Cortona: Guide

Cortona is a town in the Province Arezzo, Tuscany. It is one of the twelve cities of the Etruscan League. Located at the altitude of 600 metres, it has magnificent panoramas to every point of the compass. The town was the set of the film "Life is beautiful" by Roberto Benigni, and becoming increasingly popular in the recent years thanks to the book "Under the Tuscan Sun" by Frances Mayes and the film with the same title based loosely on the book.

Get in

By air

Cortona can be reached by flying to Italian major international airports in Rome and Milan, or to the two airports in Tuscany:

Pisa International Airport Galileo Galilei (IATA:PSA) , located 1.5km (1 mile) north of Pisa city centre, served by many Discount_airlines_in_Europe|budget airlines. From there you can take a train (40 metres from airport).

Florence Airport Amerigo Vespucci (IATA:FLR) , Located four kilometers from the center of Florence. From there you can use the Sita/Ataf service "Fly by Bus" (Vola in bus) between the airport and Florence's Santa Maria Novella railway station (20 min).

By train

Closest train station is "Camucia-Cortona", with direct trains from Florence and Rome or "Terontola-Cortona" with direct trains from Florence and Venice. You can also take a train to Arezzo and then another train to "Camucia-Cortona". A bus is leaving every 30 min from the Camucia station to town. Taxi is available in front of the Camucia station, however apparently there is only one taxi serving this "route" (a silver minibus with a sign "CAB" in front). The driver speaks good english (if he is not waiting inside the car, you may find him in the waiting room). If you want to be sure that there is taxi for you, ask your hotel to book one for you.

By car

Take the Autostrada del Sole highway (A1), exit at the Valdichiana toll-gate and get on the Siena-Perugia speedway, direction Perugia. Get off the speedway at the Cortona-San Lorenzo exit. Keep driving direction Cortona, drive past Camucia and follow signs for Cortona. Climbing up the hill, you will find the Cortona town-limit sign.

By bus

There are public buses from nearby cities such as Arezzo or Terontola. The ticket costs EUR1 per journey, sold at tabacco shops (Tabacchi) and should be stamped on the machine inside the bus. The bus stop for Cortona is Piazza Garibaldi.

Get around

The best way to explore Cortona is on foot as the town is very small. Driving in Cortona is very difficult as the streets are steep and narrow. Parking inside town is almost impossible. However, parking areas are available outside the town walls, some are free.

See

Etruscan tombs

Palazzo Comunale (Town hall), which was built in 13th century

Piazza Garibaldi

Churches

The Cathedral (Il Duomo) Summer daily 7:30am-1pm and 3:30-6:30pm; winter daily 8am-12:30pm and 3-5:30pm. Free admission.
Church of Santa Maria Nuova
Eremo Le Celle
Farneta Abbey
Church of San Benedetto
Church of San Domenico
Church of San Francesco
Church of Santa Margherita
Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (Church of Calcinaio), supposed to be the most beautiful Renaissance monument in Cortona.
Church of San Niccolo

Museums

Diocesan Museum (Museo Diocesano), Piazza del Duomo, Tel. +39-0575-62830. Opening hours: 9:30AM-1PM & 3:30PM-7PM, Monday closed. Rates: Adult €5, Children 8-12y €1.

Museum of the Etruscan Academy (Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca), Palazzo Casali, Tel. +39-0575-637235 or 630415. Opening hours: April-October 10AM-7PM daily, November-March 10AM-5PM Monday closed.

Special events

Tuscan Sun Festival , an annual event in summer. Festival with concerts performed by the world’s most acclaimed musical artists, exhibitions with leading visual artists, discussions with top literary figures and culinary delights with the finest chefs and winemakers.

Do

Cooking Class, offered by several hotels in Cortona:
: "Hotel Restaurant Corys" (see contact details in Sleep section).
: "Relais il Falconiere", Localitá San Martino, 370. One day cooking class in one Michelin star Restaurant. Classes begin at 4:30PM (last approx. 3h). Available every week on request, all year round except for July and August. Prices: up to 2 person €180/person, 3 or more €160.

Buy

Wine & Olive Oil

Cantine Faralli, Loc. Fasciano 4, Tel. +39-0575-613128.

