5 Days in Umbria: The Complete Itinerary
Five days gives you enough time to move through the core of Umbria at a reasonable pace - one or two nights in each base, day trips from each, and time to eat and walk rather than rush between sites. This itinerary runs south to north, arriving via Rome so that Orvieto (the most convenient rail connection from the capital) serves as an unhurried opening act before you work your way deeper into the region.
This plan suits independent travellers arriving at Rome Fiumicino or Ciampino. If you’re starting from Florence, reverse the direction and begin in Perugia. For the Assisi and Perugia sections, guided Umbria tours that combine the Basilica di San Francesco, the Rocca Maggiore, and a truffle hunt are bookable as half-day add-ons to this route.
Day 1 - Orvieto: Arrival and First Impressions
Getting there: Take a direct Intercity or regional train from Roma Termini to Orvieto. Trains run approximately every hour; journey time is around 1 hour 15 minutes. Fares from approximately €10–20 as of 2026. From Orvieto station at the base of the cliff, a funicular (approximately €1.30 one-way, runs frequently) or taxi takes you up to the historic centre in five minutes.
What to do:
Spend the afternoon at the Duomo di Orvieto (Piazza del Duomo). The facade - striped in alternating bands of basalt and travertine, its surfaces covered in gold mosaic - is one of the most theatrical in Italy. Entry costs approximately €3 as of 2026; open Monday to Saturday 09:30–19:00, Sunday 13:00–17:30. Book the Cappella di San Brizio inside for an additional fee if you want to see Luca Signorelli’s frescoes up close.
In the late afternoon, book a spot on the Orvieto Underground tour - a guided descent into the Etruscan tunnels and cisterns carved into the tufa beneath the town. Tours run several times daily from the tourist office on Piazza del Duomo and cost approximately €6 per person as of 2026. An hour underground is enough; book on arrival.
Walk the rim of the tufa rock at dusk - the views over the valley are best at golden hour.
Where to eat: Trattoria del Moro Aronne (Via San Leonardo 7) serves honest Umbrian cooking - wild boar, handmade pasta, local Orvieto Classico wine - for approximately €25–35 per person. For something lighter, the enotecas on Via della Cava carry an excellent range of local wines by the glass.
Where to stay in Orvieto:
- Budget: B&B Valentina (Via Vivaria 7) - clean and central, rooms from approximately €55–80 per night.
- Mid-range: Hotel Maitani (Via Lorenzo Maitani 5) - an old palazzo steps from the Duomo, rooms from approximately €90–150 per night.
- Splurge: La Badia di Orvieto (Via della Badia, 5km south of town) - a converted Romanesque abbey with a pool, rooms from approximately €180–280 per night.
Day 2 - Orvieto to Perugia: The Regional Capital
Getting there: A direct bus runs from Orvieto to Perugia (Sulga bus company; approximately 1 hour 20 minutes, fares from approximately €8–12 as of 2026). Alternatively, return to Orvieto station and take a train via Orte and Foligno - slightly longer but more frequent. By car, the drive takes around 1 hour via the A1 and SS75.
What to do in Perugia:
Check in and then walk the length of Corso Vannucci, the pedestrianised main street, down to Piazza IV Novembre and the Fontana Maggiore. This 13th-century fountain, carved by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, is one of the great works of medieval Italian sculpture.
Spend the afternoon at the National Gallery of Umbria (Palazzo dei Priori, Corso Vannucci 19). The collection covers Umbrian painting from the 13th century through the Renaissance - strong on Perugino (Raphael’s teacher) and Pinturicchio. Entry approximately €8 as of 2026; open Tuesday to Sunday 08:30–19:30.
In the evening, ride the underground escalators - the Rocca Paolina escalators cut through the ruins of a 16th-century papal fortress embedded in the hillside below the historic centre. The descent connects the lower parking areas to the upper city and takes you through vaulted chambers and medieval street fragments. Free to use at any time.
Where to eat: Ristorante dal Mi’ Cocco (Corso Garibaldi 12) is a local institution - communal tables, fixed-price lunch menus, and a boisterous atmosphere. Lunch from approximately €15 per person. For dinner, Osteria del Gambero (Via Baldeschi 17) offers more careful Umbrian cooking at approximately €30–45 per person.
Where to stay in Perugia:
- Budget: Ostello di Perugia (Via Bontempi 13) - city hostel, dorm beds from approximately €25 per night, private rooms from €60.
- Mid-range: Hotel Fortuna (Via Luigi Bonazzi 19) - solid and central, rooms from approximately €80–130 per night.
- Splurge: Brufani Palace Hotel (Piazza Italia 12) - Perugia’s grandest address, with city views and an underground pool built over ancient Etruscan ruins. Rooms from approximately €200–350 per night.
Day 3 - Assisi Day Trip from Perugia
Assisi is 25 minutes from Perugia by regional train (approximately €4 each way as of 2026). Trains run frequently; check Trenitalia for current timetables. The Assisi train station sits below the historic centre - local buses run up to the old town for approximately €1.30, or it’s a 25-minute walk uphill.
What to do:
Start at the Basilica of Saint Francis (Piazza Inferiore di S. Francesco). The lower basilica contains frescoes by Cimabue and Pietro Lorenzetti; the upper basilica holds Giotto’s cycle depicting the life of Saint Francis - arguably the most important fresco cycle in Italian art. Both churches are free to enter. The Papal Treasury costs approximately €3. Open daily from approximately 06:00–20:00 (hours vary by season; check the basilica website before visiting). Modest dress is required.
