Holiday apartment in Ischia di Castro: Discover culture and nature

Ischia di Castro combines archaeological evidence, sacred culture and distinctive tuff and woodland landscapes. Between the Museo archeologico, the area of Castro, the ancient site of Visentium, three SIC sites and the Santuario della Madonna del Giglio, there are various specific destinations to explore during a stay in Ischia di Castro.

Museum and cultural history

The Museo archeologico “Pietro e Turiddo Lotti” displays six 13th-century frescoes depicting apostles from the Romitorio di Poggio Conte. The museum also presents archaeological finds and works of art from the municipal area in themed rooms on two floors. It conveys the history of the area and its former inhabitants from prehistory to the Renaissance. The presentation combines sacred visual art with archaeological and art-historical objects from the municipal area. For those interested in culture, the frescoes therefore form a distinct focus alongside the finds and works of art.

Castro, necropolises and Visentium

The archaeological area of Castro extends over approximately 3 hectares on a tuff outcrop. It includes Etruscan necropolises and the destroyed Renaissance city of Castro. The ancient site of Visentium is also located in the surroundings of Ischia di Castro. The Eremo di Poggio Conte is also referred to locally as the Romitorio. It is an example of a church built in the Cistercian style, which was carved into a tuff grotto by monks in the 13th century. The designation Romitorio connects the Eremo di Poggio Conte with the frescoes from this site displayed in the Museo archeologico. Visitors interested in culture can focus here on the necropolises, the Renaissance city, Visentium or the church building in the tuff grotto.

Woodlands and tuff landscapes

The landscape areas are spread across three SIC sites. The SIC “Selva del Lamone IT 6010013” covers 3,066 hectares in the municipalities of Ischia di Castro and Farnese. Its woodland contains widespread lava outcrops. The SIC “Monti di Castro IT 6010016” covers 1,588 hectares in the municipality of Ischia di Castro, while the SIC “Il Crostoletto IT 6010014” covers an area of 40.7 hectares. The three areas therefore differ considerably in size; in addition, Selva del Lamone includes two municipalities, while Monti di Castro is assigned to the municipality of Ischia di Castro. For travel planning, it is worth distinguishing the three SIC sites by their respective names and geographical allocation.

The Santuario della Madonna del Giglio

The Santuario della Madonna del Giglio lies in the valley below the built-up centre of Ischia di Castro, near the Fosso Cellerano, and is surrounded by Mediterranean maquis. The annual celebrations at the Santuario reach their peak on 8 September. The feast day adds a fixed date to the stay. Those who wish to include the religious tradition of this place in their plans can arrange their trip around 8 September.

Other places

Bagnoregio, Pescia Romana, Trevinano, Tobia, Canepina, Valentano Vt, Nepi, Montecalvello

For the higher-level travel overview: Viterbo.