Flower Power: "La Fiorita" Brightens Up Umbria's Castelluccio Plateaus

Between late May and mid-July, the Castelluccio plateaus (Piani di Castelluccio) within the National Park of the Sibillini Mountains, at the border between Umbria and Marche, offer an enchanting natural show: “La Fiorita”, the Flowering.

During this time of the year in fact, the normally mono-chromatic plateaus, which constitute the bottom of an ancient Apennine lake, are transformed by a patchwork of colors, with variations ranging from yellow to red to blue. The Pian Grande, Pian Piccolo and Pian Perduto, as the plateaus are called, get covered in countless species of flowers, among them daisies, poppies and fleur-de-lis.

Every year, the natural event attracts hundreds of photography lovers who walk along the plateau trails to capture its magic.

Nearby is the delightful little town of Norcia. 

Here are some stunning images from this year’s Fiorita (courtesy of La Repubblica).