Montelabate end its castles

This walk takes you through one of the most beautiful and uncontaminated areas of the region north of Perugia. The ancient Benedictine Abbey of Montelabate, the starting point of our walk, sits surrounded by olive grove dotted hills and is one of the most important monuments of the Perugia area. We recommend you reward yourself with a visit after the walk. The walk begins along the slightly uphill road where vehicles are not permitted to transit and which goes around the walls of the ancient monastery. This equally ancient road once connected Gubbio to Perugia (sent. 202). The silver-green leaves of the olive trees line the trail and in the distance Perugia can be seen up above the hills, whilst below one can see the walls of the Castellaccio (the local name for the remains of this castle and which is also used as the name for the entire area).

Not far from the Abbey, on the road indicated above, one arrives at a house where the inhabitants sell pecorino (sheep) cheese. Once past it turn right onto a path which goes down to an evident craggy hill formation. The path, which divides into two, invites a deviation: taking it to the right you reach the foot of this formation and, willingly, you can climb up over its fallen boulders and thicket. Once at the top one discovers ruins and the remains of a wall that once belonged to Castiglione dei Figli d’Azzo and which, later on, will take the name Castiglion Fidatto when it became a fortified outpost which was eventually abandoned in the 1500’s. It was here that a will was drawn in 996 which permitted the Abbey to take possession of several terrains.

Return to the original fork in the road to continue the walk taking the left path which goes around the hill to the next fork in the road. Take the right here onto a brief stretch of dirt road which leads to casa Libraro, one of the many rural houses abandoned after the last war. Along the downhill road (take care during the rainy season as it could be slippery) you can sometimes see the signs of the passing of the local fauna: deer, porcupines and wild boar, just to name a few.

 You will get to a wide open area, continue on the road and enter the woods, where, soon after, take the path that goes upwards to the right and along the eastern perimeter of the Castellaccio.

The Castello di Montelabate, not far from the Abbey and once a place of refuge for the local farmers, still has a good part of its ancient outer walls intact but the inside, through its only remaining gate, has long since been overgrown with tall trees and vegetation. Continuing onwards you will soon reach a building with an olive oil press and the farm of the Abbey. Take the road upwards (vehicles may pass here) to the Abbey and the starting point of your walk. The Abbey is open to the public and the tour takes you through its silent 1200’s cloister, the mystical crypt, the evocative chapterhouse with its walls embellished with 13th century frescoes, the aromatic cantina and the bright open upper church: a true journey into the soul of time and space. Contact the Società Agricola at 075 603120 by fax to request a tour