Etruscan Trails

Etruscan Trails – 2 weeks
Italy: Tuscany and Umbria

On this page you will find...
Our Trips
Overview Map
of all of our routes

Departure Calendar
of our regular trips
What's Included
in the Trip Cost
Additional Services
you can add to the bike trip.

The Etruscans were a mysterious people, absorbed into the Roman Empire without a hiccup some time shortly before Christ showed up. They left their name to Tuscany, but the Renaissance supplanted them there more than it did in neighboring Umbria, where they are still running the Perugia bus system.

Our bike ride traverses their stomping grounds, and offers an understanding of the contribution that they made to Italy as a whole, and to their corner of it in particular. In many ways, their self-assured but poorly recorded civilization still marks these land's current lifestyle. And not just in the operation of Perugia’s buses.

These regions share roots and landscapes, and many elements of history and art. But we are equally struck by their differences, in temperment, welcome, cuisine, and overall “feel.” Perhaps Umbria is Tuscany of 50 years ago. Perhaps it is just different, more turned towards Rome and a bit less towards Florence. Either way, the contrast is a treat. And, in the scheme of the timeline in effect in these parts, 50 years is not a very long time....
Etruscan Trails
2008 Dates
Baggage Services Offered**
(optional)
Trip Prices*
June 1 - 14*
This departure visits Umbria first, than Tuscany

Daily, Half,
Lite

$3,695 US or C

2,350€
August 31 - Sept. 13

Daily, Half,
Lite
Sept. 28 - Oct. 11
Daily, Half,
Lite

* Prices in $ and € do not include precisely the same things. Click here for details, and for prices of optional extras: private single rooms, baggage services, and (in the case of the € price only) bike rental and shipping.

** At least 4 riders must subscribe to a given baggage service for it to operate. The services listed are those currently offered on the departure in question. Services which appear in bold already have at least 3 subscribers (so, one more would ensure their operation). See here for a discussion of our baggage services.


Thumbnail view of the trip’s itinerary.
For details within each region, click on the name under “Region Visited”...
The June 1, 2008 departure assembles in Spoleto, travels first to Umbria and then to Tuscany, and disbands in Florence.
Days
Days of the Week
Region Visited
 Details
0
Sa
 Travel to Pisa, night there.
Our trip assembles in either Pisa or Empoli on Sunday morning.
The June 1, 2008 departure assembles in Spoleto, instead.
1 - 8
Su - Tu
 San Gimignano, the Elsa Valley
Tu - Th
 Siena, Colline Sienese
Fr & Sa
 Chianti, Florence
8 - 14
Su
Train to Spoleto
Su, Mo
 Spoleto, the Umbrian Apennine
Tu - Th
 Valle Umbra, Assisi
Th - Sa
 Perugia, Lago Trasimeno
The trip disbands at the end of a full riding day on Saturday, in Terontola.
The post-trip Terontola Access Package includes a train to Florence or Rome, and a night in either.
The June 1, 2008 departure disbands in Florence, instead.
15
Su
Access Package travel date