PREMIUM GOLDEN WEEK IN UMBRIA AND ROME:

For Women Only

May 7 – 17, 2026
4 spots left!
100placesinitaly@gmail.com

Susan Van Allen infuses her tours with enthusiasm, engagement and enchantment! She is exceptional in her knowledge of the area we visited and ensured we felt both part of a group yet individually independent. We had the trip of a lifetime…
-Christina, Massachusetts

Join Susan Van Allen, author of 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go, for an inspiring Premium Golden Week in two beautiful locations, Umbria and Rome. You’ll have an insider’s experience —meeting my friends—from chefs to truffle hunters to weavers and artisans who craft ceramics and stained glass, along with guides who are passionate about sharing their hometowns. We’ll have fun staying in historic luxurious hotels, enjoying enchanting hill towns, breathtaking sunsets, splendors of Baroque Rome, and experiencing a range of masterpieces—from Giotto’s
Renaissance frescoes in Assisi to the Temples of the Roman Forum. All along the way will
be delicious food, the very best wines, and joyful toasts.

This is a Gift of La Dolce Vita=the Sweet Life, custom-designed to fully immerse you in Italy’s
inspiring, delicious, and rejuvenating pleasures. AND it’s a PREMIUM Golden Week — featuring 9 nights, instead of our traditional 7.

Brief Itinerary

Day 1: Depart USA to Rome
Day 2*: Welcome to Rome and Your Golden Week
Day 3: Travel to Perugia with stop at Bomarzo, Garden of Dreams
Day 4: Taste Umbria – Truffle Hunt and Cooking Class
Day 5: Treasures of Perugia, Chocolate Included / Amazing Assisi
Day 6: Discover Deruta, Town of Ceramics / Splendors of Spello, with Olive Oil Tasting
Day 7: Fairytale Town of Gubbio / Women’s Weaving Workshop in Perugia
Day 8: Dazzling Orvieto / Welcome to Rome
Day 9*: Rome Historic Center Orientation / Sunset on the Appian Way
Day 10*: Morning in Palazzo Colonna / Roman Forum at Sunset / Farewell Dinner
Day 11: Arrivederci Roma
* On these days there are free afternoons, where we can pre-arrange a tour of the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica, or the Colosseum

May 7-17, 2026
$8,450/per person, double room
$9,450/per person, single room

For more information, Contact Susan Van Allen @: 100placesinitaly@gmail.com

Full Itinerary:

Golden Day 1: Depart USA: ANDIAMO!

You’ll be packed (with my tips) and full of joyful anticipation…as you take the overnight flight to Rome.

Golden Day 2: Welcome to Rome and Your Golden Week

Benvenuta! Your driver will transport you from Rome’s airport to your hotel, in the heart of the historic center. Whether it’s your first time, or you’re returning, the Eternal City will overwhelm you with its Great Beauty.

You’ll check into the Hotel Ponte Sisto, a property that dates back to the Renaissance, perfectly located next to Rome’s Tiber River.

There will be time to relax and explore the fascinating neighborhood, before a welcoming aperitivo in the hotel’s garden to toast the week ahead. Susan will give you tips about keeping a travel journal, so you can create a treasured souvenir of your week through journaling. We’ll dine nearby, enjoying the city’s vibrant nighttime atmosphere and bold flavors–the first of many memorable meals.

Golden Day 3: Discover Bomarzo’s Extraordinary Garden / Welcome to Umbria

You’ll have time this morning to enjoy Rome’s famous Campo dei Fiori market, (or you may sleep in), before departing by private mini-vans, through the countryside of dreamy rolling hills to Umbria–a region of breathtaking enchantment.

On the way, we’ll stop at Bomarzo, to see The Park of the Monsters, an amazing Renaissance sculpture garden, that was created by a prince, to honor his wife.

By afternoon, you’ll arrive in Umbria…

The medieval hill town of Perugia will be our base for the following days, and you’ll have time to settle into the Hotel Brufani.

You’ll immediately be charmed by this 5-star property that’s been welcoming guests since 1884 with its warmth, elegance, and splendid location, perched above green valleys, for panoramic views.

There will be time to unpack, relax, perhaps enjoy the spa and indoor swimming pool, or explore the surrounding historic center.

We’ll have an aperitivo and dine in the hotel’s restaurant, where chefs transform the best local ingredients into delicious traditional dishes.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Golden Day 4: Taste Umbria

After enjoying your morning cappuccino and abundant hotel breakfast buffet, we’ll take a drive to a family-run farm to immerse ourselves in the flavors of Umbria.

Cooking Class will begin with a truffle hunt in the surrounding woods, where we’ll follow trained dogs as they sniff out these fragrant tubular treasures.

