous wine & food lovers.

It's an area full of fantastic grape varieties from deep reds to mineral whites and many a great local dish to be paired with them.

Learn all about them as we go from area to area to taste all the different flavours.

Day 1 – Sunday, June 6 - 2021

TRAVEL TO UMBRIA VIA CORTONA

 

We meet at our Grape Tours office in central Florence at 10.30 am and we head towards Umbria stopping for our first winery visit outside Cortona, a region that's famous for its international varietals, especially Syrah and Merlot.

After lunch at winery Tenimenti d'Alessandro, we head towards Montefalco. That evening we stay in Montefalco and have dinner with Mark & Giselle Stafford, experts in the wines of the region.

 

Day 2 – Monday,  June 7 - 2021

MONTEFALCO & SPOLETO​

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This morning we will have time to explore Montefalco, famous especially for the grape Sagrantino that makes one of Italy's most full-bodied reds. We will tour the region and visit two lovely wineries. The first is the famous Arnaldo Caprai winery, and the second is a small family-owned Romanelli who will serve up a fabulous lunch. That afternoon we will then travel further towards Spoleto where we will stroll and have the best pistachio gelato ever, and then we head into the mountains close to Norcia. Dinner will be at our inn and will feature delicious local foods.

 

Day 3 – Tuesday, June 8 - 2021

NORCIA, CASTELLUCCIO & AMAZING LUNCH

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We have a little time to explore Norcia, famous for some of the best Prosciutto of Italy before we head over the mountains. We head up the Apennines and reach Castelluccio, paradise on earth - a completely unthinkable valley area high up in the mountains where flowers bloom into patchworks of colours. Truly one of the wonders of the earth! Onwards into the mountains, we'll stop for lunch at an amazing restaurant where we will enjoy a 5-course tasting lunch. In the evening we check into our lovely hotel in Ascoli Piceno and will enjoy some delicious whites & =live Ascolane (fried stuffed olives)!

 

Day 4 – Wednesday, June 9 - 2021

ASCOLI PICENO, OFFIDA & MONTEPULCIANO

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After breakfast and a morning stroll around Ascoli Piceno (for those who feel like it), we head towards Offida and visit the Cocci Grifoni winery where we will have a delicious lunch and will try the Pecorino & Passerina varietals.

We then head down to Abruzzo to visit the mythical Emidio Pepe winery, with an amazing visit and dinner to really get to know the potential of the Montepulciano grape. We sleep at the inn of the Emidio Pepe winery with views of the Gran Sasso mountains of Abruzzo.

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Day 5 – Thursday, June 10 - 2021

CONERO & RELAX

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We head towards the seaside to discover a region in Le Marche quite famous for red wines, Conero. It's a beautiful coastal region, right by the industrious port of Ancona. We'll tour the region with a lovely winery visit and lunch on the beach, and that night we'll enjoy a relaxing stay in the countryside at a lovely countryside resort and go for a pizza if there's the mood for it.

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Day 6 – Friday, June 11 - 2021

CASTELLI DI JESI

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We check out of our hotel and go back towards the inland, this time to hit one of Italy's most beautiful hilly wine landscapes. Castelli di Jesi features the famous Verdicchio grape which we will discover during the day. We'll visit the Mattioli winery and Riccardo at La Staffa to feature two different but excellent wineries of the region. Finally, we'll reach our 4-star hotel in an adorable village where we will also dine for our farewell dinner.

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Day 7 – Saturday, June 12 - 2021

END OF TOUR

With the possibility of a drop-off in Perugia (train station) at around midday, and onwards towards Florence (our Grape Tours office where you can also leave additional luggage) in the afternoon.

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