Umbria is unique as the only Italian region that doesn’t border the sea or another country. Hailed as Italy's green heart, the region is known for its beautiful villages, well-preserved traditions and breathtaking landscapes of hills, mountains, forests and lakes.

It’s precisely these lakes – or at least five of the numerous Umbrian lakes – that are the theme of this Collection. It’s inspired by fellow bike tourer Fabio and reworked in a more touristic vein. The route is 340 kilometres (211 mi) with around 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) of elevation gain. You’ll explore a fascinating area of Italy between Lake Pietrafitta, the immense Lake Trasimeno, Lake Chiusi, Lake Corbara and, crossing into Lazio, Lake Bolsena.

I’ve divided the route into five stages but you can adjust the itinerary to your preference. The circuit starts in Foligno, passes through Spello and Assisi, touches Deruta and Torgiano and then continues to Lake Pietrafitta and Lake Trasimeno. From here, you’ll circumnavigate the lake basin to Castiglione del Lago and continue to Lake Chiusi, Città della Pieve, Allerona, Lake Bolsena, Civita di Bagnoregio, Lake Corbara, Todi, Bevagna, and finally return to Foligno.

This gravel Tour of the Umbrian lakes is suitable for almost any type of bike, except for road bikes. Gravel, MTB and touring bikes with bikepacking set-ups are perfect for riding this loop. The route follows secondary dirt and paved roads, cycle paths (especially around the lakes), with small portions of singletrack and paths that are never technically demanding.

Given the low mileage, my advice is to devote plenty of time to visiting the towns and villages you pass through. Many places en route have a truly excellent food and wine culture, so don't forget to honour traditions and indulge in legumes, cold cuts, first courses with wild boar sauces, or fantastic meat dishes.

The start/finish point, Foligno, is connected by public transport (especially the train) to the Rome-Ancona line. As such, you can reach the city and bring your bike comfortably by train. Accommodation and places to eat and drink are abundant en route.

The best times to tackle this route are the spring and autumn. I advise avoiding summer because of the high temperatures and winter because many of the attractions en route are closed.

Enjoy exploring Umbria and its lakes along this gravel route!