L'Ippocastano

Castiglion Fiorentine

by iandsmith

If you are staying at Cortona for more than a day or two and want something to do then I can certainly recommend a couple of hours in Castiglion, just a few kilometres north on the Arezzo road.
Though it's only a small hilltop town it does have that wonderful medieval feel to it, despite being damaged in the Second World War.
It has all the usual suspects - cobblestones, church, portals, walls etc and has some lovely views over the Tuscan countryside.
I have separate pages for it should you want more details.

America has landed

by iandsmith

"A little bit of publicity"

It's quite amazing what a little publicity can do. There was a painting sitting in a gallery then someone gave it a rap in the 1920's and the rush was on. The fact that there are many superior works and many with the same attributes as this one seem irrelevant. Mona Lisa had arrived from almost virtual obscurity.
I strongly suspect that's what will happen to Cortona. First the book, then the movie, then the tourists. As Tuscan-style hilltop towns go, it's average, though pleasant enough in its own way it's hardly outstanding in the manner, say, of Orvieto, Siena or Spoleto.
I first came to view the reputed Etruscan museum. By the time I'd gotten lost again I arrived 5 minutes before closing and never did see it. Thus I returned a year later, spent most of the day there this time, and still haven't seen the museum. The reason this time was that I'd seen the triumvirate of Sorana, Sovana and Pitigliano and felt I'd seen the best of Etrusca, particularly as I'd also seen the classic Etruscan museum at Volterra.
I felt I owed Cortona more time really, so I went back anyway.
I was truly fascinated at reading VTpages written by someone outside the country and then "mariocibelli"'s comments on "Under the Tuscan Sun".
Where one arrives and expects there to be monuments, plaques or some recognition of the work, the other points out different side issues. I found the two viewpoints very insightful.
Personally, I read the book to about the halfway point but stories of house renovations I don't find totally stimulating so I've left it for another day.
I reflect that people come to Verona to see Romeo and Juliet, igoring the Renaissance gardens, art galleries and archeological finds and now they will come to see Cortona because someone has written about what she did and they may ignore the other interesting things Cortona has to offer.
I came to Cortona to see the history, from Etruscan to medieval through Renaissance. The power struggles of the dominant families, city states and papacy are infinitely more interesting. It's a shame people don't take more time to find out about them in my humble opinion.