Tooling around Umbria in the Fiat

Saturday, May 13 – Lago Trasimeno & Castiglioni sul Lago

Lake Trasimeno with the city of Castiglione sul Lago on the center horizon

We started earlier today, going down to breakfast by 8, as we needed to pack and be on our way to our new destination.  We were out and on the road by 9:30.  We tried to wash car at the gas station in Montepulciano near the Villa, after our long day off roading  yesterday.  However, there was a line of at least half a dozen cars.

We drove on smaller roads, as we  wanted to take the southern route around Lake Trasimeno.  We finally found another gas station with a car wash before we got to the lake.  We got in line for the self-service wash, but couldn’t quite figure it out.  In my best attempts at Italian, I asked the gentleman behind me : Si puo autarmi?  He was a nice guy and couldn’t refuse.  It turned out you needed gettone, (or tokens),and you needed to go over to a different area to buy the gettoni from a machine.  The gentleman and I talked in Italian while Mike washed the car. Turns out, he  lives right up the street from the car wash. Indeed, Saturday is the day all of Tuscany and Umbria washes their car.

A barbicon in the city walls of Castiglione sul Lago

Stairway up to the belvedere above the city walls in Castiglioni sul Lago

On the western horizon, from the belvedere, is the hill town of Montepulciano, and on the far left Monte Amiata

Lago Trasimeno, from Castiglione sul Lago, with Cortona across the lake on the hillside

We drove to Lake Trasimeno and stopped at the town of Castiglioni sul Lago.  We parked outside the city walls, near the great Belvedere on the western wall. When we climbed up the steps, we were treated to an amazing view across the valley to Montepulciano – and in the far distance Monte Amiata.  There is one main corso through the walled part of town, with lots of lovely little shops along the way.  They are primarily for the tourists, and interestingly, they feature meat – as we have now just crossed the border into Umbria -  samples of sausages and ham are available for tasting.  We stopped in the church, the Maddelena – pretty, with coffered ceiling and dome from the 1800s.  We saw some cute stuffed animals – brown wild boars; and with some difficulty, I resisted buying one.  I did buy 2 puzzles of the Tuscan countryside; the owner of the store told me they are prints from an artist, who has his gallery in Montepulciano.

Shopping choices abound for the tourist and eating and drinking aplenty for the hungry and thirsty

Lots of meat, sausage, and lentils for sale - we're in Umbria after all!

Love these stuffed wild boars - hard not to take one home

Interior of Castiglioni sul Lago's church - the Maddelena, build in the 1800s, with beautiful coffered ceilings

Reflective of its name, a fresco by Eusebio da San Giorgio of the Virgin and child with St. Antonio & Mary Magdelene

We drove south around the lake, and stopped a few places for some great views. Apparently the lake is rather shallow now – only 20 feet deep on average.  There are 2 islands in the lake – we took a ferry boat to the northern one on our last visit with Marianne Esposito.  We passed more poppy fields along the way.  Mike commented that we were driving on the poppy road at one point – they were lining both sides in profusion.

Fishing on the lake - one of its islands on the left horizon.  The lake is only 20 ft deep

Driving along the "poppy road" circling Lake Trasimeno