Guide to Panicale

'A heartbreakingly pretty fortified town, red-toned Panicale coils around a hill near Lake Trasimeno, wrapping everyone who visits it in authentic Umbrian charm.'

If you like feeling part of a community, Panicale's right up your street. One of the hilltop villages dusted over western Umbria, this place is more than happy to stick to its old fashion ways with hardly a passing nod to tourists.
That means it's down to you to get into the stride of things here. And there's really only one test of your joining-in credentials. Just fetch up at Piazza Umberto I around mid-morning, order a macchiato from a cafe and move your chair into the sunniest spot going. Stay awhile looking as if you haven't got a care in the world, and you'll practically be a village elder.
Guidebook in hand, take a wander to admire Panicale's ancient defensive walls. With its Etruscan roots, these fortifications and gateways remind you just how old the town is. Want to see more? Amble around the narrow streets coiling upwards and you'll come to the Piazza Podesta at the summit. Here, the gob-smacking views over Lake Trasimeno are the stuff of dreams and long-remembered holiday moments. Then be sure to see the frescoes by the revered local artist, Perugino, in the lovely Church of St. Sebastian.
If nature's your thing, trek through the gentle rolling countryside. Lose yourself in the sweeping olive groves, tranquil vineyards and scenic oakwoods, still roamed by porcupine and deer. Alternatively, explore the villages and islands of Lake Trasimeno, watching for herons and kingfishers as they flit over the waters. Or try and cram a couple more sights in, with trips to Perugia or beautiful Orvieto. There's so much to see, it won't be long before you'll wish your holiday was much, much longer.

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