The largest of Lake Trasimeno's three islands, Isola Maggiore is reached by boat from San Feliciano (15 minutes) or Passignano sul Trasimeno (20 minutes). It is the only inhabited island, home to a small community of around 20 permanent residents — a number that has been declining for decades as the younger generation moves to the mainland.
The island has a single main street, a 15th-century church with frescoes, the ruins of a castle belonging to the Marquis Guglielmi, and the workshop of a small lace-making cooperative that carries on a tradition the islanders claim dates to the medieval period. The walk around the island perimeter takes about 40 minutes and offers good views across the lake in every direction. It is a genuinely quiet place — there are no cars, and only a handful of restaurants and a small hotel.