Our
hotel is located in Cortona, an ancient hilltop town offering
stunning views of the Val di Chiana, the Lake Trasimeno and
the Monte Amiata. As Virgilio’s legend has it Cortona
was founded by legendary Dardanus in the place where the mythical
hero lost his helmet (Corys) from which the place went on
to be named Corito and later on Cortona.
Originally a powerful Etruscan walled city, Cortona was conquered
by Romans and later on by Goths before it became a free commune
in the 12th century; Cortona was in this period at the height
of its splendour.
The
historic centre of Cortona features steep and narrow stone-paved
alleyways and several medieval and Renaissance palaces such
as those overlooking the Piazza della Repubblica and the
Palazzo Pretorio, the current seat of the Nuovo Museo dell'Accademia
Etrusca e della città di Cortona (New Museum of the
Etruscan Academy and the City of Cortona - MAEC); this new
state of the art museum houses significant finds such as
the famous Etruscan Lamp, dating back to the 5th century
B.C., the so-called Musa Polymnia and the Tabula Cortonensis.
The Museo Diocesano, located right in front of the Cathedral,
houses the Annunciation by Beato angelico and other significant
works by important Tuscan artists such as Luca Signorelli,
a native of Cortona.
Besides
the Cathedral other churches worth a visit are the church
of San Francesco, a recently restored gothic church, the
sancturay of Santa Margherita, housing the uncorrupted body
of the Saint that died in 1362, Santa Maria Nuova, San Nicolò
and San Marco, featuring on its façade an impressive
mosaic by Gino Severini portraying the namesake Saint with
a lion.
The upper part of the town features the Medicean fortress
from which the whole surrounding area may be observed whilst
in the north-eastern part of the hill, right outside the
city walls, you will be able to visit Le Celle, a wonderful
convent founded in 1211 by San Francesco.
The
town of Cortona organizes every year in its historic centre
and all over its territory a wide range of cultural, gastronomic,
historical and folklore events. The best known of all historical
re-enactments taking place in town is the so-called Giostra
dell’Archidado celebrating the wedding between the
Lord of Cortona, Francesco Casali and noble Antonia dei
Salimbeni di Siena. This costume event featuring parades,
dances and the so-called Colata dei Ceri (candle casting)
culminates on the last Sunday of the month in a crossbow
competition (the Giostra) in which the 5 city districts
compete. Beween late August and the beginning of September
Cortona hosts each year in the rooms of its 18th century
Palazzo Vagnotti, the former seat of the Seminario Vescovile,
the Mostra Mercato Nazionale del Mobile Antico (National
Antique Fair) attracting each year a host of people and
highlighting the cultural, artistic and environmental characteristics
of the town.
One
of Europe’s most outstanding cultural events combining
classical music, arts, literature, gastronomy, wines and
wellnes into a unique celebration of arts and the art of
living is the Tuscan Sun Festival. Created from an idea
by writer Frances Mayes, this festival is since 2003 of
of Italy’s major crowd-pulling events. Not to be forgotten
are, however, the several gastronomic events taking place
all year round all over Cortona’s territory and keeping
alive old tastes and traditions that would otherwise completely
die out. Amongst these the Sagra della Bistecca (Steak Festival)
taking place on 14-15 th August, the Farm cart show, the
Frog festival, the Snail festival, the Threshing festival,
the Chestnut festival, the Porcini mushroom festival and
many others.
Cortona is ideally located for all those
wishing to visit during their stay in town all main historical,
cultural and food and wine spots of Tuscany and Umbria that
may be easily reached in a short time. Here are some distances:
|
Main tourist centres in
the area |
| Florence |
Km 110 |
Perugia |
Km 53 |
| Siena |
Km 80 |
Pienza |
Km 40 |
| Arezzo |
Km 30 |
Assisi |
Km 75 |
| Montepulciano |
Km 25 |
Orvieto |
Km 80 |
| Chianciano T. |
Km 45 |
Lake Trasimeno |
Km 14 |
| Gubbio |
Km 50 |
Roma |
Km 190 |
| Sansepolcro |
Km 60 |
Montalcino |
Km 60 |
