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Where to Stay
in Cortona
Villa Marsili
Viale
C.Battisti,
13 - 52044 Cortona (AR)
Tel. +39 0575 605252 605618
Villa Marsili is
situated inside the town walls and dates back as far as the XIV Century
where the site actually housed the very old church named Madonna degli
Alemanni, as well as an Oratory below. Later in the 1700s, the site held the
villa that now has become the beautiful Hotel.
Hotel Villa Marsili
is loctade within the walls of Cortona.
****Hotel St Michele
Via Guelfa 15
Tel + 39 0575 604
348
Fax + 39 0575 630 147
Closed mid-January-early March.
Set in a superb
location in the centre of Cortona, this former palazzo is now a truly lovely
hotel that has blended ancient and modern elements very cleverly. 16th
century terracotta floors mix with fine modern fabrics and antiques.
Bedrooms are simple but stylish, not large but adequate. Choose the attic
suite if you really want to spoil yourself. No meals available except
breakfast, parking available in a garage nearby.
Cortona
Apartments
From the windows of the apartment you can see across the Valdichiana
Valley and the mirror of Trasimeno Lake, as there are no buildings to
obscure your view (rare in Cortona). A three minute walk up a steep historic
vicolo and you are amongst the charming Cortonesi in the central piazzas.
Three apartments
have a big parking area outside and a beautiful park below and a private
swimming pool and tennis court is available in the nearby countryside.
You can see
more here:
Apartments
****Il
Falconiere
Loc. San
Martino
Tel +39 0575 612 679
Fax +39 0575 612 927
Closed in November.
Set just outside
Cortona, this 17th century villa has typically Italianate gardens
of lemon groves, rosemary bushes & olive trees, plus swimming pool. The
interior is beautifully decorated with just 10 rooms, (plus 2 suites). All
are air conditioned with minibar and the usual facilities. Dress code is
quite formal for dinner.
***Hotel Corys
Loc. Torreone.
Tel + 39 0575
605141
Email:
info@corys.it
A newly opened hotel in
the Torreone district, from which one can walk into the town’s ancient
centre. Rooms are light and comfortably furnished and the restaurant is
excellent. For those who have to keep in touch, there is also an internet
point at the hotel. Rooms are Lit.130,0000 for Bed and Breakfast, half board
is 170,000Lit.
***Hotel San
Luca
Piazzale
Garibaldi 2
Tel + 39 0575 630 460
Fax + 39 0575 630 105
Sitting high above the
Valdichiana, the San Luca enjoys panoramic views of the stunning
countryside. As is the norm in Italian hotels, rooms are on the small side
but charming.
***Hotel Italia
Via Ghibellina 5
Tel/Fax + 39 0575
630564
Within the town walls,
the family-run Italia is a 17th century palazzo with 27 rooms.
Rooms are comfortable with en-suite bathrooms, direct-dial ‘phones &
televisions. There is a roof terrace for views over Cortona’s rooftops,
almost to LakeTrasimeno. Dine in the Taverna Il Ghibellino down in the
cellars or enjoy a drink in the American bar. Single rooms are available
from Lit 100,000, doubles from Lit 140,000.
Locanda del
Molino
Localita Montanare
Tel + 39 0575 630254
Fax + 39 0575 630564
Just outside Cortona, this converted mill offers simple rooms at reasonable
prices. Ask for a room on the stream side as it is quieter.
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Activity in Cortona
Theatre:
Teatro
Signorelli
Piazza
Signorelli
Plays, films, operas & concerts. Open air performance of both in summer.
Museums:
Museo dell’Accademia
Etrusca
Piazza
Signorelli 9
Tel + 39 0575 630415
Closed on Mondays.
A wealth of Etruscan treasures are on display here.
Museo Diocesano
Piazza del
Duomo 1. Tel + 39 0575 62830.
Closed on Mondays.
Superb examples of Renaissance art including work by Fra Angelico.
Don’t miss the frescoed ceiling of the chapel down in the bowels of the
building & the Futurist drawings by Severini on the staircase down to the
chapel.
Local
Contacts
Internet Point:
Bar San Agostino, Via Guelfa 16
Tel +39 0575 63076
Taxis:
Caleri Albino.
Tel +39 0575 614101/0368 7386544
Nearest train
Station:
Camucia, ten minutes by car.
Rental Property:
Classic Tuscan Homes:
email: cth-res@bigfoot.com
Computer
Specialist:
Luca Botanici
Vicolo Amandorli 18
Specialist
Courses:
Polymnia.
