Location Guide to Città di Castello

Città di Castello, with its medieval street plan and narrow limestone alleyways, has been the main market town of the Upper Tiber Valley for centuries. Originally founded by the Etruscans, the Romans claimed it in 550 BC finally naming it Civitas Castelli.

Typical for the area, after many raids, invasions and sackings during the middle ages the town entered a period of stability. Around this time King Pepin built the city walls and the ruling Vitelli family brought much prosperity to the area until Cesare Borgia had the head of their household murdered at a banquet.

A town of Renaissance greats, Michelangelo is credited with the strange mural in Piazza Gabrotti and Raphael with the graffiti on the Commune building and paintings in the Pinacoteca Villa. It is also the birthplace of the beautiful Italian actress Monica Bellucci and the abstract artist Alberto Burri.The medieval tower and the old bell tower are worth a climb for excellent views whilst the Duomo’s museum has an interesting collection of medieval religious artefacts and paraphernalia.

10 Things to See and Do
Pinacoteca Communale, the Vitelli family house with fine artworks.
Torre Civica, a medieval watchtower.
Campanile, the distinctive round bell tower where convicted prisoners were thrown to their deaths.
Centro delle Tradizioni Populari, a folk museum with an exhibition of model trains.
Alberto Burri exhibitions in the Palazzo Albizzini and the Seccatoi del Tabacco.
Collezione Tessile di Tele Umbra, a textile museum and workshop
The Miniature Museum, which during the Christmas period has an exhibition of nativity scenes.
The Tree Museum at Lerchi.
The nearby hilltop villages of Citerna, Monte Santa Maria Tiberina, and Montone.
Truffle festival held every November where you can buy, eat and see everything truffle related.

Local Food and Drink

Truffles
The Upper Tiber Valley is famous for its food, and one of its greatest treasures has to be its truffles. These rare edible fungi are found in certain secret places throughout the area but don’t ask anyone where, they won’t tell you.
Bianchi Tartufi in Citta di Castello is one of the leading suppliers of truffles and here you will find all manner of related products. You can buy whole truffles, truffle oil, truffle shavings, flavoured pasta, truffle paste. You name it, if its truffle related, they will have it.

Spotlight on The Pinacoteca Comunale
Pinacoteca Comunale was built by the Vitelli family in 1521 as their private residence with the decorative Visari graffiti on the outside merely hinting at the artistic treasures inside. The stairwells and main drawing room are covered with frescos, while other rooms hold some important pieces relating to the Renaissance period. Looking out of the windows or standing on the second floor loggia you can enjoy the views of the formal ornamental gardens and think about Laura Vitelli who was prone to throw her rejected lovers out of the windows here.
The Pinacoteca has one of Umbria’s most important collection of Renaissance paintings with works by Raphael and Signorelli, as well as some lesser known Sienese and Venetian painters. Tickets brought here also allow access to other museums in the town.

How to Get There
By Car: Citta di Castello is in the north of Umbria, on the border with Tuscany and quite easily reached by the provinces main arterial road, the E45 which runs straight past the town. Car parks are plentiful on all but the busiest of festa days and most of the attractions are within easy walking distance.
By Train: The local FCU train line stops at Citta di Castello, which runs from Perugia Ponte San Giovanni in the south, linking Rome and Florence.
By Plane: The airport at Perugia Sant Egidio is only 40 minutes drive away and the airports of Florence, Rome, Pisa and Ancora are all within a couple of hours travel.