Lazio · Rieti
Castel di Tora
A village of 266 on Lago del Turano at 607 meters, with an eleventh-century polygonal tower and a ghost promontory called Antuni.
Known for
LAGO DEL TURANO
Artificial reservoir dammed in 1936 for hydroelectric regulation of the Turano river, ten kilometers long below the Sabini and Carseolani.
ANTUNI
Promontory village emptied when the dam closed; the restored Palazzo del Drago with 365 windows now stands across a small isthmus.
MONTE NAVEGNA
Highest peak of the Carseolani at 1,508 meters, anchor of the Riserva Naturale Monte Navegna e Monte Cervia.
When to visit
Best · May–Oct
- J10°
- F12°
- M13°
- A16°
- M21°
- J26°
- J31°
- A30°
- S24°
- O20°
- N15°
- D11°
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Daytime averages, 2020–2024. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
The festa: Anatolia, 10 July
Why come
Castel di Tora sits at 607 meters on the northeast shore of Lago del Turano, in the upper Sabina, fifty kilometers northeast of Rome. The lake itself is artificial, dammed in 1936 for hydroelectric regulation of the Turano river; before then, two villages stood on the valley floor. One of them, Antuni, gave up its houses and emptied.
Today a small isthmus runs out to the Antuni promontory, where the fifteenth-century Palazzo del Drago, built with 365 windows for the days of the year, has been restored along with its garden labyrinth. The medieval centro storico climbs the slope above the lake to a polygonal fortress tower of the eleventh century. The Monti Sabini close the western shore; the Carseolani close the eastern, rising to Monte Navegna at 1,508 meters.
Two hundred and sixty-six people live here year-round. The Cammino di San Benedetto passes through on its way from Subiaco to Rieti.
The Sunday letter
We haven’t written Castel di Tora’s letter yet.
One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.
How to get there
From Rome (FCO), about 2 hours by car.
Naples / Salerno (NAP) is about 3 hours away.
By car from the centre of Pescara 2 hours or Perugia 2h 12m.
Coming by train into Roma Termini? Castel di Tora is about 1h 12m away by road.
What to see
Rocca medievale
Eleventh-century polygonal fortress tower on the cliff above the village, anchor of the original Castrum Vetus that gave the town its name.
Antuni e Palazzo del Drago
Restored fifteenth-century palace with 365 windows for the days of the year, on the Antuni promontory across an isthmus, with a garden labyrinth.
Lago del Turano
Artificial reservoir dammed in 1936 at 536 meters elevation, ten kilometers long, 60 meters deep, surrounded by the Sabini and Carseolani ranges.
Monte Navegna
Highest peak of the Monti Carseolani at 1,508 meters, anchor of the protected Riserva Naturale Monte Navegna e Monte Cervia above the lake.
Centro storico
Stone village of fewer than 300 residents climbing the slope above the lake, inscribed in I Borghi più Belli d'Italia.
The slow-trip planner
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Living here
- Population 266
- In-betweeni
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Nearest airport Rome, 1 h 54 min drive
- Regional capital Roma, 1 h 13 min drive
Common questions
- What is Castel di Tora known for?
- Castel di Tora is a village of 266 on Lago del Turano at 607 meters, with an eleventh-century polygonal tower and a ghost promontory called Antuni.
- Where is Castel di Tora?
- Castel di Tora is a comune in the province of Rieti, in Lazio.
- What is the nearest airport to Castel di Tora?
- Rome (FCO), about 2 hours by car.
- How long is the drive from Pescara to Castel di Tora?
- About 2 hours by car.
- When is the best time to visit Castel di Tora?
- Best in May–Oct. July is the warmest month, averaging 31 degrees, and May the wettest, with about 14 rain days.
- Is there a sagra or a festival in Castel di Tora?
- The town keeps its patron saint's day: Anatolia, 10 July.
- Which other towns are like Castel di Tora?
- Capranica Prenestina, Castel San Pietro Romano and Anversa degli Abruzzi.
- How many people live in Castel di Tora?
- 266 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
The numbers
- Elevation: 607 m
- Population: 266
- Surface area: 15.49 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
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