From the basilica, walk east through the old town to Piazza del Comune and the Temple of Minerva - a Roman temple front embedded in a medieval piazza in a way that is uniquely Umbrian. Continue up to the Rocca Maggiore fortress for views over the valley and the basilica below; entry approximately €5.50 as of 2026.
In the afternoon, take the path downhill from Assisi to the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (free to enter) - a vast 16th-century basilica built over the tiny chapel where Saint Francis spent much of his life. It takes about 35 minutes on foot or 10 minutes by bus.
Where to eat: Trattoria Pallotta (Vicolo della Volta Pinta 2) is the most reliable lunch stop in Assisi - tagliatelle with black truffle, slow-cooked meats, local Montefalco wines. Approximately €25–35 per person.
Return to Perugia by train in the evening.
Day 4 - Spoleto: Festivals and Fortresses
Getting there: Trains from Perugia to Spoleto take approximately 55 minutes via Foligno; fares from approximately €7 as of 2026. Alternatively, you can bus or drive (around 50 minutes by car on the SS75 and SS3). It is possible to do Spoleto as a day trip from Perugia, but staying one night there gives you the town in the early morning and evening, when it is most atmospheric.
What to do:
Start at Piazza del Duomo - the Romanesque cathedral at the top of the square has an apse decorated with frescoes by Fra Filippo Lippi. Free to enter; open daily approximately 08:30–13:00 and 15:30–19:00 (hours vary).
Walk up through the upper town to the Rocca Albornoziana (Via Saffi), the 14th-century papal fortress that once housed prisoners including local nobility and, allegedly, Lucrezia Borgia. The museum inside covers the history of the Duchy of Spoleto. Entry approximately €8 as of 2026; open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–19:00 (winter hours shorter). From the fortress, a path leads along the Ponte delle Torri - a 14th-century aqueduct bridge spanning a deep gorge. The bridge is 230 metres long and 80 metres above the ravine floor; the walk across takes about 10 minutes and is free.
In the afternoon, explore the lower town and the Roman amphitheatre ruins (free to view from outside).
Where to eat: Ristorante Apollinare (Via Sant’Agata 14) is the established choice for serious Umbrian cooking - truffles heavily featured, regional wines well selected. Approximately €35–55 per person. Osteria del Matto (Vicolo del Mercato 3) is simpler and cheaper, with good pasta dishes from approximately €20–30 per person.
Where to stay in Spoleto:
- Mid-range: Hotel Charleston (Piazza Collicola 10) - clean, central, rooms from approximately €80–130 per night.
- Mid-range: Palazzo Leti Residenza d’Epoca (Via degli Eremiti 10) - a restored palazzo with a garden and views over the gorge. Rooms from approximately €110–170 per night.
Day 5 - Todi, then Departure
Getting there from Spoleto: Buses from Spoleto to Todi take approximately 1 hour 10 minutes; check APM Perugia for current schedules (fares approximately €5–8 as of 2026). The service is infrequent - check times carefully before planning this leg. By car, the drive from Spoleto to Todi takes about 45 minutes via the SP444.
What to do in Todi:
Todi’s compact historic centre takes 2–3 hours to cover at a relaxed pace. The Piazza del Popolo - flanked by the Palazzo dei Priori, the Palazzo del Capitano, and the Palazzo del Popolo - is one of the finest medieval civic squares in central Italy. The cathedral on the north side of the square is free to enter. Climb the tower of the Palazzo del Popolo for views over the Tiber valley.
Walk downhill to see Santa Maria della Consolazione - a Renaissance church begun in 1508, one of the best examples of central-plan Renaissance architecture outside Rome. Free to enter.
Where to eat in Todi: Ristorante Umbria (Via San Bonaventura 13) has been serving Umbrian food since the 1950s. Roast lamb, hand-cut pasta, and porcini are the reliable choices. Approximately €30–40 per person.
Returning home: From Todi, a bus back to Perugia takes around 50 minutes; from Perugia, trains connect to Rome (2 hours, approximately €15–30) or Florence (2.5 hours, approximately €15–25). If you need Rome’s airports, factor in an additional 45 minutes from Termini to Fiumicino by train, or 30 minutes to Ciampino by bus.
Budget Guide
| Category | Budget | Mid-range | Splurge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (per night) | €25–60 | €80–150 | €180–350 |
| Meals (per day, 2 sit-down) | €30–45 | €55–80 | €90–130 |
| Transport (per day) | €10–20 | €15–30 | €30–60 (car hire) |
| Entry fees (per day) | €5–15 | €15–30 | €20–40 |
A mid-range 5-day Umbria trip - staying in 3-star hotels, eating in good trattorias, using public transport - typically costs approximately €700–1,000 per person excluding flights.
Practical Notes
- Booking ahead: The Assisi basilica and Orvieto Underground benefit from arriving early or booking in advance during July and August. Accommodation fills quickly during the Spoleto Festival (late June to mid-July) and Eurochocolate in Perugia (mid-October).
- Local transport: Umbria’s regional trains are reliable but infrequent outside peak hours. Download the Trenitalia app and check schedules before each leg. Buses to smaller towns (Todi, Gubbio) run less frequently on Sundays. Hiring a car gives considerably more flexibility for reaching smaller villages on your own schedule.
- Cash: Several smaller restaurants and guesthouses in Umbria still prefer cash. Have euros on hand.
- Language: In smaller towns and family trattorias, English is less common than in Rome or Florence. A few words of Italian go a long way.
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