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The Ultimate Travel Guide to Umbria, Italy – The Less Touristy Tuscan Escape You Dream Of

“If you love wine, you’ve definitely had dreams of a wine-fueled trip to Italy. And there’s no denying that Tuscany is made of the stuff of dreams. The region’s rustic cuisine of delicious meats, cheeses,and pastas, paired with its delicious wine, makes it a go-to destination and, as a result, it’s correspondingly thronged. But what if you don’t want to compete with the tour buses and hordes of tourists making a day trip from Florence? Head to Umbria instead.

“Umbria still feels like an undiscovered gem, despite its close proximity to Rome. Sure, there are tourists — they are all over Italy. But in Umbria, you’ll bump into far more Italians than foreigners. It’s a more authentic experience, plus Umbria’s cuisine and wine are amazing. If you’re a fan of rustic Italian food and big, bold reds, you need to get yourself to Umbria, STAT, and we have your guide.

Day 1

“From Rome, rent a car — it’s really the only way to get to Umbria and it beats the tour bus to Tuscany – and take the two hour drive to Montefalco, the heart of Umbria’s wine region. It’s also home to Sagrantino, one of the most intensely delicious wines you’ll ever encounter, which can only be found in this region of Italy.

“Sagrantino has been used for centuries to make the sweet wine passito, which was often used for religious purposes. But in the 1970s, Arnaldo Caprai started vinifying the region’s indigenous grape in dry form, creating a highly tannic, bold red that was ideal for aging for 30 to 50 years. It’s only fitting that your first winery visit should be to Caprai to taste the Sagrantino that helped put the region on the map. While the winery is best known for its 25th Anniversary Sagrantino, its standard Sagrantino is also excellent as is the Montefalco Rosso, which is a blend of Sangiovese (the same grape grown in all of Tuscany), Sagrantino and Merlot. It’s delicious.

“After your visit, we’d recommend heading up to the heart of Montefalco to check out your town and check into your hotel. Our choice is Villa Pambufetti, a drop-dead gorgeous hotel located just outside of the city walls. A stay here will make you feel extremely regal. …”

Read the article on VinePair for the full travel guide.

Adam Teeter, November 6, 2016
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The Ultimate Travel Guide to Umbria, Italy – The Less Touristy Tuscan Escape You Dream Of