Cortona in a nutshell

Location: Tuscany, Italy

Best known for: Cortona may not be immediately known for any one thing like, say, Rome is known for the Colosseum, but it is yet another charming hill town in Tuscany. The movie “Under the Tuscan Sun” was filmed here. Views and small-town charm make Cortona a wonderful place to visit.

Days needed to explore: 1+ - Cortona is small enough that a day trip is sufficient, but any town will always be more fully appreciated when you’re able to spend more than a day or two there.

What to see and do:

Piazza della Repubblica - the central large piazza where you will find the 14th century clock tower, is one of the main bustling areas of the little town. It’s hard to miss, and most wandering can start from there
Piazza Garibaldi - a square towards the south with gorgeous views
Le Celle - just outside of Cortona you’ll find a very old place of meditation, where Francesco d’Assisi used to retreat in the wilderness of the Tuscan countryside. It is accessible by foot for the more adventurous, otherwise you can reach it by car

Established: Like many of the cities around Italy, the exact origins of Cortona are unknown. Some say it was originally founded by the Umbrians, then later taken over by Etruscans. Others say there is no evidence for this. One more fun myth is that Cortona was first settled by one of Noah’s sons after the flood. Cortona was later taken over by the Romans, and still stands as a gem of a Medieval town.

Typical foods to try:

Another point that makes Cortona an “easy” place to visit is that there is no one food the is absolutely not to be missed. No stress about where and what to eat, just wander and find what looks good to you in that moment. Many less tourist traps here than in Florence, Rome, Venice, etc. Whatever your favorite typical foods are in Tuscany, you will likely find in Cortona. Crostini, pici, boar, even rabbit and other typical dishes of the area and region.

Why I like Cortona

I first visited Cortona with one of my dear friends. The previous year she had spent a few months as an au pair in Camucia, which is the small town at the base of the hill that Cortona sits on. Camucia basically serves as the train station for Cortona, since no train can reach Cortona up on the hill. Camucia is one of those places that is probably quite nice to actually live in, but not somewhere you’d recommend anyone go as a tourist.

My friend and I went and stayed with her au pair family, who were wonderful hosts. They took us to see Gubbio, Assisi, and dropped us off at Cortona one day, too. Cortona is small enough that they let us wander around on our own. It’s not overly crowded with tourists, and once you are out of the central piazza the streets are quite quiet for wandering. There are some nice places to eat, gelato, and most walks will end up on the edge of town where stunning views of the valley below will meet you. It’s hilly, but not overly large, and charming.

While Cortona might not make my top 10 list of places to visit in Italy, I have very fond memories of wandering around Cortona. There can be so much to see and so much to do while travelling, it’s refreshing to find the little towns that you can put away your maps and agendas and simply enjoy it for what it is.