Rome Travel Guide

Castel del Monte

Castel del Monte - a medieval hill-town located in the province of L'Aquila, about 100 miles (160km) northeast of Rome - is bracing itself to become one of Italy's fastest-growing tourist destinations. The beautiful little town, accessed through five stone gates and full of narrow, winding alleyways and gorgeous Renaissance architecture, shot to prominence when it was chosen as the setting for the 2010 film starring George Clooney. Castel del Monte is not one of those places that are filled with interesting sights or things to do - rather, the entire town is a tourist attraction in itself, giving visitors a taste of authentic Italian village-life. Boasting a population of around 500 people, a holiday in Castel del Monte is not for everyone (and is probably a terrible place to take the kids) - but for those looking to escape the crowds of tourists that swarm to Italy's more established holiday destinations, serene and photogenic Castel del Monte offers the chance to do just that.