We’ll bring our finds back to the farm kitchen, where Nonna and her daughters will lead us in a hands-on pasta making class, and teach us other favorite family recipes.

Lunch, feasting on the fruits of our labors, will follow.

Back in Perugia, the afternoon and evening are yours to stroll and dine on your own, with my suggestions.

Choices range from rustic trattorias to sophisticated ristorantes.

MEALS: B, L

Golden Day 5: Treasures of Perugia, with Chocolate Tasting / Amazing Assisi

This morning we’ll discover treasures of Perugia—stunning stained glass, delicious chocolate, and rich history.

We’ll begin at a family-run workshop where stained glass has been crafted for over a century, producing masterpiece windows for churches and private villas all over the world. Our welcoming guide Giorgio will lead us through his family’s workshop history, as we admire rooms filled with colorful glass creations and watch an artisan at work.

We’ll continue our Perugia discovery day with our local guide, for a fascinating walk through the historic center, including a visit to the Duomo.

As Perugia is nicknamed City of Chocolate, we’ll also stop at a shop for a chocolate tasting, for an immersive experience of this delicious treat.

There will be free time for lunch on your own and shopping with our recommendations or relaxing back at our nearby hotel.

In the afternoon, we are off to Assisi, City of Saint Francis.

Saint Francis – Sermon to the Birds – by Giotto

The highlight here is the Basilica di San Francisco, where we’ll be guided through masterpiece frescoes that tell the story of the saint, painted by Giotto, Father of the Renaissance. Assisi also has a great history of worshipping females, so strolling through the historic center we’ll admire remains of the Roman Temple of Minerva and the Gothic Basilica of Santa Chiara, a follower of Saint Francis.

There will be free time at the magic sunset hour for shopping and aperitivo on our own. Then we’ll regroup for a cozy dinner at one of Assisi’s most beloved restaurants.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Golden Day 6: Discover Deruta, Town of Ceramics / Splendors of Spello

Today we are off with our guide to Italy’s most famous ceramic town: Deruta.

Artisans have been working here since the Renaissance, and we’ll visit a family-run store/workshop that began in the sixteenth century and continues to create beauties sold internationally.

We’ll watch painters at work and have free time in this unique hilltop spot for a caffe break and to browse other colorful shops and Gothic churches.

At lunchtime, we’ll move on to Spello, praised as “One of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy,” beloved for its charming alleyways, Roman gates, and rosy-stone buildings. We’ll have an olive oil tasting with an expert who will guide us to learn more about one of Umbria’s most prized products.

After lunch on our own, we’ll have free time to stroll and enjoy lovely shops, and then visit Spello’s greatest treasure: Cappella Baglioni in the Santa Maria Maggiore church, adorned with masterpiece Renaissance frescoes by Pinturrichio.

Back in Perugia, the rest of the day is at your leisure—to enjoy the hotel spa, shopping and aperitivo in the historic center, and dinner on your own.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Golden Day 7: Fairytale Gubbio / Perugia Weaver’s Workshop

This morning we’ll go to Gubbio, a town that’s a perfect set for a fairytale—topped by a Gothic palazzo, backed by a mountainous forest.

GUBBIO – Image by sebastiano iervolino from Pixabay

We’ll be guided through its medieval center, imagining knights on horseback at the majestic Piazza Grande, and discover bronze tablets from the first century BC, (aka Umbria’s “Rosetta Stone”) in the Palazzo dei Consoli.

We’ll have lunch together in an elegant, historic restaurant, followed by free time to stroll and enjoy Gubbio’s churches, architecture, and shops, where antiques, jewelry, and ceramics, painted with a distinctive gold and ruby red lustre are sold.

Back in Perugia we’ll be treated to a private tour of a weaving workshop, located in what was formerly The Women’s Church of Saint Francis.

Perugia’s weaving tradition began in the Middle Ages and was passed down from women to women through generations. When the industrial age threatened its demise, the tradition was saved by a schoolteacher-entrepreneur, who created this workshop in 1921 to employ local women.

The founder’s great-granddaughter Marta carries on the workshop today, and we will watch her weaving on antique looms, hear her fascinating stories, and admire magnificent creations that range from copies of Medieval patterns to contemporary designs.

After this inspiring day, the evening is at your leisure, to enjoy the sunset and have dinner on your own in Perugia.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Golden Day 8: Extraordinary Orvieto / Welcome to Rome

This morning we’ll say arrivederci to Perugia and head off to Rome.

On the way, we’ll stop in a place that delivers the most dazzling Umbrian experience: the hilltop town of Orvieto. The highlight here is Orvieto’s Duomo, adorned with glittering mosaics, shimmering marble, and statuary.

