Is this the prettiest town in Tuscany?
On our first trip to Italy in 2006, a fellow traveler's doctor said we must we visit this town in Tuscany. We looked it up and found Cortona was less than an hour from our house near Assisi, so off we went.
Being our first time, we had no idea what to expect, including where to park. We followed the signs pointing up to Cortona and when we saw the ancient walls, we thought we had arrived and pulled into a car park.
There was plenty of parking and soon we realized why. As we walked through the town's gate, we looked up a long, very steep street. It took us to the centre of the town, piazza Signorelli, dominated by its town hall.
It was worth the climb.
The town was charming with stores selling leather goods, fashion, art and cones of colourful gelato. Several cafes enticed us to stop with their outdoor chairs and tables. The views over the valley below and to Lake Trasimeno in the distance were glorious.
The first shop to catch Jan's eye was an enoteca (bottle shop). Three and four litre bottles of wine were lined up outside a window full of alcohol and cibo locale Toscana (Tuscan local food).
We were entranced.
Like most towns in Italy, Cortona's history is long and colourful. It was an important centre of Etruscan civilization. Two kilometres of Etruscan walls dating back to the 5th century BC are still standing today.
Cortona became one of our favourite destination on our many trips to Italy. We enjoy wandering along its shop-lined main street and narrow lane ways.
Cafes tempt you to stop for un caffe and maybe a light pasticcino (pastry), and if you linger until dusk, you can join the local residents in la passseggiata (evening stroll).
It was a warm summer night that we followed the haunting sound of a violin to the central piazza. Andre Rieu was standing in a spotlight, at the top of the steps of the town hall, obviously playing for a promotional video clip.
Only once did Marg make the hike up to the cathedral and ancient fort at the top of the town. The views were breathtaking. She reckons Italians must have strong legs and hearts to live in these hilltop towns!
Cortona is famous as the filming location of 'Under the Tuscan Sun', based on the memoir by American writer Frances Mayes.
Fans of the movie might remember the fountain in piazza Signorelli. Many are disappointed to discover the fountain actually does not exist and was added for a bit of Hollywood glamour. Apparently the elegant statue in the centre of the fountain was made of papier mache.
We love this pretty town and have spent many happy hours wandering its streets and lanes. Once we stayed for dinner, eating delicious pizzas and local wine at a table perched on a very steep street, just below the town hall.
On later visits to Cortona, we discovered there were two large carparks with just a short walk and a few escalators taking us to the beginning of the main street. The view from here across the valley and to Lake Trasimeno in the distance is breathtaking.
So if you are heading to Tuscany, we think Cortona is a must-see destination.