Umbria of the castles of the past

History, art and nature meet at the Castle. A real military fortress complete with drawbridge and corner towers, later transformed into a stately residence by a powerful Umbrian family, the Bufalini. Don't miss the fairy-tale Italian garden with its water features and rose garden with rare flowers.

It dominates Gualdo Tadino of which it is a symbol and takes its name from the river Flebeo that flows nearby. Strengthened and enlarged by Frederick II of Swabia, it is a splendid example of Italian fortified architecture of the late Middle Ages. Today it is also a civic museum housing a must-see art collection.

Cardinal Egidio Albornoz had the fortress built as the pivot of the defense system and control of the tumultuous Umbrian territory by the Papal States during the Avignon period of Innocent VI. The fortress, which combines the "martial" appearance with the refinement and elegance of stately homes, has been a place of temporary residence for popes and other famous people, including Lucrezia Borgia.

Tear down and rebuilt several times, its present structure can be attributed to the 15th-century military architect and man of culture Captain Bartolomeo d'Alviano. The building follows the rules of military architecture dictated by Leon Battista Alberti, but inside it holds rooms frescoed by some notable artistic personalities of the modern age and an extraordinary courtyard.

At an altitude of almost a thousand meters (972 sml), stands the 13th-century castle, built along the Roman route that from Spoleto left the Via Flaminia to pass through the Colfiorito plateau and reach the Adriatic Sea. From the village there are spectacular sunrises to sunsets, beautiful views of the valley and green forests. Paths lead into the Valnerina among truffle, oak and maple trees, from which the castle takes its name.