Umbria is a beautiful place. Everyone knows it and for this every year thousands of tourists come in our beautiful region to discover natural and architectural sites. One of this sites is certainly Trasimeno Lake (3rd italian lake for size), a beautiful tectonic lake that hide a lot of attractions. In this article we’ll right see 7 visitable sites near the lake. So, if you’re planning a vacation through Umbrian hills, firstly have a look to our beautiful farmhouse for the rest, and then don’t miss 7 places to visit during your Trasimeno lake vacations.

Trasimeno lake regional Park

This is not quiet a ”site” because Trasimen lake regional park includes all lake superficies, three islands, all coasts and major and minor historic villages around the lake, for an extension of 13.200 hectares. This protected regional parks hosts thousands of natural species and feeds them with its clean water. Park different environments was subject of thousands of XV century painters, because here you can find all Umbrian tradition. From the typical hills on the lake to the incredible fishers villages, from the natural trails into vineyards to traditional restaurants in front of the lake.

The Regional park is not part of our 8 places to visit during your Trasimeno lake vacations list, but it’s sure a great place to plan your vacations.

Polvese Island

So we can start our list of 8 places to visit during your  Trasimeno lake vacations with the major of three Trasimeno islands: Isola Polvese. Part of the Trasimeno regional park just mentioned, this island is full of different activities: relax on the fantastic beach, trekking on the coasts, birdwatching, but also visit San Giuliano church with XV century paintings or ruins of San Secondo monaster.

You’ll have a unique view also from the Medieval castle on the top of the island.

You can reach the island by ferry and join a great day fully merged in the nature.

Maggiore Island

The only inhabitate island in the lake (15 active inhabitants), Isola Maggiore is the second island for size on the Trasimeno. This island has a lot of natural trails to live the Umbrian ecosystem, but also historical attractions: there you can find Castello Guglielmi or San Salvatore church. For churchgoers there’s also San Francesco rock, where the Saint found refuge during the lent.

Our advise is to pass the day walking through the island feeling nature and eating good local food.

Like the Polvese, this island too is achievable by ferry.

Palazzo e Fortezza della Corgna

Palazzo della Corgna is a complex of two structures: the palace and the fortress.

The palace was built in 1563 to be an amusement residence, but became the Duke palace in early XIX century. It has 8 museum rooms, all painted by an artists equipe led by Niccolò Circignani, called Pomarancio. Paintings show ancient mithologic themes like Ascanio gestures.

The fortress, strategically fundamental in the past to sight enemies, has a shape of an irregular pentagon. This fortress was built on ruins of an ancient Etruscan acropolis.

Great site for history and architecture lovers.

Castiglione del Lago

Castiglione del Lago is one of the most traditional Umbrian village on the lake. Its coast, with different beaches and bathing water are perfect to take a day off relaxing or walking. One of Castiglione del Lago strenghts is surely its food offer: along the coast and in the ancient part too, you

 can find a lot of different bars, restaurant, lounge clubs pubs and taverns where to eat traditional dishes. The ancient part stands on a promontory on the Trasimeno shore. The amazing Palazzo Ducale, connected to Rocca del Leone and furnished with important XVI paintings, is an architectural complex very impressfull for visitors.

We suggest to stay one full day on Castiglione, starting with a morning on the beach, going on with a delicious lunch fish-based and then a visit to the ancient part, dining on one of traditional Umbrian restaurants.

 

Passignano sul Trasimeno

Part of the association ”Most beautiful Italy’s villages” Passignano sul Trasimeno is well known to be the ”sunset village”. In fact the rural

 architecture mixed with white sand lake shores give life to thousands color sunsets.

The visitable historic part is bounded by ancient walls that let us see the original village plan.

On the higher point of the village is located the ancient Fortress from where you can see all the rounding panorama.

Our suggestion is to stay in Passignano for an half day, walking through the historic village, and then have a cocktail in one of the beaches to join the sunset.

 

Campo del Sole

Projected by an idea of Pietro Cascella, Campo del sole is an artistic-architectural attraction located in Tuoro sul Trasimeno.

This opera is representing nothing but a memorandum of the historic importance of the lake lands. Made of a local stone, the opera is formed by 27 columns 4,5 meters high (carved by multiple international artists) put in a spiral shape. This  contamination represents an opening to the diversification and dialogue, discouraging ethnic and classes divisions.

Inserted in a little park with a pub near a fisher-men port, for the Arts lovers we suggest to have a look to this place and breath this ode to the soul.

Did you like our 7 places to visit during your Trasimeno lake vacations list? If you want a peacefully place to stay during your visit give a look to our structure.

Let us know what places you visited and the impressions you had about them, so we could update the article!