After the San Francesco Marathon: Perugia and Orvieto

The Route: Santa Maria degli Angeli → Perugia (2 nights) → Orvieto (1 night) → home Logistics: Regional trains run from the Assisi station to Perugia, and a change gets you to Orvieto, usually via Terontola or Foligno. The journey takes in the order of two hours. Check timetables, and pack for a change of train with luggage. Marathon Month: November Duration: 3 nights

Santa Maria degli Angeli ──(train, about 15-25 mins)──> Perugia (2 nights)
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                         Fontana Maggiore ── Rocca Paolina escalators
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Perugia ──(train, with a change)──> Orvieto (1 night)

Perugia sits on a ridge, and its centre is a climb. The station is below the old town, and an automated people-mover, the Minimetro, and a series of escalators through an old fortress carry visitors up to the centre. Use them. The old town has a main square of medieval palaces, a fountain carved in the thirteenth century and a long pedestrian street, the Corso Vannucci, running along the top.

Orvieto is similar in kind. The town sits on a block of volcanic tufa, with a funicular from the station and a cathedral whose striped facade is covered in gold mosaic and carved reliefs.

November in Perugia and Orvieto: the weather is cool and often wet, with mist in the valleys. The towns are quiet, and crowds are thin. It is the season for chestnuts, truffles and new oil. Wear shoes with grip, because the stone gets slick.

Getting there

From Santa Maria degli Angeli, trains reach Perugia's stations in around 15 to 25 minutes. Check which station to use, and the Minimetro timetable for the way up. Buy a ticket in advance on the Trenitalia app.

Nights one and two: Perugia

Stay in the centre near Corso Vannucci, in a hotel with a lift. The Fontana Maggiore stands on Piazza IV Novembre, in front of the cathedral. The Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, in the Palazzo dei Priori, has paintings by Perugino and Pinturicchio. Check the opening days and winter hours. The Rocca Paolina, an underground street beneath a sixteenth-century fortress, is a covered way up and down the hill.

Perugia is known for chocolate, and the Perugina factory runs visits. Check the booking arrangements. Local dishes include strangozzi, roast pigeon and torta al testo.

Night three: Orvieto

Take a regional train from Perugia, with a change. At Orvieto station, a funicular climbs to the old town. The cathedral is the sight, a Gothic building with a facade of mosaic and sculpture. Orvieto's underground caves, cut into the tufa, can be visited on guided tours, with limited entry. Check the times and book.

For dinner, order local dishes such as umbricelli, a hand-rolled pasta, and wild boar. The town is known for Orvieto Classico, a white wine. Book on weekends.

Where to stay

In both cities, pick a hotel near the centre with a lift and an easy approach from the station or funicular. Check winter opening, breakfast times and rates.

Getting back