San Giovanni del Pantano

The hamlet of San Giovanni del Pantano has a long, long history, having started out as a Roman outpost in the upper Tiber Valley. Located between Perugia and Umbertide, the crossroads was an important juncture in ancient times. A Benedictine monastery stood here in the 10th century, and a castle was built in 1258, and belonged to the Antognolla family, a wealthy and influential clan from Perugia who held the feudal territory here. The castle still stands, now as a resort and golf course.

The church of Sant'Agata was built in the 16th century and has an older crypt with frescoes. The town's namesake church, San Giovanni Apostolo, sits in the hamlet. Outside town, the Faggeto Etruscan tomb was discovered by chance in 1920, showing the area's history dates back to at least the 3rd century BC.

The upper Tiber Valley is marked by the river valley, woods, and agriculture, a laid-back and tranquil area with abiding traditions and rhythms. It's near the charming town of Umbertide, and just a short drive to the Umbrian capital city of Perugia. Just slightly farther, is Magione and Lake Trasimeno, the art city of Citta' di Castello (to the north of Umbertide), and world famous Assisi.

_{Photo Credit: San Giovanni del Pantano Facebook page}