What to see in Cortona in 2 days: Etruscan Tuscany between art and endless views

Cortona in 2 days: where time stopped on a Tuscan hill

Cortona is one of Italy's oldest cities: founded by the Etruscans, perched on a hill commanding the entire Val di Chiana to Lake Trasimeno. Here beauty is discreet, layered through centuries, and two days let you savour it without the tourist rush of better-known Tuscan cities.

Day 1: Historic centre and art treasures

Morning

Begin at Piazza della Repubblica, Cortona's heart with the Palazzo Comunale and its staircase where locals sit chatting. From here, reach the adjacent Piazza Signorelli with the Teatro Signorelli and Palazzo Casali, housing the MAEC (Museum of the Etruscan Academy and the City of Cortona). The fifth-century BC Etruscan bronze chandelier and the Tabula Cortonensis are unique in the world.

Afternoon

The Diocesan Museum, in Piazza del Duomo, holds two absolute masterpieces: the Annunciation by Fra Angelico, of a luminosity that takes your breath away, and the Deposition by Luca Signorelli, Cortona's native son. These works alone justify the journey.

Hidden gem: from Piazza del Duomo, walk Via Janelli (called Via delle Case Morte for its blind facades) to the Church of San Niccolò. The small oratory holds a processional banner painted on both sides by Luca Signorelli, visible thanks to a rotating mechanism. Few tourists know it.

Then climb the steep lanes to the Basilica of Santa Margherita, patron saint of the city: the panorama from the churchyard is one of Tuscany's finest.

Evening

Dine at the trattorias of Via Dardano or Via Guelfa: pici with chianina ragù, ribollita, scottiglia. The chianina steak here is in its territory of origin. Pair with a Cortona Syrah, an emerging wine of great character.

Day 2: Fortress, Etruscans and countryside

Morning

Climb to the Fortezza del Girifalco, the Medici fortress atop the hill. The ascent is demanding but the 360-degree panorama is worth every drop of sweat: the Val di Chiana, Lake Trasimeno, Monte Amiata and on clear days even the Umbrian Apennines. The fortress hosts temporary exhibitions and summer sunset concerts.

Descending, explore Cortona's upper quarter: Via Berrettini, Via Roma, the hanging gardens of the Parterre (a public belvedere overlooking the valley).

Afternoon

Descend outside the walls to visit the Etruscan tombs: Melone I and Melone II del Sodo, sixth-century BC tumuli with a monumental staircase decorated with sphinxes. A little further, the Renaissance church of Santa Maria delle Grazie al Calcinaio, attributed to Francesco di Giorgio Martini, is a jewel of architectural harmony in the countryside.

Hidden gem: the Hermitage of Le Celle, founded by St Francis in 1211, is reachable in 3 km on foot from Cortona along a road through woods and streams. The original Franciscan simplicity is intact: stone cells built against the rock, the silence of the forest.

Evening

For your last evening, sit in Piazza della Repubblica at aperitivo hour and watch the sunset light tinge the stone facades pink. Cortona is lived like this: slowly.

Recommended walking routes

• Centre loop: Piazza Repubblica → MAEC → Diocesan Museum → Via Janelli → San Niccolò → Santa Margherita (2 km, steep, 2.5 hours with visits)
• Centre to Fortezza del Girifalco: 1 km uphill, 30 minutes, spectacular panorama
• Cortona to Hermitage of Le Celle: 3 km through woods and olive groves, downhill, 45 minutes

Practical tips

• Cortona is all uphill: comfortable shoes are essential
• Parking is outside the walls (Parterre or Spirale): the centre is pedestrian
• From August to September the Cortona On The Move festival (photography) animates the city

Further reading

For your stay, see where to stay in Cortona, where to eat in Cortona and how to get to Cortona.