Cortona is a village in Tuscany that belongs to the city of Arezzo, under the territorial and legislative point of view. It is one of the oldest hill towns in Tuscany and it became really famous after Francis Mayes set the plot of her bestseller “Under the Tuscan Sun” here.
This town was once an Umbrian city (before the Etruscans conquered it) and it’s so close to Umbria’s borders that you can easily see the Trasimeno lake from the view spots in town.
Cortona’s medieval streets are very picturesque, it’s a pleasure to wander throughout the village and be captured by fabulous views of the countryside along the medieval towering city walls. Since it’s small and easy to be reached, Cortona is perfect for a spring day trip or as your base for a longer stay in Tuscany!
How to reach Cortona from Florence
The village has two train stations, Cortona Terontola or Cortona Camucia. From Firenze’s stations, Santa Maria Novella or Campo di Marte, buy a ticket (it’s 7,30€ one way) for one of these destinations, it’s the same. Since both the train stations are down the hill, just outside you’ll find busses that will take you to Piazza Garibaldi, a minute walk from Cortona’s city center.
What to see in Cortona
Cortona’s past is glorious, so do not miss to visit and see the following spots:
- The Lake Trasimeno from piazza Garibaldi
- The remaining part of the Etruscan city walls
- Via Nazionale (previously known as Ruga -street- Piana -plain-), the only street with no slope (remember that Cortona is settled on a hill!)
- Palazzo Casali and the Museo dell’Accademia Etrusca with Etruscan, Roman, Egyptian, Medieval and Renaissance items
- The Fra Angelico’s panels in the Museo Diocesano: an Annunciation and a Madonna and Child with Saints
- Fra Angelico’s fresco in the church of San Domenico
- The Renaissance churches in Cortona: The Church of Santa Maria Nuova, built by Giorgio Vasari (but unfortunately it is not open) and the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie al Calcinaio with the image of the “Madonna del Calcinaio”
Furthermore, Cortona hosts some pretty famous festivals and events:
- Cortonantiquaria, the antiques show in Cortona during September
- The Tuscan Sun Festival (July and August) and the Insanamente Sound Festival (July), very popular classical and rock music events – we’ll provide further information about this year’s dates as soon as they’re made public
We also wrote another blog post about this Tuscan treasure where you can find more information about its history, modern Cortona, religious and pagan events.
Aren’t you already planning your visit to Cortona? 
