{"id":384103,"date":"2026-05-25T12:32:29","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T10:32:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/?post_type=what-to-see&p=384103"},"modified":"2026-05-25T12:37:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T10:37:30","slug":"isola-maggiore","status":"publish","type":"what-to-see","link":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/what-to-see\/isola-maggiore\/","title":{"rendered":"Isola Maggiore"},"content":{"rendered":"

Set amidst the waters of Lake Trasimeno<\/strong><\/a>, Isola Maggiore is one of Umbria\u2019s most charming and picturesque spots. Despite its name, it is the second-largest island in the lake, but the only one still permanently inhabited and capable of preserving the authentic atmosphere of an old fishing village.<\/p>\n

Reachable in just a few minutes by ferry from Tuoro sul Trasimeno<\/strong><\/a>, the island welcomes visitors with a small harbour surrounded by stone houses, colourful boats and quiet alleyways. The village, which developed in medieval times, still retains the charm of a 15th-century settlement, with historic buildings lining the characteristic Via Guglielmi, paved with red bricks laid in a \u2018knife-cut\u2019 pattern.<\/p>\n

Entirely enveloped by lush vegetation of olive trees, cypresses and holm oaks, Isola Maggiore preserves important historical, artistic and religious heritage. The island is, in fact, deeply linked to the figure of St Francis of Assisi, who stayed here during Lent in 1211 for a period of spiritual retreat. Even today, visitors can see the spot where he is believed to have landed and the small cave where he is said to have slept during his stay on the island.<\/p>\n

A stroll through the village takes you past some of the island\u2019s most interesting sites, starting with the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo, an elegant 14th-century Gothic building also known as the \u2018Palazzo dell\u2019Antico Orologio\u2019. Once the residence of the Perugian dignitaries who administered the island, it now houses a documentation centre dedicated to local history, fishing traditions and the life of the island community.<\/p>\n

Next to the palace stands the Chiesa del Buon Ges\u00f9, a small and exquisite religious building adorned with works of art and a refined stone altar reminiscent of the baldachin in St Peter\u2019s Basilica in Rome.<\/p>\n

Among the most significant attractions is also the Lace Museum, established to preserve the tradition of \u2018Irish Point\u2019 lace, introduced at the beginning of the 20th century by the Marquise Elena Guglielmi. Thanks to the school-workshop founded on the island, generations of women learnt this refined art, which has been handed down to the present day. Today, the museum houses precious embroideries and artefacts that bear witness to the craftsmanship of the island\u2019s lace-makers.<\/p>\n

Continuing towards the highest part of the island, you reach the splendid Church of San Michele Arcangelo, built in the 13th century. The church overlooks the lake, offering a breathtaking 360-degree view of Lake Trasimeno, and is adorned with frescoes from the Umbrian school painted between the 13th and 16th centuries, as well as a precious crucifix attributed to Bartolomeo Caporali.<\/p>\n

On the southern tip of the island stands the evocative Castello Guglielmi, built in the 19th century in the Neo-Gothic style on the ruins of the ancient Franciscan convent. Although it is now in a state of neglect and cannot be visited, the castle helps to make the island\u2019s atmosphere even more romantic and mysterious.<\/p>\n

Isola Maggiore can also be explored via nature trails that run alongside the lake and through the woods in almost complete silence, broken only by the sounds of the wind and water. In the summer months, the village comes alive with music and arts festivals such as \u201cMusic for Sunset\u201d and \u201cMoon in June\u201d, as well as restaurants and accommodation options that allow you to fully experience the charm of Lake Trasimeno.<\/p>\n

With its blend of nature, spirituality, art and ancient traditions, Isola Maggiore is one of the most authentic and evocative destinations on Lake Trasimeno, a place where time seems to pass more slowly and every view tells a story.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Isola Maggiore is the most authentic and charming of the islands on Lake Trasimeno: a small fishing village nestled amongst olive trees, cypresses and scenic footpaths, steeped in history, spirituality and traditional crafts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":384093,"template":"","village-conntection":[165184],"what-to-see-region-and-provinces":[76222,76221],"what-to-see-category":[101779],"class_list":["post-384103","what-to-see","type-what-to-see","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","village-conntection-tuoro-sul-trasimeno","what-to-see-region-and-provinces-perugia-en","what-to-see-region-and-provinces-umbria-en","what-to-see-category-small-village"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see\/384103","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/what-to-see"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see\/384103\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/384093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=384103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"village-conntection","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/village-conntection?post=384103"},{"taxonomy":"what-to-see-region-and-provinces","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see-region-and-provinces?post=384103"},{"taxonomy":"what-to-see-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see-category?post=384103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}