Location: Castiglione del Lago
Top Things to do in Castiglione del Lago
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The 10 Best Free Things to do in Castiglione del Lago, Umbria
Castiglione del Lago is a town in the province of Perugia of Umbria (central Italy), on the southwest corner of Lake Trasimeno. Orvieto is 59 km (37 mi) south, Chiusi is 21 km (13 mi) to the south west, Arezzo is 56 km (35 mi) to the north west, Cortona is 21 km (13 mi) to the north and Perugia is 47 km (29 mi) to the south east.
Restaurants in Castiglione del Lago
1. 25mq Beer Shop
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 34 reviews
2. Quercia di Santa Margherita da Cortona
3. Chiesa di San Domenico
4. Centro storico
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 24 reviews
Reviewed By F12MPpeters - Rome, Italy
Centro Storico, Castiglione del Lago, Umbria In addition to the centro storico, the review explores the beach at Castiglione – the one that runs alongside the public gardens north of the Rocca de Leone and opposite the strip of restaurants and bars on the Via Lungolago some of which have separate reviews. We spent the morning on the beach at Monti di Lago - below the villaggio next to the Lido Santino on the eastern side of the lake – through to lunchtime before heading south round the lake to the sandy beach at Castiglione del Lago that we remembered from a previous visit 10 years ago. At that time, we were on our way to Isola Maggiore and the ferry terminal is just down from the beach. Look across the lake from Monte di Lago to Castiglione del Lago and it’s just 10 km away. We had a week’s holiday con la famiglia and had taken a place near to San Feliciano looking west over Lago Trasimeno and catching some gorgeous sunsets/evening skies. There were three couples and three little kids in our group, and time tends to race when you’re having fun – there’s so much to see and do. The holiday represented an opportunity to explore and enjoy the lake, which included trips to the islands and nearby towns/villages. Lago Trasimeno is part-way along the Italian peninsular – about mid-way between Rome and Firenza – and generally considered the fourth largest lake in the country at 124 km2 surface area and perimeter 50 km. There are bike and walking trails that follow the lake shore for those interested but, for us, there simply wasn’t the time available for excursions of this kind. We had the small kids, ambient temperatures mid-summer have been in the high 30s degC and, equally, there was more than sufficient interest in the geography, history and social development of the local peoples to keep us happy for the week. The beach in Castiglione del Lago is next to the public gardens - spacious, grass/tree covered area between the road and the lakeshore and, crucially, with lots of car parking (for which you pay - €1/h). Wherever you are in the lake, however, the water remains much the same – opaque, full of weed and with a muddy base once you are into the water - it’s the best available. Beach shoes are an advantage. Move into deeper water, and you’re fine. Better still, hire a pedalo and take the group with you – we did, keeping an eye on the little ones. There’s a stone block/rock a few metres off-shore – logical target for those looking for an easy swim or somewhere from which to jump into the water – lots of people there enjoying themselves. By late afternoon, of course, the kids were tired … it was time to find those pizze and feed everyone. We drove up the hill into the centro storico through the narrow gate in the medieval wall and parked in the spacious Piazza Antonio Gramsci opposite the Palazzo della Corgna (containing museum & gallery and also the Comune/town hall). The piazza is gorgeous - mature trees, war memorial, shaded seating and great views of the lake/landscape outside the wall. If you have the time this is where you stop, lean on the wall and appreciate the elegance of both the town and the surrounding country. Here you’re at the lakeside/eastern end of the centro storico next to the hospital in the part that stands out from the lake shore behind the high medieval walls of the Rocca del Leone. Prominence and elevation above the lake provides a measure of separation from the modern town below. Some texts described this land as once the fourth island in Lago Trasimeno. In-fill over the years between the island and the lake shore gave rise to the small promontory that exists today – this is home to the centro storico and the castle which dates from the mid-13th century. The layout of the centro storico is attributable to the original Roman settlement. Castiglione del Lago exemplifies all that is delightful about the Umbrian countryside – medieval structures adapted to the modern day – well-cared for, clean, presentable - catering for the tourists who funnel through in their thousands each year; lots of attractive eating places, souvenir shop, bars where you can sit with a coffee to watch people, gelaterie and more - that fairly gentle pace of life. Walk the length of the Via Vittorio Emanuele from the Comune to the other end – 300 m or so - and take in the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena – it dominates the western quartiere of the centro storico with its fine tower and rotondo roof. Check the centro storico from the beach – and the novel profile of the church roof line against the sky. And then there is the centro storico at night. It was Saturday evening and the haunt of wandering couples, families and groups of young people. We left the restaurant and headed for the gelateria a short distance away and, cornetti in hand stood and listened to the guitarist on the corner nearby – capturing the mood of his music in the shadows of this ancient hilltop borgo. Kids asleep we headed home for the night, taking the road north around the lake – further, but faster – and passed the battlefield where, in 217 BCE, the Carthaginians led by Hannibal had routed the Roman army of the day – the largest ambush ever in ancient military history. Wherever you are in modern Umbria there are tantalizing images of the people who have gone this way before you. Peter Steele 05 April 2020
5. Cappella di Santa Margherita
