Travelling magic

The magic of travelling with only a loose plan is that you sometimes you come across wonderful places quite by chance. So it was that we discovered Lake Trasimeno in Umbria when trying to find a suitable place to stop the night.

It was the perfect spot for a number of reasons, not least because there was beautiful camping area right on the edge of the lake. Nearby there was a lovely little marina and a short walk up the hill stood the gorgeous medieval historical centre of Castiglione del largo which boasted some great bars and places to eat plus an amazing pentagonal shaped fortress – Rocca del Leone.

The small marina and in the foreground fishing poles

The gorgeous medieval historical centre of Castiglione del largo

We liked the motor home camp site so much that we stayed three nights – a long stopover for us!

We really enjoyed wandering around the narrow streets of Castiglione del largo and were delighted to come across an exhibition of artwork by Chagall at the Palazzo della Corgna.

Entering the gate to the historic centre of Castiglione del largo

There’s always something new to look at in Italy!

Amazing view of the Roman Road leading to Montepulciano

The poster we saw about the Chagall exhibition

Built in the 16th Century, the Palazzo was a work of art itself with incredible frescoes and paintings covering the walls and ceilings.

The Palazzo was a work of art !tself!

There were lovely views of the lake from the windows

In the course of our wanderings we discovered that the Palazzo had a long covered corridor connecting it to the fortress ( which was built much earlier than the Palazzo and was completed in 1247.)

The entrance to the passageway leading to the fortress.

You could imagine what it would be like full of soldiers

Following our noses we walked through the passage imagining what it would have been like to be an archer defending the fortress all those centuries ago.

The walk around the walls of the majestic fortress and up into its towers was absolutely magical. The views over the Lake were spectacular and we could walk wherever we wanted with no restrictions, no security guards or notices saying “Do not …..”.

We were free to climb wherever we wanted

It was very imposing

With fantastic views

Besides exploring the fortress and Palazzo della Corgna in Castiglione del largo we enjoyed a wonderful meal in a terraced restaurant with excellent views.

We also had a great time cycling part way round the lake and around an abandoned airfield, and on one day, visiting the nearby Tuscan hilltop town of Cortona.