Things to do and see in Citta di Castello:
From its ancient city walls to its striking circular 'Torre Communale' tower (great views from the top), Citta di Castello is a beautiful town and well worth exploring for historical and cultural interest. It also has an excellent municipal gallery (Pinacoteca Communale), housed in what must be the town's most beautiful building, the delicately 'graffitied' Vitelli alla Cannoniera Palace, whose collection includes pieces by Raffaele and Luca Signorelli. The stunning 17th century theatre is very active.
The town is full of superb restaurants serving authentic Umbrian fare. There are high quality shops and a lively morning market.
Outside the city walls is the fabulous and unspoiled countryside of the Upper Tiber Valley, circled by the Appenine mountains. This makes Citta di Castello a great base for outdoor holidays, like golfing, hiking, mountain biking or horse riding trips, and there are also pot-holing and canoeing options. The town has its own natural sulphur springs and spa.
Other places to visit and transport links:
For those who wish to venture further afield, Citta di Castello is a perfect hub. As mentioned before, important cultural sites - eg Florence, Perugia, Siena, Assisi, Todi, Spello, Spoleto, Gubbio, Ravenna and Urbino - are easy day trips in all directions (in Umbria, Tuscany, Le Marche and Emilia Romana). Even Rome can be reached in 2 hours by train (or 4 by coach), but we recommend that you leave a few days to explore the Italian capital. Adriatic coast beaches are one hour's drive.
Airports:
Umbria International Airport - Perugia-Sant'Egidio (30 mins) has Ryan Air flights to London's Stansted Airport.
Other useful airports are Rome Fiumincino and Ciampino airports, Florence, Pisa, Ancona and Bologna airports, ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 hours by car.
Main train hubs are Arezzo (reached by bus) and Perugia (reached by train). For Citta di Castello train station timetables, please visit the fcu.it site.
On booking, we can give more details on how to reach us and get around.
Green and cheap option:
It is possible with this apartment to avoid the need to hire a car for your holiday. On arrival at Perugia airport, take a taxi to Ponte San Giovanni station (Euro15-20) and the train to Citta di Castello. The station is a less than 10 minutes walk from the apartment. The Upper Tiber Valley train service connects with key towns of aesthetic, historic and culinary interest: Sansepolcro (north), Umbertide, Perugia and (changing at Ponte San Giovanni) with Foligno, Spello and Assisi. These destinations are 30-80 mins travelling time on trains that are cheap (Euro4 to Perugia) and usually uncrowded. Bikes are also available to rent at Euro35 per week. We provide a written guide to recommended sites and restaurants in the area based on a decade living there. If you want more details before deciding whether or not to hire a car, please ask. There is an Avis rental office in Castello for daily rentals but -- this being Italy -- it closes for holidays during the peak period of August.
