3219 Lake Trasimeno, towns and islands

There is a very nice drive, all round the lake - which takes in a number of interesting small towns, all with bars - and many with lots of restaurants and pizzerias where you can eat inside or outside.
Starting top left hand corner of this big lake, and driving clockwise, there is the little village of Borghetto with an interesting castle, then Tuoro - here the centro storico is up the hill, but there are probably the nicest beaches to swim from here, and the ferry to Isola Maggiore, plus some rather peculiar modern sculptures!
Then comes Passignano - this is right on the lake, and a very lively place with many restaurants (my favourite is Il Castello, just off the corner of the main pedestrianised piazza - it is Visani type cookng at about one twentieth of the price!) On the "prom" on any Sunday afternoon in August you could be forgiven for thinking you had dropped in on the Miss Italia contest - the local beauties swan about giving a whole new meaning to eye candy.
Then comes Torricella - nice pizzerias (and a side trip up to the ancient village of Montecolognola if you like) but sticking to the lake road there are a number of decent beaches where windsurfing and surfing with a "kite" are popular. Monte Del Lago is an interesting village to mooch around, and then you pass the ruined castle of Zocco before arriving in San Feliciano. This town is another lively place with restaurants and ferries to the islands, nice boats in the harbour, and with one pizzeria in particular "Il Giramondo" (just north of the main village) having a great garden of perfect grass for children to get rid of some energy while you have a beer.
South of San Feliciano - after San Savino, (a rather odd spot, but fun when they have their festa) the road turns away from the lake a bit, and there is a natural park for birdwatching in the reed beds (organised visits available). San Archangelo comes next with many camping and camper sites with good facilites, and then you are onto the long (very scenic) haul to the major town - Castiglione del Lago.
The centro storico of Castiglione del Lago is a pleasant spot, there is an interesting castle which is used as an outside music/theatre venue in the summer, many shops selling local food specialities, and one of the best open air markets (on Wednesday morning). Castiglione del Lago is a very good base for budget travellers - the town has a railway station, buses, ferries to the islands in the lake, boat or pedalo or water-skiing hire, and you will probably meet a co-patriot who will share a car trip further afield! Well stocked with restaurants and pizzerias, and the less historic part of the town is equipped with supermarkets, bicycle hire and everything you would expect in a moderate provincial town. I am told that the hospital is wonderful for children's ailments, with a very nice English speaking pediatric specialist. (Hope you don't need this!)
The road north from here, back to our starting point in Borghetto, has a lot of camping and camper sites, many perfectly good cheap eating houses, and (though I'm getting out of Umbria here...) Cortona is just a few miles further on.
There are three islands in Lake Trasimeno (one is private). Isola Maggiore is a "working village island" with three or four restaurants - all specialising in fish - my favourite is "Da Sauro". Lots of history, interesting Churches, and easy to while away an afternoon just wandering about. Isola Polvese has less buildings, but there is a fantastic water garden (made out of an abandoned swimming pool which had been cut into the rock), and lots of walks where you can lose the rest of the world (and find shade!) very easily. Swimming isn't bad from this island, and the bird life is excellent and well explained on various "posters!.