Cortona is a town in the province of Arezzo on the border between Tuscany and Umbria, and is considered one of the most important tourist and cultural centers in the Val di Chiana of Arezzo.

Cortona, an ancient city-state of the Etruscan dodecapolis, rises in the middle of a hill full of greenery, and for this reason the panoramic views and views from the village are truly magnificent.

The town was born in the Etruscan age, around the fifth century BC, but certainly the historical period that most influenced it is the medieval-Renaissance one. Structures of rare beauty have come down to us including the Palazzo Comunale, which overlooks Piazza della Repubblica, and Palazzo Casali, in Piazza Signorelli. Not far away is the Cathedral of Cortona, the Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, built on the remains of a pagan temple. Also beautiful is the Basilica of Santa Margherita, a 14th century sanctuary built in honor of the town's patron saint. Just outside the walls you can see the Church of Santa Maria Nuova, built in the sixteenth century by Giorgio Vasari.

For art lovers we recommend a visit to the Museum of the Etruscan Academy and the city of Cortona, (MAEC) located in Palazzo Casali. Inside there are some of the most extraordinary masterpieces of the Etruscan civilization. Another museum is the Diocesian one, which houses works by Pietro Lorenzetti and Luca Signorelli.

In the middle  June in Cortona the Giostra dell’Archidado is celebrated, a re-enactment of the celebrations that were held around the year 1000 for the marriage between Francesco Casali and Antonia Salimbeni. On this day the quintieri of the town challenge each other with crossbows, giving life to a thrilling and exciting battle. In addition to historical re-enactments, we can admire the international photography festival, Cortona On the Move, which sees the participation of a large audience of professionals and enthusiasts. In the culinary field, how not to mention the Sagra della Bistecca, with meat strictly of the Chianina breed and cooked rare, which is celebrated in mid-August.

Qui di seguito alcuni link che possono esservi utili per migliorare l’esperienza a Cortona:

Museum MAEC http://www.cortonamaec.org

Archidado Joust http://www.giostraarchidado.com

international photography festival http://www.cortonaonthemove.com/

antique fair http://www.cortonantiquaria.it