In the enchanting Val di Chiana, a stone's throw from Arezzo, the village of Cortona is easily accessible from Montepulciano or Lake Trasimeno and is ideal for a tour when you rent a Vespa or rent a classic vintage car from us!
The history of Cortona has its roots in ancient times. According to tradition, Dardanus was born here, the founder of the city of Troy and whose descendants founded Rome. This legend is widespread and frequently represented in the area, even on wine labels.
A well-represented historical period is certainly that of the Etruscans, who lasted several centuries, to which the Museum of the Etruscan Academy and the Museum of the Etruscan and Roman City of Cortona were dedicated, inside the historic Palazzo Casali.
a view of Cortona - Ph Wikipedia Commons - Patrick Denker - Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Park your vintage rental car and lose yourself in the maze of narrow streets of the city's medieval layout. Also noteworthy are visits to the Duomo, built on an ancient Roman temple and to the Diocesan Museum, which houses several treasures from Tuscan churches, including the Deposition of Luca Signorelli and the Annunciation of the Blessed Angelico. Also the Basilica of Santa Margherita, and the sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie are important because inside there is a miraculous fresco of the Madonna and Child.
Stop at the Piazza della Repubblica, the main square of Cortona, where the Town Hall and the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo are located, a stunning stone building with a balcony and a small loggia.
Venture to the highest part of the city, where you can visit the Fortress of Girifalco, built in the 13th century, on top of an ancient defensive structure of the 5th-6th century BC, and enlarged in the 16th century by Cosimo I de 'Medici, from where you have an almost aerial view from above of the village and of the whole of the Val di Chiana.
How lucky you are to have rented a vintage car! In fact, you can easily get to the Franciscan hermitage Le Celle, built in the thirteenth century where, according to tradition, St. Francis of Assisi stayed. This is a place of peace and strong spirituality, as well as scenic and architectural beauty.
In different periods of the year, Cortona also hosts numerous events and festivals, such as food and wine festivals, the antique market exhibition and the carousel of the Archidado, a historical commemoration of the palio in honor of the wedding between Francesco Casali and Antonia Salimbeni.
It's no wonder that the writer Frances Mayes chose Cortona to set her book Under the Tuscan sun, which became a film in 2003: Cortona is truly a beautiful place!
