Walking in Umbria

Book excerpt: This guidebook by Italian walking expert Gillian Price describes 40 varied day walks in the region of Umbria, taking in the towns of Assisi, Perugia, Orvieto and Norcia. The walks range from 2.5km to 19km in length, the majority of the routes are circular, and several wonderful traverses have been included, with the return to the start point always possible by public transport. This guidebook also includes lots of practical information about recommended gear and maps to take and tips on local food, wildlife and culture, as well as useful tourist, accommodation and transport information and a brief Italian-English glossary. Set between Rome and Florence, the region is dotted with UNESCO World Heritage towns. The landscape, like that of neighbouring Tuscany, is one of rolling hills and deep woodlands, without the crowds of other well-known holiday regions in Italy. Walks cross flower meadows, wander down river valleys and also climb onto rugged hills and Apennine mountains, visiting Roman and Etruscan ruins as well as myriad ancient villages.