Castelluccio and the Piano Grande

About this place

Castelluccio di Norcia is a small village in the Apennines of Umbria, central Italy, part of the municipality of Norcia, about 10 km northeast of Norcia in a straight line. Its name means «little castle». The village is known for its position on the Piano Grande, the «great plain», a high plateau of rich pasture where wildflowers bloom after the winter mists recede, creating a striking landscape. The area was inhabited in Roman times. Much of the village was damaged in the 2016 earthquakes, and rebuilding is still under way. The wide green plateau stretches between the peaks of the Sibillini mountains, with the village on a small hill in its midst. In late spring and early summer the lentil fields and wildflowers bloom in patches of red, yellow, blue and white, spreading like a mosaic to the foot of the mountains, and snow covers the peaks in winter. Visitors drive across the plateau, stopping to photograph the flowers, and walk the trails of the Sibillini mountains. The main flowering season runs from late May to early July, and it is wise to check road conditions before visiting.