Departure from Rome every Sunday morning, destination: the oil mills of Umbria who in October awaken for the collection of olives. The Espresso Assisi is a train that from 5 October to 16 November 2025 will cross the green heart of Italy with stops in Terni, Spoleto, Foligno, Spello, Assisi, Perugia and Arezzo.
The oil train
The collaboration between FS Italian tourist trains and open oil mills gave birth to this initiative. NOTICE: It is not the usual tourist journey. From 19 October, while the train runs north, in the carriages they will take place of the guided tastings. Experts will explain the differences between one oil and the other, how to recognize the good one from the mediocre one, what are the typical cultivars of Umbria.
The beauty will come when you will get off the train. There are dozens of mills open to the public, scattered between medieval villages and countryside. Some still use stone millstones, others have cutting -edge machinery. The technology changes, the result remains the same: newly squeezed extra virgin olive oil, bright green, with an intense flavor that pinch in the throat.
What happens during open oil mills
For a whole month Umbria celebrates the new oil production. The mills become meeting points where the oil on the hot bruschetta is tasted, you buy the bottles for the winter, you chat with the producers. Each mill has its own story: there is that of the family that has been producing oil for five generations, the biological one that has won international prizes, the small one that only works the olives of their farm.
The tasting phases are a serious, indeed serious deal. They will teach you to smell the oil in the glass, to warm it in your hands, to recognize the hints of artichoke, tomato, cut grass. They will explain to you why the bitter and spicy are merits, do not defect and they will taste different oils combined with local dishes: the spelled soup, the bruschetta with the beans, the grilled meat.
Practical information
The train ticket starts from Roma Termini. Those who book with the TTI Special 25 code get a 25%discount, and you have to do soon because the discounted places end quickly. The journey lasts about two hours until Assisi, three and a half hours until the terminus of Arezzo.
Once you arrive, you can move independently between the mills or participate in organized visits. Many mills also offer themed lunches and dinners, always with the oil new protagonist, while the restaurants in the area offer special menus for the occasion.
Why go there
The new oil has a flavor that lasts a few months, after which it loses intensity, softens, becomes more delicate. Those who want to taste it at the best moment must go there now, when they leave the oil mill.
The Espresso Assisi allows you to get there comfortably, without cars, without parking stress in historic centers. It starts in the morning, you spend the day between oil mills and villages, you return to the evening. You can also decide to stop a few days, taking advantage of the accommodation facilities that offer special packages.
The complete program of events and adhering mills is found on Frantoiaperti.net. For train tickets and reservations you can visit Fstannituristici.it.
