Cortona and neighborhoods

The agriturismo Casale della Torre is located in the fabulous community of Cortona, the famous Etrusacan city in the region of Tuscany, known all over the world.

Cortona is one of the most important art cities in Tuscany, and to it’s visitors, it offers an unforgettable tour of culture, history, art and nature. According to the legend, the poet Virgil said that Cortona was founded by Dardano, who during a fight, lost his helmet which he had named Corys From this, the name 'Cortona' was derived. While, according to history, Cortona was probably founded by the Umbrian people about 3,000 years ago, around the VIII century BC. It became a famous Etruscan “lucomonia” called 'Curtum', Cortona’s original name. After the city was dominated by Romans and Goths and in XII century, Cortona became a free municipality and it was transferred for a period to the Florence Republic.

Cortona, pearl of Etruscan and medieval art and history, is surrounded by fabulous Etruscan and Roman walls. It’s characterized by alleys with breathtaking views of Valdichiana and Tuscany hills, huge medieval and renaissance palaces and many churches very important for the history of art and religion. One of the most interesting sites of Cortona is the town hall that dominates the Republic Square with its magnificent staircase, the sixteenth century Palazzo Casali, which houses the famous museum of the Etruscan academy. In Signorelli Square is The Maec, (Museo dell’Accademia Etrusca e della città di Cortona) that has Etruscan, Roman, Egyptian, medieval and modern treasures such as an Etruscan chandelier made of bronze from V century BC. Cathedrals and other diocesan (Diocesano) museums display many important pictures by well-known artists from Cortona such as Beato Angelico, Luca Signorelli, Pietro Berrettini and Pietro Lorenzetti; the S.Margherita Basilica and the Medicea Fortress are on the top of the hill and dominate all the city. Not far from the center is the Monastery Le Celle, where S. Francis of Assissi spent time spreading his ideas. Finally, at the base of the hill, near Cortona, an archeologic park with Etruscan tombs recently has been opened.

Cortona and the other artistic cities of Tuscany have many things to offer people who choose to spend their holiday in Tuscany. Staying at the agriturismo Casale della Torre, you easily can reach other fabulous cities important not only for art and culture but also for cooking and wine tradition like Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino, San Gimignano,Monteriggioni and Siena. Close by, in the Region of Umbria, there are many beautiful cities also known for culture and religlion such as Assisi, Perugia and Orvieto.

An unforgettable holiday in Cortona gives you the opportunity to travel along the winding and crooked streets interspersed with Etruscan and medieval history.