“Show and Tell”: Paciano, Umbria

Paciano, a town considered on the the most beautiful villages in Italy (I Borghi piu Belli d’Italia), situated in the region of Umbria, sits fortuitously on the border of the Umbria-Tuscany border and a stone’s throw away from Lake Trasimeno.

With a population of 1000 people in the municipality, and with about 100 residents still living in the historic town, you can be assured that you will be one of the few people browsing through the town on any given day.

Last weekend, as part of a group invited by Slow Livings Vacations, we were shown around this picturesque and serene town by Claudio, one of the partners of Antico Sipario who generously shared the history and insights, together with the mayor of Paciano, Riccardo Bardelli.

6 Favorite Photos of Paciano, Umbria

1. The threatening weather didn’t stop these local ladies from taking the time out and enjoying a leisurely conversation, while watching visitors make their way through the main gate of the town, Porta Rastrella.

2. Porta Perugina, along with Porta Rastrella and Porta Fiorentina, is one of the three gates to the town. Porta Perugina is situated next to a steep road where the the Corsa dei Carretti takes places. A crazy race where the atmosphere must be wild. Why? Check out the next photo.

3. While the Corsa dei Corsetti was not taking place the weekend we visited, Claudio gave us a clear description of what it’s about. Rather than trying to describe it to you, here’s a drawing of this event done by the children of Paciano. It is part of the map of Paciano found in Palazzo Baldeschi, home to the recently opened Banca della Memoria del Trasimeno, a museum that showcases the local culture, artisans and conducts various workshops.

Corsa dei Corsetti is an exhilarating downhill race, with participants lying on a board with tiny wheels and using their legs to steer and brake when necessary. Claudio, however, added that the participants wear protective clothing and helmet.

4. Paciano is one of the most well-kept town I have visited in Italy. I’ve also included a video at the end of the post to give you a glimpse how quiet and serene it is here. The lovely flowers hanging on balconies also add to the charm of Paciano.

5. Paciano may surprise you too with some incredible art. This fresco, dating back to the 15th century, is found in the Pinacoteca Museo Parrocchiale and covers almost the entire wall.

6. Sitting on top of a hill, the views here are stunning. The cloud coverage made the view of the surrounding countryside even more dramatic and yes, that’s Lake Trasimeno in the distance.

Here’s more of Paciano in this 60-second video.

Huge thanks to Slow Living Vacations for the invitation to the #Thisisyourtime event, Claudio of Antico Sipario for showing us around, and the mayor of Paciano, Riccardo Bardelli.