Castel Rigone

The medieval village of Castel Rigone and its 400 inhabitants are situated within the municipality of Passignano sul Trasimeno (Perugia) at a height of 653 metres above sea level on the Eastern hills surrounding LakeTrasimeno, in Umbria. History relates that in 543 A.D., the Ostrogoth Arrigo (or Rigone), the lieutenant of ‘Totila the Hun’, used the location as a camp from which to lay siege to the city of Perugia.

Towards the end of the 13th century a castle was built in defence of the inhabitants. The tower, three fortresses and two gates, Porta Ponente and Porta Monterone, can still be seen. You cannot miss a visit to the Sanctuary of the Holy Virgin of Miracles, which is considered a masterpiece of Umbrian Renaissance design, and to the Church of the Holy Sacrament, where a canvas representing the Last Supper painted by Silla Piccinini in 1598 is preserved.

Castel Rigone, a typical medieval village of Umbria, with its rolling hills and splendid view of the Lake and surrounded by woods, is the ideal place for relaxing tourism in contact with nature, for lovers of horse trekking, mountain-biking and birds-watching. Renowned for its tranquility and natural setting, it offers every type of service and facility to its visitors, such as hotels, holiday houses, B&Bs, restaurants, sport facilities for swimming, football, horse riding, archery, mountain-biking, mini golf, tennis and other essential services like a post office, a chemist’s, a supermarket, a tourist information office, and a bus service.

Castel Rigone is famous for having organised in 1984 the first historical commemoration in Gothic costumes in Italy celebrating the arrival of the Barbarians, the so-called “Festa dei Barbari” (Barbarian festival). The commemoration takes place over the first weekend in August and great attention is given to the reconstruction of the artisans’ trades of the period and to the typical ‘barbarian’ menu.