Trasimeno Lake - Italy's fourth largest lake

Lago Trasimeno is around 30km from Perugia and is an excellent spot for swimming and keeps very warm in the summer due to its shallow depths. The lake is surrounded by olive-tree-covered hills, which makes for a magical setting.

There are many good places for walking around the lake including treks to Monte Castiglione, Monte Acuto and Monte Murlo, or you can always try one of the many walks around the lake itself.

Passagiano, north of the lake, is a great night time spot full of excellent fish restaurants, bars and clubs. For a quieter time, you can also visit the castle or enjoy the boat museum! From here, you can also visit Tuoro and Castel Rigione, both of which afford the visitor some of the best scenery around Perugia. The best places are not easy to find, but luckily we have native knowledge of the area and can quickly take you to the most picturesque areas.

Castiglione del Lago is the most charming town around the lake. It is situated on what used to be an island in the lake, over time the town spread to join the shore. You can visit the Castello del Leone (the “castle of the lion”), the pentagonal fortress has square towers in three of its corners and a triangular tower in the fourth corner. Completed in 1247, it was built to give strategic control of the lake.

The town is a good place to take a trip out to the Isola Maggiore (see image), the second largest of the lake’s three islands and the only one which is inhabited. St Francis’ legacy can also be found here, as the Saint lived on the island from 1211 and you can still see the ruins of the Franciscan monestary.