CORTONA: BRUSH WITH THE PAST
About 80 km from Florence, Cortona is a town and commune in the province of Arezzo, in Tuscany, Italy. Founded by the Etruscans, who called it Curtun in their language, Cortona was also an important town during the Roman era. But Cortona is most famous for the numerous legends that surround its origins.
The 17th-century Guide of Giacomo Lauro, which draws on the writings of many ancient writers, states that 108 years after the Great Flood, Noah arrived at the Val di Chiana and, because it was so fertile, stopped and dwelt here for 30 years. One of his sons named Crano came to the hilltop and, liking the high position, the picturesque countryside and the climate, built Cortona on it in the year 273 after the Flood. Noah, approving of Crano’s work, named him Corito, i.e. King, and heir to the kingdom.
Crano, taking this title, built a palace atop the hill, and you can still see its remains at Torremozza. Crano’s kingdom was called Turrenia, which was the original name of Tuscany, and its inhabitants were called Turreni. But as descendants of Noah, who was saved from the waters (ab imbribus), some were also called Imbri or Umbri.
Quite a legend, huh? Appropriately, most of Cortona’s architecture is medieval with steep narrow streets situated on a hillside, with a magnificent view of the Val di Chiana. From the Piazza Garibaldi you can look out to Lake Trasimene, scene of Hannibal’s ambush of the Roman army in 217 BC. And you can also see parts of the Etruscan city wall.
Inside the Palazzo Casali is the Museo dell’Accademia Etrusca that displays ancient Etruscan, Roman, and Egyptian artefacts, as well as those from the Medieval and Renaissance eras. Nearby are Etruscan chamber tombs, including the Tanella di Pitagora, believed to house Pythagoras’s tomb. Not to be missed are two panels by Fra Angelico in the Diocesan Museum, an Annunciation and a Madonna and Child with Saints. A third surviving work by Angelico is the fresco above the entrance to the church of San Domenico, painted during his stay at Cortona in 1436. Also magnificent is the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
Accommodation in Cortona Hotels range from hotels to farmhouses and luxury resorts, and includes Bed & Breakfasts, luxury villas, and country villas and cottages. As our list (www.yourwaytotuscany.com/Cortona.htm) will tell you, you can sleep in some of the most charming historical residences of the area, as well as experience the authentic rural life of Cortona in our list of exclusive accommodations. So what are you waiting for?
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TUSCANY FARMHOUSE: STAY IN A RURAL IDYLL
How would you like to spend your holidays in a recently restored traditional farmhouse in Tuscany, with comfortable, fully furnished rooms, modern bathrooms and kitchen? Wouldn’t you like it even better if the farmhouse were to be situated in a panoramic position surrounded by the dazzling Tuscan countryside? Even better, imagine the farmhouse to be situated in a little medieval town in the Tuscan province of Arezzo. In front of the house there is a garden where you can eat and relax in the open air, and actually organise a barbeque!
Imagination? Not really, because we have carefully selected a large number of farmhouses in Tuscany where you can stay during your vacation. The farmhouses of our choice offer you every modern amenity while giving you a taste of rural Tuscan life, and most of them are impeccably restored old buildings that take you back in time to medieval Italy.
Our Tuscany holiday farmhouses are mostly located in charming and historic villages. We offer you the best of agritourism in Tuscany, as well as opportunities to go mountain biking, jogging, and trekking through some truly spectacular landscapes. Besides, you have a wide range of true blue Tuscan delicacies to choose from, and your pick of the best wines that this celebrated wine-producing region can offer.
And for those with a historical bent of mind, we offer Tuscan farmhouse holidays in Il Piastrino, which is situated in Vinci, birthplace of the celebrated Leonardo da Vinci, on one of the hills of the Chianti region in the heart of Tuscany amidst cypresses and olives groves. The old farmhouse, which has been transformed into holiday accommodations, is beautifully furnished and offers all the comforts you could ask for.
These are mere samplers. We have a truly wide rang of farmhouse accommodations waiting for you, and would love you to look over our selection before choosing the one you want to stay in. we provide direct access to the Tuscany holiday farmhouse of your choice, and invite you to visit us without delay. Our farmhouses are located in every region of Tuscany, and wherever you go, you will find farmhouse accommodation near one of Tuscany’s famous cities. So what are you waiting for? Book your Tuscany farmhouse holidays today!