Tel +39 0575 612582
English Newspapers:
Via Nazionale, shop opposite Bar Signorelli.
Tourist Information
Office
Via Nazionale 22
Tel +39 0575 630353
Eating and Drinking in Cortona
Enoteca:
Good wine, small
meals
Taverna Pane e Vino,
Piazza Signorelli 27
Tel +39 0575 631010,
Closed on Mondays.
Set under the arches of an ancient palazzo, this taverna has a superb wine list with
taster dishes to accompany the various wines you may sample. The various bruschette are
excellent as is the Ribolitta. A good place for vegetarians that will also keep carnivores
happy.
Enotica Enotria,
Via Nazionale 81
No bookings.
This is a simple wine bar stocked with everything from Vino Rosso di Cortona at £3 a
bottle to dust-covered £100 bottles of Vin Santo.The bar consists just of scrubbed wooden
tables where locals sit and play cards. Ask for un assagio misto & Imola will bring
you a wonderful plate of warm bread, pecorino cheese, artichokes in olive oil & the
local salami & prosciútto. It will cost about Lit20,000 (£6) for a feast.
Osteria & Trattoria
-
simple local dishes
La Saletta,
Via Nazionale 26-28.
Tel+ 39 0575 603366
Although just a simple wine bar (enoteca), this is a great place to watch the passegiata
every evening in summer over a glass or two of the local Bianchi Vergini & some
nibbles. More substantial meals are also available & the interior is delightfully cosy
in winter & if it rains.The menu is designed to accompany wine tasting which makes it
perfect if you are not looking for a full meal, but a variety of lighter dishes to choose
from including crostini, bruschetta, schiaccatini. Hot chocolate to die for.
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Ristorante: La Logetta
Piazza di Pescheria 3.
Tel + 39 0575 630 777
Closed on Mondays.
An ancient medieval eaterie
offering simple Tuscan fare stylishly presented in the restaurant with undoubtedly the
best location in Cortona, set on a terrace overlooking the main piazza. Quite expensive.
La Grotta
Piazzetta Baldelli 3.
Tel + 39 0575 630271
Closed on Tuesdays.
One of Cortona’s best
restaurants, La Grotta is remarkably good value, both the food & atmosphere are
wonderful. Sit either in a charming enclosed courtyard in the summer or in the intimate
restaurant indoors. It isn’t a grand restaurant, but service is superb & the food
divine. Try the petti pollo, a hammered chicken breast simply cooked in lemon.
La Tufa
(Pizzeria)
Loc. Ossaia 67.
Tel + 39 0575 677717.
Closed on Tuesdays
This traditional pizzeria in a
little village just outside Cortona serves typical Valdichiana dishes & has a superb
panoramic terrace as well as a converted wine cave in which to dine. Food is simple &
unfussy with pizzas baked in a wood fired oven to enhance the flavour. Excellent value
with a good choice of dishes for vegetarians plus take-away.
Fufluns
Via Ghibellina 3.
Tel + 39 0575 604140
Closed on Tuesdays.
Although described as a pizzeria,
there is a vast menu offering a wide range of pasta dishes, bruschette & pizzas.
Prices are very reasonable – try the bruschetta tricolore (red cabbage, tomato &
funghi on individual toasts) or gamberoni (prawns) in orange sauce with ravioli. One can
dine well for under £10 per head (Lit 30,000).
Osteria del Teatro,
Via Maffei 5.
Tel+0575 630556.
Closed on Wednesdays.
Excellent simple Tuscan fare – try the "priest-strangler" pasta
in walnut sauce or ravioli in sage & butter sauce. Good vegetarian dishes.
Shops in Cortona
Ceramics:
Il Coccaiao
Via Benedetti, 24
Tel. +39 0575 601246
Etruscan Jewellery:
Il Girasole
Via Casali, 2-4
Tel/Fax +39 0575 601616
Deli:
Enotica Enotria,
Via Nazionale 81
Travelling to Cortona:
Pisa airport has international flights
to and from London & other European cities. For flights from the US, Rome is the
nearest airport.
Cortona can be reached by road from Perugia in the South and Arezzo,
Florence & Pisa from the north, on the A1.The journey from Pisa takes 2 hours &
from Rome 2.5 hours.
The nearest train station to Cortona is Camucia-Cortona (5kms away) or
Terontola -Cortona (11kms). More than 20 LFI buses go to Cortona from
Arezzo daily.
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