Castiglione del Lago

Close to Lake Trasimeno, perched on a gentle hill like an ancient guardian watching over the landscape, stands Castiglione del Lago, a small town of Etruscan origin. It is not, however, this ancient past that strikes the visitor's eye because it is the medieval centuries that have left the most visible and fascinating traces. It was during the Middle Ages that the historic heart of the town was fortified and saw the construction of the castle, later destroyed and rebuilt until Frederick II of Swabia, in the 13th century, transformed it into the fortress known as the 'Lion Castle'. Even today, the Lion Fortress is still breathtaking: it is one of the most interesting pieces of military architecture in the region, due to its irregular pentagonal shape, towers and gates. And today, as in the past, you can walk the patrol path, not to scan the horizon in search of enemies but to enjoy the splendid panorama.