Where to eat in Cortona: Chianina beef, pici and Valdichiana flavours
Guide to the flavours of Cortona: Chianina steak, pici al ragù, ribollita and the best restaurants, trattorias and wine bars within the Etruscan walls and Valdichiana countryside.
Foto: Patrick Denker (CC BY 2.0) — Wikimedia Commons
Cortona: Tuscan cuisine in its purest form
Cortona is one of Tuscany's most beautiful hilltop towns, perched above the Valdichiana plain. The cuisine follows the rhythm of the seasons with a simplicity that is the secret of its greatness.
Traditional dishes
Chianina steak
The Chianina cattle breed was born right here in Valdichiana. The steak is the king dish: intense-flavoured meat grilled over embers and served rare.
Pici
Handmade fresh pasta, thick and irregular. Dressed with duck ragù, aglione sauce or toasted breadcrumbs.
Ribollita
Dense soup of stale bread, black cabbage and cannellini beans. Prepared a day ahead and reboiled.
Where to eat
Old town within the walls
Piazza della Repubblica and surrounding streets host restaurants with panoramic terraces over the Valdichiana.
Surrounding countryside
Agriturismi and country trattorias offer the most genuine food at lower prices.
Budget tips
- Pici cost 8-12 euros
- Chianina steak costs 40-55 euros per kilo
- Country agriturismi serve full dinners with wine for 25-35 euros
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Practical info
When is the best time to visit Cortona?
The recommended time is April, May, June, September and October, when it is less crowded.
Is Cortona crowded?
Cortona is a very quiet destination compared with the more touristy ones.
Where is Cortona?
Cortona is located in Toscana, Italia.
Part of the complete guide
How to get there
- 🚆 Nearest station: Montepulciano ~19 km as the crow flies
- ✈️ Nearest airport: Aeroporto Internazionale dell'Umbria - Perugia "San Francesco d'Assisi" PEG ~47 km as the crow flies
Nearest points as the crow flies (source OpenStreetMap): actual times depend on the roads, often mountain ones.
