Citta di Castello

This busy sophisticated city may be off the beaten track but revels in a medieval centre with many notable buildings and historic monuments

On the Tiber valley in the northern part of Umbria and on the slopes of the Apennines lies Citta di Castello, a charming but little visited town. Once an important Roman centre, today only a handful of medieval monuments have survived. The main attractions are a trio of museums and an art gallery, along with some quiet pleasant medieval streets.

During August the town becomes busier than usual due to its renowned Festival of Chamber Music. Deserving of a visit is the Municipal Picture Gallery, second in Umbria only to the National Gallery of Perugia for the importance of its collection, it holds masterpieces by Raphael, Luca Signorelli, Ghirlandaio, Raffaellino del Colle and Pomarancio.

Città di Castello is an ideal centre for excursions into Umbria with Lake Trasimeno 90km, Gubbio 50km, Perugia 60km, Assisi 65km all within easy reach. It is also just a short trip into Tuscany with Cortona 50km, Arezzo 50km and you can even go into Le Marche and visit Urbino 75km away.