To reach the 12th-century Castello di Procopio, one must climb up a gravel road that winds along the edge of a wooded hill thick with acorn trees and wild chestnuts. Turn one last corner and a stone fortress comes into view, a crown atop the sleepy hamlet of Migiana. Through the metal gates and up a final, steep ascent lies a grassy lawn that stretches to the foot of the castle’s defensive walls. Originally commissioned by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederico Barbarossa, throughout the centuries, it was a stronghold and a monastery. But now, the property is entirely tranquil—a microcosm of the Italian region of Umbria, one of the last few places one can visit in Italy where it’s still possible to feel removed from time.
Tuscany often claims the spotlight for its picture-perfect landscapes and farmhouse stays, but Umbria, just to the south, offers a quieter kind of escape. The pace is gentler here, the scenery wilder—a mosaic of forests, olive groves, and ancient hill towns that still feel intimately connected to the land. Hoteliers and restaurateurs are beginning to notice, opening a new generation of properties that invite travelers to discover a different side of central Italy: less polished, more instinctive, and deeply rooted in place.
Still, Umbria’s appeal isn’t just its solitude. Its towns are steeped in art, faith, and history. There’s Assisi, a gleaming white patch on the slopes of Mount Subasio and the birthplace of St Francis. Nearby, Perugia is alive with student life, café terraces, and craft boutiques, while farther south, Spoleto’s Roman theatre and frescoed cathedral speak to centuries of cultural layering. Yet from the ramparts of Castello di Procopio, all that fades away. In the early morning, mist gathers in the Tiber Valley below, veiling the roads and villages from view—leaving only the sense of vastness and stillness that defines Umbria at its most beautiful.
Where to Stay
Photo: Courtesy of Castello di Procopio