Umbria Castle in Castiglione

Umbria Castle, a little paradise…

The Umbrian Castle in Castiglione della Valle sits majestically on a beautiful, green hill and offers a wonderful panoramic view. The unique complex is located halfway between Rome and Florence, not far from interesting art cities such as Assisi, Perugia, Spoleto, Siena and Arezzo. To the northeast, the walls and the magnificent ancient buildings of the Etruscan city of Perugia are clearly visible. The castle has four military towers that harmoniously dominate a medieval hamlet of rare beauty.

The castle consists of 4 groups of houses with a total of 20 holiday apartments of different sizes plus a detached holiday home. The entire building complex is part of the Italian National Foundation and is under the direct protection of the Ministry of Culture. Its history dates back to the 11th century, although recent research suggests that construction of some of the buildings may date back as early as the 6th century.

A careful restoration has preserved the original character of the buildings. In this way, unique holiday homes have been created that guarantee an unforgettable holiday experience. Guests have the choice between various tastefully furnished, comfortable and spacious apartments, all typically Tuscan with terracotta floors, oak or chestnut beams and terracotta tiles on the ceilings.

The castle's historic buildings are surrounded by a park of over 10.000 square meters. Part of the garden and lawn area belongs to the apartments on the ground floor and can be used exclusively by their tenants, the rest is available to all guests.

Enjoy the breathtaking views from the two terraces at the top of the hill or take a refreshing swim in one of the two swimming pools! The larger one faces northwest, is shaped like a bean and is 16 meters long and 6 meters wide. The smaller pool is rectangular, 8 meters long and 4 meters wide and its water is kept clean with oxygen. It faces northeast with a view of the city of Perugia and several medieval hamlets.

Upon request, typical dishes of Italian and local cuisine or a delicious breakfast can be offered and served in style in one of the medieval halls of Umbria Castle. The rich continental breakfast offers many typical local products such as jam, ham, cheese, organic fruit and vegetables. It is served in the Gothic hall, under a pergola overlooking Perugia or in the garden of the Torre Grande, depending on the season and weather. On request or for special occasions, breakfast can also be taken in the holiday apartments, which all have a dining table in the living room.

Depending on the season and weather, dinner is served either in the Gothic hall of Umbria Castle or outdoors. Typical regional dishes are offered, such as: B. homemade pasta and locally produced organic vegetables, with a focus on specialties from Umbria, Tuscany and Lazio.

The castle's farm specializes in organic vegetables, fruits and berries. The products are mainly used for the restaurant and sold to guests for self-catering. The meat the restaurant serves comes from a well-known butcher who specializes in organic production of beef, chicken and pork. Here the animals grew up naturally in the “old-fashioned tradition”.

Activities around Umbria Castle:

Wine and Olive Oil Tour:
Amusing tour in electric cars between vineyards and olive trees to discover the beauty of the landscape around the castle, visit to the wine cellars of Monte Vibiano with tasting of their wines and olive oil.

Wine tasting and cooking classes:
Learn how typical Italian dishes are prepared and which wine they can be paired with. During these courses, particular attention is paid to wines without chemical additives.

Truffles, olives and cheese:
Taste and taste the delicacies of the region under the guidance of experts! See where the famous black truffles grow and touch them with your hands! Take part in the olive harvest and the production of typical Italian cheese!

Language courses:
If you are interested, Italian language courses can be offered, even combined with cooking courses, dinner and wine tasting, meaning the course continues in the best restaurants in the area.

Guided tours of historical buildings:
Guided tours are organized in Italian or English to old castles, monasteries, chapels with beautiful frescoes or historic palaces and their beautiful Italian gardens, which are hidden in the surrounding forests or in small medieval hamlets.

Medieval festivals in Umbria:
From May to September, get to know the region's medieval festivals with their pagan rituals and sometimes only superficial conversion into Christian rites:
e.g. B. “Calendimaggio” at the beginning of May in Assisi, the competition of “I CERI” in Gubbio in mid-May, the “Infiorata” in Spello in June, “Le Gaite” in Bevagna in mid-June and many more...

Umbria Jazz Festival:
If you wish, tickets for what is probably the most important musical event in Italy can be organized for you. The Umbria Jazz Festival takes place in the first half of July and is a must for jazz lovers.