With our local guide Lucianna, we’ll venture inside to be awestruck by Luca Signorelli’s frescoes, which inspired Michelangelo.

As you will be in Orvieto on Market Day, the historic center will be extra colorful with stalls selling produce, clothing, and crafts.

You’ll enjoy free time exploring Orvieto’s vias and alleyways, and have lunch on your own, with our recommendations.

We’ll arrive in Rome in the early evening and check back into the Hotel Ponte Sisto.

We’ll have dinner together nearby in Trastevere, a charming neighborhood beloved by artists.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Golden Day 9: Discover Wonderful Rome / Dinner on the Appian Way

After a delicious breakfast in the hotel’s courtyard, our Roman guide will lead us on a walking tour of Rome’s historic center.

Among many highlights and gorgeous fountains, we’ll see Piazza Farnese, the Spanish Steps, and have a break at Rome’s oldest and most elegant caffe—Antico Caffe Greco.

The walk will end at lunch time in Trastevere, a charming neighborhood long beloved by artists, where there are many great eateries you can enjoy on your own, with our suggestions.

You’ll have the afternoon on your own, with our suggestions. If you wish to take a tour of the Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel or Colosseum, we can easily arrange that for you.

Vatican City – Image by Paula Flan from Pixabay

In the evening, we’ll gather for a short ride outside the city walls to the Appian Way, aka Queen of the Roads. It’s a stunning experience to walk there at sunset, on stones where Roman Emperors marched thousands of years ago. We’ll dine nearby in a beautiful setting.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Golden Day 10: Splendors of Palazzo Colonna / Roman Forum at Sunset / Farewell Dinner

This morning we’ll enjoy a private tour of a Roman treasure: the Palazzo Colonna. This is a Baroque masterpiece of the Colonna Family, nobles who still live there. They generously open part of their palazzo to visitors on Saturday mornings, so we’ll have the chance to admire amazing frescoes, artwork, and decor, and hear from our “friend of the family” guide about amazing Colonna women.

The afternoon is free for you to enjoy at leisure, with my suggestions, or we can arrange a guided visit to the Colosseum or Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel.

We’ll meet as a group in the early evening to see the Roman Forum at sunset, when it is at its glowing best.

Among this site’s great stories, Federica will be sure to include those that involve women – such as the Basilica Julia and the Temple of the Vestal Virgins.

After sunset, we’ll have our final celebration of our week – an elegant farewell dinner overlooking the Pantheon.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Golden Day 11: Arrivederci!

Our driver will transport you to the Rome airport or train station, where you’ll depart with Golden Memories of our week together…

Meals Included: B

*Itinerary subject to change. If changes need to be made because of weather or unforeseen circumstances, replacement events will be equally as awesome as above.

*Activity Level: Bring comfortable walking shoes! The hill towns of Umbria and historic center of Rome are mostly pedestrian only, and our time there will include walking together to discover their treasures and time for you to go at your own pace–which may range from settling into a caffe to people watch or exploring further if you wish. There are also bus rides, some on curvy country roads, which require those with motion sickness to take precautions.

What’s Included:

Entertaining hosting by author Susan Van Allen, focusing on Italy’s celebration of all things female
9 nights at First-Class Hotels, 5 nights Brufani Palace Hotel in Perugia and 4 nights Hotel Ponte Sisto in Rome
Transportation by private minibus, including transfers from Rome airport or train station to Rome hotel for arrivals and from Rome hotel for departures.
Daily buffet breakfast at the hotel
6 multi-course dinners, with wine
1 cooking class in Umbria, including truffle hunt, followed by lunch
1 olive oil tasting in Spello
Chocolate tasting in Perugia
1 lunch in Gubbio
Guided visits to artisan workshops: stained glass, ceramics, and weaving
Guided tours by charming local experts, with whisper headsets in Perugia Historic Center, Assisi, Deruta, Spello, Gubbio, Orvieto, Rome’s historic Center, and Roman Forum at sunset
Entrance fees to gardens, museums, and monuments, including Skip-the-Line entrances to Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi
Gratuities for group activities: guides, drivers, and servers at group meals
Pre-Trip Booklet with Packing List
Travel journal
$25 Donation to UNICEF

This week is expertly designed with a balance of planned group and free-time independent experiences.

What’s Not Included:

Airfare
Meals not specified in itinerary
Optional Travel Insurance
Everything not mentioned under “What’s Included”

La Dolce Vita!

Perfection! You gave us just want you promised and then some.
–Diana, Oregon

The week is expertly designed and hosted by Susan Van Allen, with a balance of planned group and free-time independent experiences.

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