The fishermen's island and the lace
On the border between Umbria and Tuscany, Lake Trasimeno is the largest lake in central Italy and the fourth largest in the country, a wide, shallow expanse of water, no more than six metres deep, surrounded by gentle hills covered with olive groves, vineyards and medieval villages, with a quiet atmosphere and spectacular sunsets. Its shores saw one of the most famous battles of antiquity: in 217 BC, during the Second Punic War, Hannibal ambushed and destroyed the Roman army of the consul Flaminius on the northern shore, near Tuoro, where a historical trail with panels recalls the battle.
The lake has three islands, and the most fascinating is Isola Maggiore, the only one still inhabited, by a handful of people, which can be reached by ferry from Tuoro, Passignano and Castiglione del Lago. It is a small fishing village of stone houses along a single street facing the water, with nets hung out to dry, a church with frescoes and a path that runs around the island among olive trees and woods, with views of the lake. The island is famous for its lace: in 1904 a local noblewoman, Elena Guglielmi, introduced the technique of Irish crochet lace, to give work to the women of the island, and still today some lacemakers work at their doors, with a small museum dedicated to this art. According to tradition, Saint Francis spent Lent here in 1211, fasting on the island, and a chapel recalls his stay. At the top of the island stands the neo-Gothic Castello Guglielmi. Another island, Polvese, is a nature park.
Tip: check the ferry timetables, especially out of season; try the fish of the lake, such as tench and carp in "porchetta".
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