There are many interesting options for sports enthusiasts in the area:

The Perugia golf course, which has 8 holes, awaits golfers just 18 km away. Another golf course not too far away (approx. 40 minutes by car) is the beautiful but somewhat hilly golf course of Castello Antognolla.

Cycling is possible in the area and relatively easy. However, you need a racing bike or a mountain bike. One route starts just 200 m from the castle, follows the course of a river and takes you into a beautiful valley with trees and historic buildings, another route takes you around Lake Trasimeno.

For enthusiasts walkers or joggers Several beautiful unpaved paths start directly from Umbria Castle.

Rafting is possible in the Sibillini Mountains, about 1 hour away. Le Gole di Biselli offers interesting opportunities for adults and children. Combine this experience with a visit to Norcia, famous as the birthplace of Saint Benedict and also for its excellent local products: truffles, salami, ham, cheese and lentils.

A riding school, which also organizes horse-drawn promenades in the area, can be found just 2 km away, near San Biagio della Valle.

Weddings, honeymoons and other celebrations:
Umbria Castle is the perfect place for an unforgettable wedding celebration. The magical atmosphere of bygone times makes your dream come true and offers everything for a perfect wedding:

• a medieval hall with a cross loop in the Torre Grande with space for 50 people
• a second hall called Raffaello in Torre Nuova with space for up to 75 people
• a beautiful and spacious place at the top of the hill with a wonderful view far into the country.
• just 20 m away is the small chapel of San Paolo, built before 1115 by the Benedictines and painted with frescoes by the artist Meo da Siena in 1315-19.
• There are two charming medieval churches nearby, one in Castiglione della Valle (600 m away) and one in Pieve Caina (1,5 km away).

On request, everything from A to Z will be organized for you, tailored to your individual ideas and wishes! It is also possible to rent the Umbria Castle and contact the catering service, the flower shop and the hairdresser on your own.

In addition, Umbria Castle can be rented for parties, anniversaries, weddings, team meetings, seminars and family or business meetings and is - last but not least - an ideal place to celebrate, for example. B. to organize a family reunion. The area is truly private and also safe for children of all ages because cars do not have access up the hill.

The environment
The location is ideal for visiting and visiting a number of well-known Italian cities such as: B. Perugia, which is not far away, or Assisi, Gubbio and Orvieto. Perhaps not quite as well known, but no less interesting are Todi, Bevagna or the village of Montefalco, which is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Also worth mentioning is Panicale, near Lake Trasimeno. In addition, the Tuscan border is not far, so Cortona, Siena and Florence are easily accessible by car, as is Rome, 160 km away. From the nearby Chiusi-Chianciano train station (about 30 minutes by car) there is a daily train connection that takes travelers to the Italian capital in about 100 minutes. Day trips to Rome are possible. If you intend to stay in Rome for several days, perhaps at the beginning or end of your stay at Castiglione Castle, they will be happy to help you find a hotel in the “eternal city”.

But it is not just the proximity to the art and cultural sites that makes Umbria a tempting travel destination. Whoever decides to visit Umbria will be impressed by its breathtaking landscape, its beautiful nature, its harmonious hills with olive trees, its colors and scents!

A visit to Umbria also offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in the life of the many charming medieval hamlets, as well as to admire the famous art cities of central Italy, known for their architecture, art and culture.

The hamlets in the area:
Despite its proximity to Umbria's capital, the surrounding landscape is still relatively untouched. Around Castiglione Castle there is one of the largest concentrations of listed buildings and also small, medieval hamlets where time seems to have stood still and you can still feel the past. In villages like Castiglione della Valle, San Biagio della Valle, Spina, Morcella and Cerqueto the rhythm of life is definitely slower. All of them were originally fortresses, built to protect the city of Perugia along the border of the Byzantine corridor that ran here from 595 to 774. Some of them remain real little gems to this day. They have retained their beautiful medieval centers with small restaurants and grocery stores and have interesting Romanesque churches where you can admire paintings by famous Italian artists.

Natural Parks:
The region has several natural parks and a wealth of paleontological and prehistoric sites worth seeing. Here you will find untouched nature, rare trees, plants, insects and animals and many places of great spirituality where body and soul can regenerate and find perfect harmony. A natural park, even protected by the European Union, is just 2 km from Umbria Castle.