Wine Bar La Casa Gialla, Via Gramsci, 113 (S.S.71 Umbro Casentinese) Tel. +39-0575-631183, Fax +39-0575-630080, email: agriduemila@technet.it.

Molesini Market Enoteca Prodotti Tipici, Piazza Repubblica, Tel. +39-0575-62544.

Patisserie

Pasticceria Banchelli, Via Matteotti, 119, Tel. +39-0575-603169. Offers a fine selection of pastries, chocolates, cakes, espresso and cappuccino.

Eat

Cortona is small and loaded with tourists during the holiday season so that reservation is highly recommended, especially for dinner. Lunch and dinner are normally served at specific time so you might be sent away if you come outside this time. For less fancy eating possibilities, there are take-away pizza shops around Piazza della Repubblica.

Trattoria Dardano, Via Dardano, 24, Tel./Fax +39-0575-601944 or +39-333-7003616, email:info@trattoriadardano.com. Closed on Wednesday.

Trattoria La Grotta, P.Baldelli 3, Tel. +39-0575-630271. With outdoor tables in a secluded coutyard. Closed on Tuesday.

Osteria del Teatro, Via Maffei, 2, Tel. +39-0575-630556, email: info@osteria-del-teatro.it.

Ice cream

Gelateria Linus, Piazza Signorelli, 24, Tel. +30-0575-630197.

Drink

The red wine Sangiovese is the pride of Tuscany and famous worldwide with the popular name "Chianti". The Syrah has also received high recognition.

Wine

Caffè Degli Artisti, Via Nazionale, 18, Tel. +39-0575-601237. Owned by Italian-Finnish couple.

Pubs

The Lion's Well, Piazza Signorelli 28, Tel. +39-0575-604918.

Nightlife

Route 66 Cafè, Via Nazionale, 71, Angolo Piazza Garibaldi, Tel. ''+39-0575-62727.

Sleep

Budget

Ostello San Marco, Via Maffei 57, Tel./Fax +39-0575-601392, email: ostellocortona@libero.it. Rates: B&B €12.50, Family €16.50/2-4 person, Meal €9. Beds: 80 (in room for 2-4-6 or 8). Opens March 15-Oct 15 except with group reservation.

Mid range

Locanda Petrella 26, Vicolo Petrella, 26, Tel./Fax +39-0575-604102, email: info@petrella26.com. Rates: €70/single, €80/double, €100/triple.

Bed & Breakfast Le Gelosie Via Dardano, 6, Tel./Fax +39-0575-630005, email: info@legelosie.com. Rates: €95-120

Hotel Portalê, Loc Portole 39

Hotel Portole, Via Umbro Cortonese 36

Hotel Restaurant Corys, Loc. Torreone, 6, Tel. +39-0575-605141, Fax +39-575-631443. Rates/person: €62 bed and breakfast, €83 half-board, €104 full-board. There is a supplement of €21 for a single person and €26 for a third bed.

Splurge

Casa Portagioia, , A small boutique hotel/B&B in Tuscany close to Cortona (10kms). 5 guest bedrooms – all with luxury bathrooms and 2 suite apartments for 2–4 guests. Offering excellent accommodation, a heated swimming pool and gorgeous scenery. Perfect for relaxing breaks or to explore the delights of Tuscany and Umbria. Highly rated bed and breakfast in Tuscany. You can view a movie of the accommodation and the local towns from the website. High Season: €170

Hotel Villa Marsili, Viale Cesare Battisti, 13, Tel. +39-0575-605252, Fax +39-575-605618, email: info@villamarsili.net. Price: €90-310.

Apartment

Le Gelosie, Via Dardano, 6, Tel./Fax +39-0575-630005, email: info@legelosie.com. Rates: Weekend €350-700/3 nights, weekly €700-1,200/7 nights.

Cope

Tourist Information Agency (A.P.T.), Via Nazionale, 42, Tel. +39-0575-630352 or 630353, Fax +39-0575-''630656.

Stay Safe

Beware of your belongings as even when the town feels safe, it is still crowded by tourists which are good targets to pickpockets.

The town is hilly and some attractions (church or castle) are located on the hills so that it might be difficult to reach for some people. Consider renting a car if travelling with children or older people.

Get out

Arezzo, 33km (21 miles)
Florence

This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikitravel article "Cortona". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 license.