What to see in Castelluccio di Norcia, a landscape jewel of Umbria

Castelluccio di Norcia is a small and fascinating mountain hamlet of the namesake village, one of the most beautiful in Umbria and in the province of Perugia, nowadays permanently inhabited by only a handful of people. It is one of the most iconic places in the region of Sibillini Mountains, next to the regional border with Le Marche.

Despite its rather impervious geographical position in the heart of the Apennines, it is possible to reach Castelluccio di Norcia mainly moving by car. First of all reach Norcia, starting from Perugia (SS75, SS3, SS685) or from Terni (SS3 and SS685); then, from the town of St. Benedict continue on SS685 crossing the Forca di Santa Croce and go on to the SP477 to your destination, enjoying a breathtaking view of the immense valley of Castelluccio surrounded by mountains.

If you don't have a car, moving by public transport you will have to reach Norcia by bus or train (with a change of route in Spoleto), then continuing to Castelluccio with small buses and taxis designed specifically to visiting this beautiful gem.

As soon as we come in Castelluccio di Norcia, the feeling is that of having been brought back in time to a remote era distant from us, or perhaps even to another planet. A sensation that's more than legitimate, coming by the awesome amazement that the silent and unparalleled beauty of this place arouses to the eyes of everyone.

If you want to discover with us what to see in Castelluccio di Norcia, prepare proper clothing and comfortable shoes, a photo camera ready to tell in colors the emotions of your trip to Umbria, and above all a great, great desire to feel regenerated in touch with this wonderful landscape setting.

The rich and ancient history of Castelluccio di Norcia, which has its roots back to Roman age already and reaching its peak of relevance in the heart of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, was unfortunately characterized in a tragic and dramatic way by the terrible earthquake of October 30, 2016.

The extreme violence of this horrible seismic event destroyed a large part of the historic centre of Castelluccio, and in particular it completely reduced the 1500’s Church of Santa Maria Assunta and its bell tower in ruins, as well as many nearby buildings of the hamlet.

Years later, nowadays life in Castelluccio di Norcia goes on and this fascinating location made up of narrow alleys, a few houses, some restaurants and accommodation facilities continues to attract many tourists looking for an incredible glimpse of beauty.

Speaking of glimpses of beauty, tourists from all over the world dream of visiting this corner of Umbria for not missing the stupendous flowering of Castelluccio, an authentic wonder of nature to experience getting lost among the liveliness of the colors and the scent of springtime at its full maturity.

Of course we’re talking about Piani di Castelluccio di Norcia (Plateaus of Castelluccio), in particular the Pian Grande, an immense valley at over 1000 m above sea level which iconically characterizes the landscape of this destination. A truly surreal place, a living metaphor of the perfect spirit of change, capable of transforming from a cold and desert land in winter into a true ocean of colors between spring and summer, when the ground loses the impalpable white cloak of snow to shine of the flowering of poppies, cornflowers, daisies and lentils.

Witnessing this landscape masterpiece is a unique emotion, an experience that every year attracts many curious people and photography enthusiasts to Castelluccio di Norcia to admire one of the most beautiful blooms in Italy, especially between the end of May and the first half of July.

Looking around from the wonderful Pian Grande of Castelluccio and scanning the landscape, your eyes might spot something truly special on the side of one of the mountains in the surroundings. No, you're not dreaming, you saw it clearly: here in Castelluccio di Norcia there is an incredible Italy-shaped conifer wood!

Known as Italia Wood, this extraordinary naturalistic attraction was created in 1961 by planting seeds of black pine, spruce and cypress, on the occasion of the X Mountain Festival and the celebrations for the centenary of Unity.

Today, many years after that distant day in early ‘60s, the small seeds have now grown and become lush trees, giving everyone coming to the awesome Castelluccio di Norcia a one of a kind attraction to admire, experience and photograph.

Speaking of iconic places cloaked in greenery, do you know the Wood of St. Francis of Assisi? Check it out below to find out more!

With its absolutely breathtaking landscapes and naturalistic attractions, it is not surprising that Castelluccio di Norcia is one of the most popular destinations for mountain lovers, a true small heaven on Earth for green tourism to discover especially when it comes to its magical summertime atmosphere.

If you have more than one day to visit this so suggestive territory, we suggest you check out the numerous hiking trails in the national park of Monti Sibillini Mountains through which you can take adventurous walks discovering the Appenines and stunning panorama.

Among the most beautiful stages surrouding Pian Grande di Castelluccio Monte Vettore (2476 metres) stands out, the highest mountain in the area, on which it's possible to make extraordinary hikes.

For the most athletics, is possible to climb up to the peak and then venture to the beautiful Pilato lake, a truly one of a kind place, in which lives the Chirocephalus marchesonii, a species of crustacean that doesn't live anywhere else in the world!

Are you planning your next trip to Umbria? After visiting the wonders of Castelluccio di Norcia and its surroundings, don't miss the best of this fantastic region and check out our guides on the best experiences to enjoy between food and wine culture and mysticism!