Castelluccio di Norcia Webcam – Monte Vettore and the Plain

The Castelluccio di Norcia Webcam watches one of the highest villages in the Apennines from three angles: the bare limestone bulk of Monte Vettore above the plain, the long sweep of fields below the village, and the open space by the village bar and shops. Castelluccio sits at 1,452 meters (4,764 feet) in the Monti Sibillini of eastern Umbria, above a basin that turns red with poppies, blue with cornflowers and white with daisies when the lentil fields bloom in early summer. The rest of the year the cameras follow snow, cloud shadows drifting across the plain and the slow rebuilding of a village badly damaged by the 2016 earthquakes. All three streams play on the operator’s own website, so each camera opens there in a new tab.

About Castelluccio di Norcia

Castelluccio is a hamlet of Norcia, about 28 kilometers (17 miles) from the town by road, in the province of Perugia. It stands on a hill above the Piani di Castelluccio, high plains at about 1,350 meters (4,429 feet) that together cover roughly 15 square kilometers (5.8 square miles), made up mainly of the Pian Grande and the Pian Perduto. The basins were opened by normal faults on the western side of Monte Vettore, which rises to 2,476 meters (8,123 feet) on the far side of the plain.

The village has been shrinking for decades: 596 people lived here in 1951 and 101 in 2021. The earthquakes of 2016 hit it hard. The shock of 24 August brought down two bell towers, and the one on 30 October collapsed about 60 percent of the historic settlement, including the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. On Vettore, the Cordone del Vettore fault scarp moved again during the same sequence. Scaffolding, a tower crane and prefabricated cabins on the cameras show that rebuilding is still under way.

The plain lives on lentils. The Castelluccio lentil carries Protected Geographical Indication status, and its fields, mixed with wildflowers, produce the fioritura, the flowering that fills the roads with visitors between late May and early July. The shape of the plateau also makes it a favorite with paragliding and hang gliding pilots, who come from across Europe.

What the Castelluccio di Norcia Webcam Shows

The main camera, the operator’s Castelluccio 3, looks east toward Monte Vettore. The mountain’s western face fills the top half of the frame, streaked with pale scree, while the plain spreads out beneath it, crossed by farm tracks. In the foreground, the road down from the village bends past roadside parking and a row of white gazebos set over outdoor tables. In the afternoon the sun lights Vettore from behind the camera, and cloud shadows slide over its slopes.

The Plain tab, Castelluccio 2, which the operator calls La Piana, is mounted at the edge of the village. A white house with a tiled roof, building-site fencing and the corner of a large prefabricated unit sit in the foreground, and beyond them the plain runs off into the distance in long strips of fields, closed in by bare ridges. The Village tab, Castelluccio 1, stays among the houses, on an open area where a bar and a norcineria (a pork butcher and deli) trade under parasols, with cars and motorbikes parked in front and stone houses, some still under scaffolding, climbing the slope behind.

Weather and Climate in Castelluccio di Norcia

Castelluccio has a mountain climate with long, hard winters. January averages about minus 2.9 C (27 F), and the village counts around 132 days of frost a year. Snow can cover the plain for months. When very cold Siberian air reached the basin on 2 March 2005, the Pian Grande registered minus 32 C (minus 26 F), one of the lowest temperatures ever recorded in Italy.

Spring comes late. Once the snow has gone, the fields green up and the flowering usually runs from late May to early July. July is the warmest month, averaging about 16 C (61 F), mild enough for long walks and for flying. Precipitation totals about 1,130 millimeters (44 inches) a year, with the least in summer and the most in autumn, when the harvested fields fade to brown and gold, as the cameras show in early October.

Things to Do Near Castelluccio di Norcia

Monte Vettore is the classic hike. The usual route starts at Forca di Presta, a pass at 1,534 meters (5,033 feet) about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from Castelluccio along the SP 477, and climbs past Monte Vettoretto, at 2,052 meters (6,732 feet), to the Tito Zilioli refuge at 2,240 meters (7,349 feet) below the summit. From the refuge a path drops to Lago di Pilato, a glacial lake at about 1,940 meters (6,360 feet) and the only natural lake in the Marche region. It is a long and demanding day, so start early.

Nearer the village, a conifer wood planted in the shape of Italy during a mountain festival in 1961 is a favorite photo stop. The Festa della Cona commemorates the Battle of Pian Perduto, fought between Norcia and Visso on 20 July 1522. In summer, paragliders launch from the slopes around the plain.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

For more of central Italy and its mountains, try these cameras next.

• Orvieto Webcam
• Valle del Diaterna Webcam
• Gambarie Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Castelluccio di Norcia located?

Castelluccio di Norcia is in the Monti Sibillini of eastern Umbria, central Italy, in the province of Perugia. It belongs to the comune of Norcia, about 28 kilometers (17 miles) away by road, and sits at 1,452 meters (4,764 feet) above the Piani di Castelluccio.

What can you see on the Castelluccio di Norcia Webcam?

Three cameras: Monte Vettore across the plain, the fields seen from the edge of the village, and an open area in the village with a bar, a norcineria and houses under repair.

When is the flowering on the Castelluccio di Norcia webcam?

The fioritura usually runs from late May to early July, when poppies, cornflowers and daisies bloom among the lentil fields. The timing shifts from year to year, so the cameras are a good way to check it before driving up.

Which camera shows the Piana di Castelluccio?

The Plain tab, the operator’s Castelluccio 2 or La Piana, is the one aimed out over the fields. The main Monte Vettore camera also shows a wide stretch of the plain at the foot of the mountain.

Is this the Comune di Norcia webcam?

No. These three cameras are run by Tecnoadsl, an internet provider based in Perugia, and stream on its own website. Any camera run by the Comune di Norcia is a separate feed.

Does the webcam show Norcia?

No. Norcia lies beyond the mountains to the west, and all three cameras are in or just below Castelluccio.

What is the weather like in Castelluccio di Norcia?

Cold and snowy in winter, with January averaging about minus 2.9 C (27 F), and mild in summer, with July averaging about 16 C (61 F). Autumn is the wettest season.

Source: Tecnoadsl