Two castles and one gate

Chìo Valley

Between High Tiber Valley, in Umbria, and Chiana Valley in Tuscany, there is a little one named Chìo Valley, characterized by a lot of Pievi (about one thousand old churches) and castles, many ruined but others incredible.



You can walk all around the valley in a day long hike, but you can also enjoy the "gate" of the valley between Castigion Fiorentino - the main town - and Montecchio Castle, both supervising the entry of the valley.

This is Castiglione Fiorentino: it's how you can imagine a medieval town...

And this is Montecchio Castle...





The lake's balcony

Castiglione del Lago

 

   In Italy there is a group of Commons and hamlets called "I Borghi più Belli d'Italia" (the most beautiful villages of Italy). Castiglione del Lago is one of these.

   Placed on a crag over the Trasimeno Lake, in Umbria, having a lot of  remains of Etruscans and Roman age, it's characterized by a pentagonal castle of the XIII century, built by Frederick II of Svevia.

I think that we don't need too much words to explain the place... Come and see!

This is one of the gates of the village, through Della Corgna Palace.

Another city gate

And this is the covered escape route from Della Corgna Palace to the castle