Grotte di Castro

Grotte, or 'cave' in Italian, refers to the many caves in the rock where the town is built and ´di Castro´ refers to the Duke of Castro, who ruled the town in the 16th century. Grotte di Castro is a charming little town with a long and interesting history.

One of the many things the town is famous for is its 'Sagra della Patata', or potato festival, a true food festival dedicated to the products that have been traditionally grown in the area. A gastronomic festival that certainly also attracts many food-loving tourists - the potato festival is held in August.

The Etruscan cemeteries, La Pianezza and Vigna La Piazza, dating back to between the 7th and 5th centuries BC, are located just outside the city, but the Church of San Pietro is not. Dating from around 1118, it was rebuilt in 1739 and has a Baroque high altar and also houses the tomb of Cardinal Carlo Salotti. Palazzo Comunale, supposedly designed by the architect Vignola , today houses the Museo Archeologico e delle Tradizioni Popolari with Etruscan finds from the cemeteries, an exciting historical experience.