Find out what to see in Castiglione del Lago.
If you want to visit the heart of Castiglione del Lago and wander around in places once trodden by important personalities of the calibre of Niccolò Machiavelli, you can’t miss Palazzo Ducale della Corgna, which was only one of the residences of the homonymous family. The refined 16th-century building boasts stunning rooms frescoed by artists such as Niccolò Circignani, known as Pomarancio, or Salvio Savini, his brilliant pupil. The frescoes depict the heroic deeds of the Marquis Ascanio della Corgna and his family, combining events that really happened in history with mythological episodes. One of the rooms of the building, the Sala di Cesare, leads you to a covered walkway taking you directly to another important site in Castiglione del Lago, the Fortezza Medievale (Medieval Fortress), also known as Rocca del Leone.
Owing to its strategic position, circular towers and characteristic robustness, it was considered one of the most difficult 16th-century European strongholds to conquer and its majestic beauty is still evident today. The Abbazia di San Cristoforo, also known as Badia San Cristoforo, is certainly worth a visit. A Benedictine church built around the year 1000, subsequently controlled by the Ordine dei Cavalieri di Malta (Order of the Knights of Malta), it was built in part on the remains of an ancient chapel. The hilly area on which the church stands will also enable you to admire a breath-taking view of Lake Trasimeno. In the historic centre, you can visit the Baroque Chiesa di San Domenico di Guzman, the Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena and the Parco Regionale del Lago Trasimeno.
On the island of Polvese, you can instead visit the beautiful fortress of Rocca dell’Isola Polvese, the remains of the Abbazia di San Secondo, the Chiesa di San Giuliano and the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Cerqua.