“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.”
PANICALE
ABOUT: DISTANCE 21km. Oddly, one of our addresses states that we are in Panicale, not accurate; however that is the way addresses seem to work here. Everyone that lives outside of a city, and maybe those that do, have at least two or more distinctly different addresses. This area has been documented to have been settled as early as 2000BC, with the Etruscans showing up around 700BC, followed by the ancient Romans, the Papal State of Rome, and even Napoleon for a brief period. What makes this town an easy one, is that this village was created as a castle to control and defend the southern slopes of Lake Trasimeno, and of this defensive nature it retains the walled hamlet with three central squares on three different levels, connected by a single main street.
Panicale has been made famous by the Italian TV series, Signora Volpe, which highlights many of the beautiful scenes found around this quaint town. The nickname for this lovely place is the, “Balcony Over Lake Trasimeno”, as it overlooks the lake and a few of the restaurants have capitalized on this and have special outdoor tables that allow you to see the entirety of Lake Trasimeno. Here, there are beautiful churches, craggy walls, and façades of stone and brick that could tell thousands of years of history, if only they could speak. The largest church, San Michele, is pictured in my photos and worth a visit. This is an easy visit as the town is small and the main attractions are the many fabulous restaurants, cafes and churches. The walk is minimal, making is a lovely place to rest and recuperate from jet lag.
WHAT TO DO:This is an easy village to visit in a day, or even half day. There are some quaint small shops, cafes and restaurants, one has even earned a Michelin star, but good luck getting a reservation. This place stays booked up for months during the busier seasons. There is only a slight elevation to climb into the town and the mood is quite laid back. One event that the town is known for takes place the day after Easter (Easter Monday) and is celebrated with the ancient cheese-rolling competition known as Il Ruzzolone. During this wild festival, participants wrap a leather strap around a multi-kilo wheel of pecorino or aged cow cheese and sling it down Fosso Largo and around the historic city walls. The winner is the player who navigates the course with the fewest throws while keeping the cheese intact . The whole area gathers to cheer on the teams, and after the game, the traditional torta di pasqua (Umbrian Easter cheese bread) is shared among locals and visitors, accompanied by red wine and chocolate…not a bad way to wrap up the day.
WHERE TO EAT:There are three fabulous places in this very small town, and each has their own panache. I will get the fanciest one out of the way first, Ristorante Lillotatini. I have heard great things about this little restaurant, but sadly we have yet to be able to make reservations for this tiny establishment. They are open for both lunch and dinner, but by reservation only and have very limited seating. If you are a Michelin foodie, this might be the place for you, just be sure to book well in advance. https://www.lillotatini.it/en/umbrian-restaurant-lillotatini_2.html. The next two restaurants are absolutely fabulous and have something that Lillotatini does not, a fabulous view of the lake. Albergo Ristorante Masolino is a wonderful family run business and is open for both lunch and dinner, while reservations are not required, I highly recommend making reservations and request balcony seating if you are in a group of 4 or less. Larger groups will need reservations as well; however, the balcony is so teeny, that larger groups can only be accommodated inside, which is still fabulous. https://www.masolino.it/. The last and one of the more original places in Italy due to the fact that is serves a traditional brunch, is Rastrello Cucina & Giardino. This restaurant is open daily from 5PM to 11PM and on Sundays from 10AM - 2PM, reservations are strongly recommended and this restaurant can accommodate groups of up to 6 people with a standard reservation, but will require special arrangements made with the establishment.https://www.rastrello.com/cucina-giardino.