The Regional Park of Lake Trasimeno covers an area of just over 13,000 hectares and includes the municipalities of Castiglione del Lago, Magione, Passignano, Tuoro, and Panicale, as well as three islands: Maggiore, Polvese, and Minore. It was established in 1995 with the aim of preserving and enhancing this unique area of Umbria, both for its natural environment and its historical and artistic significance.

The enchanting beauty of its fauna and flora

 Today the park reveals all its charm, characterized by lush marsh vegetation and an abundance of holm oaks, downy oaks, turkey oaks and other plants typical of the Mediterranean scrub.
 The lake’s natural environment, with its shallow sandy bed, reed beds, and clean waters, is home to a rich fish population and a diverse birdlife. Among the fish found in Lake Trasimeno are tench, eels, pike, and carp. The birdlife includes many migratory species, such as herons, egrets, mallards, gulls, coots, grebes, black-winged stilts, wigeons, and many others. Cormorants are particularly numerous, to the point that deterrence measures have had to be adopted.

Where the lake meets history: villages that defy the centuries

 The park is dotted with settlements of great historical and artistic interest—fortified hillside villages offering breathtaking views, picturesque fishing hamlets, and prominent towns that have long attracted important artistic commissions, both secular and religious. These places are rich in Renaissance frescoes and paintings by some of the great Italian masters of the 15th century, who often depicted the lake’s landscape, its colours, and its light in their works.

Traveling on foot, by bike, by boat, and with your eyes

 There are countless opportunities to explore and enjoy the park. Visitors can take a relaxing ferry trip to the islands of Maggiore and Polvese, explore the historic sites of Hannibal’s famous battle, admire the artistic treasures of Castiglione del Lago and Panicale, walk or cycle along the 160 km Trasimeno Trail in seven stages, enjoy water sports, go birdwatching and observe bird-ringing activities at the ‘La Valle’ Nature Oasis, or visit the Fishing Museum in San Feliciano.

Dining with the lake: fish, wine, and a precious legume

Wherever you are along the lake’s shores, don't miss the chance to savour local delicacies: carpa regina in porchetta (“regina” carp cooked porchetta-style), carp roe, tench, tegamaccio (a traditional fish stew), eel or oven-baked tench, perch, the prized fagiolina del Trasimeno (a small, local legume), and torciglione (a traditional dessert). All best enjoyed with a fine glass of local wine from these hills.

The lake that survived: a story of a water miracle

 Lake Trasimeno is of tectonic origin. It is fed solely by rainfall, which explains its highly variable water levels—which have historically alternated between drastic reductions and devastating floods. For this reason, the lake has been the focus of preservation efforts since ancient times.
 In the 1st century AD, the Romans built the first tributary near San Savino. It was restored in 1422 by Braccio Fortebraccio da Montone, Lord of Perugia, to whom the lake and its surrounding territory belonged.
 Later attempts at interventions were less successful, and in 1862 the Italian Ministry of Agriculture even decided to drain the lake completely. This disastrous plan was averted thanks to Senator Guido Pompili, a native of the lakeside village of Monte del Lago, who launched a public awareness campaign that involved the famous Alinari brothers, photographers from Florence, and led to land reclamation works and the construction of a new tributary between 1896 and 1898.