A 3-day hiking in Umbria on the Trasimeno hills, in the footsteps of Piero Perugino

An itinerary designed to discover the landscapes that inspired the famous Renaissance painter Pietro Vannucci, better known as Perugino. On this hike in Umbria you will walk the hills south of Lake Trasimeno, travelling on dirt roads and narrow paths. You’ll continue in open countryside and then venture onto woodland paths and into thick vegetation. This hike consists of 3 stages, all of which are also suitable for less experienced walkers.

It will be a slow itinerary, walking at your own pace, but above all walking to the rhythm of nature. You will be accompanied by a certified guide all the way along, who will help you to truly appreciate everything around you. You will venture along the most untrodden paths to discover hidden shrines and castles. Always fully immersed in nature, you’ll pass through medieval villages where we will eat and stay overnight, such as Panicale, Paciano, Mongiovino and Fontignano.

The route in generally suitable for anyone with an aptitude for hiking:

FIRST STAGE

Departure will take place from the pretty little village of Città della Pieve. After a short tour through the streets of the historic centre, we will climb up through enchanted woods until we reach Monte Pausillo. There, beautiful panoramas across all of central Umbria and nearby Tuscany will await us, and then we will press on until we go down to the village of Paciano. The length of this stage is about 13 km, with a total altitude change of + 380/-500 metres. We will take a break of about an hour and a half during the hike to have lunch, which on the first day will be a packed lunch (with focaccia, cold cuts, cheeses and local vegetables). We’ll arrive in Paciano before sunset and check in to our rooms and apartments in a splendid ‘agritourism’ farm stay. After freshening up, we will take our seats for dinner, with a 3-course menu based on local products.

SECOND STAGE

We’ll wake up early, but not too early, for the second stage. This one is about 15 km, with an altitude change of + 500/-590 metres. After a nice hearty breakfast to stock up on energy supplies, we’ll be ready to set off. We’ll take a short tour within the walls of the village of Paciano and then take the panoramic ridge path that runs over Mount Petrarvella until we reach the Capuchin Convent. We will then go on downhill, aiming for Panicale. Arrival will be at around 11 in the morning, allowing us to visit this fantastic little village. Lunch this time will be in a restaurant, with a 2-course menu. This will be a light meal but energetic enough to enable us to tackle the second part of the day. After lunch and a little relaxation, we will set off again heading up the hills. The destination of this second day is Mongiovino, where we will first visit a sanctuary and then finish up at a farm. After a break to freshen up, we will meet up again for a hearty, reinvigorating dinner.

THIRD STAGE

First breakfast, then off we go. This stage is about 14 km long, with a change in altitude of +580/-620 metres. We will immerse ourselves in the woods that flank Monte Solare until we reach a dirt road that will lead us to Montali, a panoramic hill where a majestic castle stands. The destination of this third stage and, indeed, of the entire itinerary is Fontignano, the burial place of Pietro Vannucci, better known as Perugino and the end of our journey. We’ll have a packed lunch on this day, based as always on typical local products. Arrival at our destination is expected before sunset when, after a farewell drink, the 3-day hike will end