Some kind of miracles luckily happen once a year. One of these takes place among the mountains and valleys of Umbria, turning the landscape into a living picture: the blossoming in Castelluccio di Norcia.
This natural event, summoning tourists from all over the world, is a tribute to beauty, biodiversity and a slow and environmentally friendly way of cultivation, some sort of celebration within which the Earth seems to cherish life itself. But what is the most suitable time of the season to enjoy this wonderful event? And how to get the best out of this experience?
Let’s set off together on a journey that will allow us to fully immerse ourselves in this impressionist painting!
Perhaps not everyone knows that this phenomenon of blossoming is split into two main phases: a less well-known phase, characterized by wild and spontaneous flowers blooming, and a second one that gives us the worldwide known picture of the cultivated lentil fields. Both these phases jointly contribute to shape this unique, worldwide-known landscape.
During a first spontaneous blossoming phase, which begins in late April/early May, the plateau at the slopes of Mount Vettore is filled with hundreds of wildflower species: indeed, as written on the official website, “here only nature intervenes, renewing the variety of species each year”.
These include cornflowers with sky-blue petals, bright red poppies, golden yellow gentian, marigold with its bright orange flowers, white daisies, and many other species that blend into a colorful mosaic of inebriating scents, as a result of a diverse ecosystem that provides shelter for a rich and thriving biodiversity.
The second blossoming phase, overlapping the spontaneous one, is closely linked to the cultivation of Castelluccio lentils, an agricultural product of excellence, widely recognized for its nutritional quality.
The peculiarity of this cultivation is that it strictly follows traditional and sustainable agricultural techniques, without using pesticides. Thus, plants coexist in total harmony with wildflowers, such as clover and alfalfa, providing constant soil fertility and preserving the natural balance of the environment.
One of the symbolic local products of Umbria, appreciated not only for their picturesque blossoming, but also for their high quality. Small, tender and flavorful, these lentils are cultivated following environmental-friendly traditional techniques that enhance the unique geographically related characteristics, to the point that they also obtained the IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) label.
They have a strong and aromatic taste and, thanks to their very thin skin, have a creamy and soft texture, even after a brief cooking time.
The blossoming in Castelluccio takes over the entire plateau, but some spots offer particularly striking views. Among these, Pian Grande is without shadow of doubt the most well-known, with its fields turning into a sea full of colors.
Other must-see places are the Pian Perduto and the Pian Piccolo, from which tourists can admire the unleashed beauty of unspoiled nature. These plateaus, set among the mountains of the Sibillini Mountains National Park, provide a stunning and unique location to experience a full immersion in Umbria’s nature.
No sort of prediction can be made about the timing of the blossoming of the Piani di Castelluccio: nature, in fact, follows its own rhythms, and every year the exact moment of the blossoming can be different.
In general, however, to be able to admire the blossoming at its peak, the ideal time slot is between the end of June and the first few days of July, although this time window may vary according to the ever-changing seasonal trends.
For those who wish to plan their visit, it is advisable to monitor local updates, which provide detailed information about the progress of the blossoming: by doing so, you can be sure to be one of the lucky witnesses of this strikingly beautiful phenomenon.
However, just to remind you, this is a living phenomenon, which changes every day and – in its variety and colors – gathers within itself the history of the passing seasons.
Each year, more and more people flock to the area to admire the spectacle, with a high risk of making tourism unsustainable. To visit Castelluccio di Norcia during the blossoming season, it is therefore important to take into account possible access and parking restrictions that might be enforced in order to protect the environment and manage the ever-growing flow of tourists.
The traffic plan for 2025 is still being finalized, so it is advisable to consult the official websites of the local authorities to keep up with the latest up-to-date information on any restriction or access arrangement, including the availability of parking and shuttle services.
After having fully enjoyed the blossoming, you can enrich your experience with a stop-over at Tenute del Cerro’s Còlpetrone winery. In the heart of Umbria, more specifically in the countryside near the small town of Montefalco, it can easily be considered an ideal starting point for exploring Castelluccio di Norcia and its surroundings.
Above all, it is the perfect setting to taste one among the treasures of this area, the highly prized Sagrantino di Montefalco, an indigenous grape variety known for the quality of its grapes and their unmistakable color. The winery offers the possibility to choose among three different types of Sagrantino tasting, or taste the local wines of this territory, paired with a board of cold cuts and pecorino cheeses from local producers and a taste of our extra-virgin olive oil production.
After a day spent among the blossoming fields, you can relax while savoring a glass of wine, surrounded by the tranquility and unspoiled beauty that only a region such as Umbria can offer.
Founded in 1995 with the construction of the current winery, it is one of the most important production realities in the Montefalco DOCG area.
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