6. Beccati Questo e Beccati Quest'altro
7. Isola Polvese
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 250 reviews
Reviewed By F12MPpeters - Rome, Italy
Isola Polvese, Lago Trasimeno, Umbria Lago Trasimeno is half-way down/up the Italian peninsular – about mid-way between Rome and Firenza – and generally considered the fourth largest lake in the country at 124 km2 surface area and perimeter 50 km. There are bike and walking trails that follow the lake shore for those interested but, for us, there simply wasn’t the time available. We had three little kids in tow, ambient temperature mid-summer this year have been in the high 30s degC and there’s more than sufficient geography, history and social development available harping back to the Etruscans to keep us interested for the next 100 years There’s more - Lago Trasimeno is in Umbria with all those gorgeous tourist/culinary pleasures/images. Isola Polvese is the largest of the three islands in Lago Trasimeno - the others are Isola Maggiore and Isola Minore - at around 70 ha. The history of the island encompasses the Etruscans, the Romans and the Umbrian people – Ombri/Ombrii – one of the ancient Italic peoples who date back >3,000 years. It was the Romans who eventually dominated, settling and incorporating the region into their greater empire (as they were to do across much of the Europe of the day). The lake was an important source of fish before the modern age when people depended largely upon what they could grow/harvest/capture locally. Fishing villages cropped up around the lake and on the islands – harvesting carp, pike and tench. The 600-year old castle/keep on Polvere and others elsewhere around the lake provided security. Notwithstanding this, the island was sacked by the Florentine army in the 17th century and declined thereafter until relatively recent times. Check out the museum in San Feliciano and there’s another on Maggiore – describing the importance of fish/technologies/employment/security of the lake. To get to Isola Polvese there’s the ferry from San Feliciano - notwithstanding this easy option we met up with a float board brigade when swimming off the beach at the eastern end of the island – the one opposite San Feliciano just 2.5 km away; dozen people had paddled across led by a guide. From a distance it looked as if they were simply standing on the surface of the water and swinging their paddles. Novel. We had a week’s holiday en famille and had taken a place above San Feliciano looking west over the lake – catching some gorgeous sunsets/evening skies. As a group we were six adults and three little kids, and time tends to race when you’re having fun. We’d scheduled half-day on Polvese and another half-day on Maggiore - first time on Polvese, but Maggiore we’d visited a few years back. Five of us - the other couple with their little girl - left earlier for the 20 minutes crossing. There were couple dozen fellow-travellers on the boat so lots of spare seats. The fare was €6 return each per adult with the little girl travelling free. It was a pleasantly warm morning with a galaxy of views back towards San Feliciano and the hills behind the village and the distant lakeshore to the south. Comfortable – scenic lakeside Umbria at its best. Once across, coffee/brioche beckoned and we headed for the ‘Café L’Isola’ on the edge of the little compound of buildings, offices, country house/restaurant (at the end of the jetty turn right – 50 m). Prominent wall boards around the jetty describe what the island had to offer, places to visit, native fauna and more. The island is part of the Trasimeno Regional Park and provides a centre for enviro-scientific development including the impact of tourism on the island. We had the beach 400 m away in mind for much of our time on the island – rather than walk the trails – but there’s the ruin of a pentagonal-shaped castello medievale that’s just on the other side of the compound that was an easy first option (given that we were still on-the-move); again, about 400 m through the buildings where there’s also a public lavatory. The small castello was pristine – renovated, clean and presentable. It was on sloping land. Walk inside and there’s just the surrounding walls to see with a 12-15 m tower in the wall at the highest point up-slope. There’s also a walkway around the walls 5-6 m high, but it wasn’t open to us. We had the place to ourselves. Returning through the compound, again, there’s those well-preserved/presented period buildings that impress. We collected the other couple and their two children at the ferry terminal on the way back to the beach – they’d taken the next ferry (45 minutes later) … what did we do before cell phones? Then to that beach – us and 90% of the other people on the island that day; it was easy to sit, sunbath, read, swim, play with the children and more. There was plenty of room on the beach and a deal of shade behind it. Some people were cooking BBQs. Lago Trasimeno provides all those popular Umbrian images, but it is not a swimmer’s lake – shallow with warm water sure, but opaque/clouded with mud and lake weed underfoot – it’s an agricultural lake and largely dependent upon local run-off. Lack of clarity means keeping an eye on small children because you can’t see beneath the surface. Beaches too are few and far between and they are not particularly sandy. Looking back … pleasant memories of an interesting day away where you’re not dependent upon the car for transport … the ease of remaining in one place, peaceful, the views across the lake and, of course, travelling by boat - open top deck, bright/high skies, distant green/grey hills. Embarking from San Feliciano and returning there later in the day – there’s this well-placed bar in the village along the lake shore from the jetty: ‘Il Chiosco’ - start the day with coffee/brioche and, late afternoon, it’s time for gelati. Peter Steele 18 February 2020
8. Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena
9. Ufficio Informazioni e Accoglienza Turistica del Comprensorio Trasimeno
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 11 reviews
10. Laviano
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 9 reviews
Tiny village
