Anne Robichaud's Gubbio Tours

Gubbio (full-day)
Palazzo dei Consoli, Gubbio

Gubbio is less than an hour by car from Assisi and our route will take us "off the beaten track" and through a stretch of the most stunning landscapes of Umbria... so that we can stop enroute to explore an abandoned 12th c. feudal castle ...

Dramatically perched on a hill overlooking the ruins of its Roman theater, here in Gubbio time seems to have quite literally stopped in the Middle Ages. Gubbio's "detachment" from today's world is also a reality: the town is not on a railway line - here, one feels in a world apart. Our walk through the labyrinthine medieval backstreets will take us to the imposing 14th c. Palazzo dei Consoli, said to rival Palazzo Vecchio in Florence in its beauty (I think it surpasses it).

Along the way, a stop to taste local delicacies - wild boar salami, pecorino (sheep's milk) and truffle cheeses, local liqueurs, truffle paté - and then a stop to observe two fine young artisans at work. Acclaimed as two of the most-gifted ceramicists in Italy, their gold-incised black bucchero (Etruscan technique) astounds. Lunch? Only problem: too many choices! (I would be happy to suggest my favorite spot...) After lunch, a ride up the funicular to the top of Mt. Ingino and the monastery where St. Ubaldo, patron saint of Gubbio, is buried. We'll head home via another road ...more Umbrian landscapes to delight the eye!

After a morning tour and lunch in Gubbio (see tour highlights above) we will move on to Spello - che bello! (about 1-1/4 hr drive), a gem of the "undiscovered" medieval hilltowns of Umbria.

Like Assisi, Spello is constructed in the local pink limestone quarried on Mt. Subasio, lending it a unique rosy hue, particularly at sunset. Called Hispellum by the Romans, a walk through Spello is a feast for the eye: cobblestone passageways open into intimate closed piazzettas, and lead to Roman arches, Romanesque churches, a wooden loggia, a frescoed courtyard...

Our tour will take in one of the most splendid Renaissance fresco cycles in Umbria, painted by Pinturicchio (and my personal favorite of all Umbria's artistic masterpieces), as well as a special visit to a most unique local friar/craftsman... who'll also show us a 13th century cloister and refectory, not open to the public.

Our day will end in a medieval wine cellar for a tasting of Umbria's best wines, prize-winning olive oils and various Umbrian delicacies which range from white truffle/almond paté to wild boar salami... our host: one of Umbria's top sommeliers.

Called by Henry James the "city of the infinite view." Perugia's stunning medieval municipal palace overlooks the main square graced by the Fontana Maggiore (Pisano masterpiece of Gothic sculpture and Perugia's pride and joy) and the cathedral. Our tour will include Etruscan city gates, the massive 16th c. Papal fortress (which encompasses the medieval quarter of Perugia), Renaissance masterpieces of Perugino and the magnificent frescoed Notaries' Guild Hall.

We'll leave this town of "medieval elegance" to head up to Gubbio for lunch followed by a memorable tour. Picturesque medieval backstreets will lead us to the splendid Gothic civic palace, with stops on the way to see the works of talented local artisans and to taste Umbrian delicacies in a gourmet food shop.

"My husband and I were part of a group of 9 for a full-day tour of Gubbio with Anne. We drove across beautiful landscape and Anne talked about history and sites along the way. In Gubbio, she introduced us to her friends' marvelous ceramics. We also enjoyed a wine tasting (arranged by Anne) accompanied by tasty treats - very informative and enjoyable. The lunch she arranged was at the top of all the wonderful meals we experienced during our two weeks in Umbria."
Molly Bowles, Palo Alto, CA

"Our day in Gubbio was more than we could have ever imagined. Your tenacity in wanting to find my mother's cousin Nella and her family... bringing us to their home, and 4 unforgettable hours learning about their family and my family, as well as finding the house where my grandmother was born! I will be forever grateful for your persistence and your willingness to help us find them, and for helping us to see how important family is even a few cousins removed! As a result of that day we will be returning next year to attend the Festa di Ceri in May and hope to learn enough Italian that we'll be able to converse, rather than relying on your excellent Italian for translation!
You became more than our guide during the two days we spent with you, you became our family in Italy, helping us to find lodging, and wonderful meals, as well as artisans in each town, and recommending different places to visit. Umbria is a beautiful place, with lots of history and majesty in the hill towns, and you made it come alive for us each day."
Diane Phillips, San Diego, CA