This route begins at the Romitorio di Pozzuolo, just outside of Castiglione del Lago where there is a little XVII century Church dedicated to Saint Anthony Abate, named the Romitorio by a hermit who lived there. The route starts out over a road that leads to Piana, but a left takes you onto a dirt road leading to Po’ di Ciuccio. There are magnificent views of the lake from this road off to your right, and on a clear day the view includes Monte Tezio. A little further to the left is Cortona, the Etruscan town with a delightful sixteenth-century atmosphere, also famous for the Cells of Saint Francis (1,200m). The path reveals a wonderful view of Lake Trasimeno to the right and, on especially clear days, even Monte Tezio in the distance. After about 600 meters, turn left and take a road that descends, passing between two little lakes that are the habitat of a wide range of migratory birds. It is not difficult to spot ducks and waders. Ascend left along the crest at Cannucce and continue on to the Cemetery of Pozzuolo, which we  leave on our left without going to it and then take one of the two roads on the right that come together on a wider one, which also leads towards Piana: take the wide road on the right and go up to a house that has a local road to its right. We leave the house on the left and, after a short stretch of road, we get back on the road towards the left along a tree-lined path. The view  over Lake Trasimeno is even better from this vantage point and we see the centre of Castiglione del Lago very clearly now (Castel Leone, or the Lion’s Castle, as the city map resembles the constellation Leo). Continue your descent and cross over a little bridge which leads to a rarely used paved road, which we cross over to the other side and onto a connecting path which goes to the right. Follow this for about 1 km and then onto a dirt road on the right which will lead to the church of Piana. There is a coffee shop here for a snack, leaving the horses tied up in the pine grove next to the church. This area is known for its nurseries and the panorama here changes with the production cycles of the various plants being grown: the older ones are replaced with saplings and the landscape alters according to the age of the pines and their density. After a well-deserved break, ascend Viale Pallareto which will lead to an area of dense Mediterranean brush with a system of well maintained intertwining dirt roads. Continue upwards towards fields where you can sometimes spot deer. If you stay on the main road, you’ll reach the paved road again at Scopeti, or “Brooms”, so called because the trees that grow there were used to make brooms in times gone by. Cross the road and continue along another connecting road that will take you back to the Romitorio. This trail is not a difficult one. You can add a variation at Piana and go to the lakeshore to take a dip on horseback at Rigutini. The only hazard here is the main road, but all you have to do is cross it, not ride along it.

Time: about 3 hours
Difficulty: medium.
All year round.