Castel del Monte

Castel del Monte in Abruzzo is a beautiful village which covers the top of a hill in the Gran Sasso mountain range. From the village you have 360° views over the surrounding mountains adding to the beauty and drama of this medieval and Renaissance village. It is classified as one of the "Borghi Piu Belli d'Italia" or "most beautiful villages of Italy".

Castel del Monte was a very prosperous sheep trading town from the 12th to the 16th centuries but the annual sheep drive to Apulia stopped in the mid 19th century and the town suffered a significant decline in wealth and population size. This decline means that little has changed since these early yearls and the town has retained its medieval and renaissance charm. As a result in recent years tourism has seen an improvement in the town's fortunes and whilst Abruzzo does not get the visitor numbers of other parts of Italy, Castel del Monte is one of its highlights, it's proximity to Sextantio of Santo Stefano di Sessanio makes it a "must-visit" location while exploring this stunning part of Italy.

@sextantio