The best walks and hikes around Paciano

The first settlements in Panicale date back to 2000 BC. After that, the Etruscans dominated the area, which was located in the immediate vicinity of three cities of the League of Twelve Cities (Arezzo, Chiusi, and Perugia).

Montarale from Monte Pausillo. Wonderful scenery overlooking the valley from Tavernelle to Pietrafitta and in the distance you can see Perugia

Panicale is one of the most characteristic villages overlooking Trasimeno. In addition to the artistic testimonies and the beauty of the village and the view, it is worth it for the climbs necessary to reach it, all challenging but not impossible and with magnificent views at every pedal stroke.

The village stands on these hills, embellished with bright red terracotta bricks. Once in the narrow streets of the old town, the atmosphere changes: it seems to go through a time portal to the Middle Ages, an era of knights and battles, in which the village was a faithful ally of Siena. However, the fact that cars can circulate in the historic center is a negative underline, as it does not allow its authentic splendor to emerge. In Città della Pieve there is the "vicolo Baciadonne", considered the narrowest alley in Italy due to its narrow width.

To absolutely visit the church of San Sebastiano with frescoes by Perugino and Raphael

Nice rest area with benches under trees.

Nestled on the hills, the village, red with terracotta bricks used for the construction of its ancient buildings, stands out on our horizon. We approach the town pedaling easily after a climb made difficult by the particularly intense heat of this end of June. As soon as we walk through the streets of the historic centre, we have the feeling of being immersed in another era, in a Middle Ages made up of knights and historical battles, a faithful ally of the city of Siena. Too bad the historic center is open to cars. A diamond that, in our opinion, is not well valued in this way. By bike we can only take a short break, a brief refreshment, a memory by buying some saffron skilfully cultivated here since the Middle Ages. It will come in handy at home around a well-laid table to remember this journey that fascinates us more and more day after day. We only have time to stock up on water, but Città della Pieve is also the cradle of the Renaissance, the birthplace of Pietro Vannucci known as "Perugino", one of the most famous painters of the 15th and 16th centuries. Right in his hometown he left some of his splendid masterpieces, all to be discovered during a pleasant and peaceful walk which, I am sure, we will take accompanied by our families as soon as possible. …. If nothing else here you will find the "vicolo Baciadonne", considered the narrowest alley in Italy due to its width. The alley of lovers… there are those who come here just for this! P.S. A nice interlude ... along the road, at a petrol station where we had stopped to fill the bottles, we met the actor VINCENZO SALEMME who kindly lent himself for a souvenir photo.

Summit of Monte Pausillo with a monument in honor of the "Risorgimento" partisan brigade which had found its base and fought right there.