Villa Fontedelverde is about 13 km from Cortona, city of art, rich in history, cultural and gastronomic events. On the border between Tuscany and Umbria, Cortona lies on a hill about 600 meters above sea level: this elevated position ensures an exceptional panoramic view from different points of the town, allowing you to admire the beautiful landscapes of Valdichiana and also see Lake Trasimeno and Mount Amiata.
Its origins date back to the Etruscans, who in the 4th century b.c. also built the imposing walls surrounding the city for about three kilometers, the noble "melon" tombs spread around the town and the monumental funerary altar adorned with sphinxes, a unique example in Italy. In Cortona also the Tabula Cortonensis, a bronze plate with one of the longest Etruscan inscriptions, was found. Cortona with its countless alleys and medieval buildings, also boasts the presence of works by great Renaissance artists like Luca Signorelli (born in Cortona), Beato Angelico and Baroque artists like Pietro di Cortona as well as one of the major theorists of Futurism, Gino Severini , also born in this beautiful corner of Tuscany. MUST SEE MUSEUMS: worth a visit to the Diocesan Museum (which houses a beautiful table of the Annunciation by Fra Angelico) and the MAEC (Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca and the city of Cortona), in which are exposed, among other things, many findings from the various places of the Etruscan area. At the museum you can get information about visits to the Archaeological Park of Cortona.
PLACES AND SANCTUARY: a visit to the beautiful Sanctuary of Santa Margherita, patron saint of the city and the Fortress of Girifalco. Both are located on the highest point of the hill, offering priceless views. The Fortress of Girifalco, built for military purposes, has undergone major renovations over the centuries and can currently be visited only partly. Just outside the walls of Cortona, lies the wonderful Franciscan Hermitage Le Celle, convent built in 1211 by Saint Francis of Assisi (the small cell of the saint is still visitible) where today lives a small community of friars. Several small shops selling handicrafts and local products can be found in the main streets of the town center. The area produces excellent wines (we are moreover a few kilometers from Montepulciano and Montalcino), extra virgin olive oil, saffron and breeds the famous bovine breed "Chianina". EVENTSMay, June, October:
JOUST OF ARCHIDADO July - September: CORTONA ON THE MOVE CORTONA MIX FESTIVAL 14 - 15 - 16 August: SAGRA DELLA BISTECCA August: FESTIVAL OF EUROPEAN MUSIC AND FOLK DANCING SAGRA DEL FUNGO PORCINO CORTONA ANTIQUARIA FROM CORTONA TO...From here you can easily reach important Tuscan places such as
Montepulciano (32 km), Pienza (45 km), Arezzo (28 km), Siena (72 km), Orvieto (95 km), San Gimignano (117 km) and regarding Umbria, Lago Trasimeno (15 km), Perugia (45 km) and Assisi (70 km). |