12 October 2019

We caught the train to Cortona from Florence after getting on the right train at the correct platform and had a lovely relaxing 80 mins to Cortona and walked out of the station towards the taxi rank, where a German woman was standing waiting for a taxi. The taxi arrived, the driver asked us if we needed a taxi etc etc so anyway the German couple said they were happy to share the ride so we went in their taxi to the top of the hill to Cortona. 💶15.

Once there, we checked into our lovely hotel called Hotel San Luca.

The view from the hotel on all sides is breathtaking. The staff are lovely and the location is fantastic. It is just around the corner from Via Nationale where lots of shops and restaurants and , a supermarket, a wine seller and buildings whose history is enthralling.

A twisting road descends the southern slope of the town to the Renaissance church of Santa Maria delle Grazie al Calcinaio, also called the Madonna del Calcinaio, a beautiful domed building on a cruciform plan by Francesco di Giorgio Martini of Siena. It was built to house a miraculous image of the Virgin, originally on the wall of a limestone quarry (calcinaio), belonging to the local Tanners’ Guild and now on the high altar. Built from 1485 to 1513, this is one of the most architecturally important Renaissance churches in Tuscany.

#planetware.com

We found the town enchanting and quaint. A little too touristy but there are benefits that come with that. The number of restaurants and shops is great. The food was fantastic and we had a new place to go each of our 4 nights and so we did. Well we did go to one place twice because it just asked for it. It was #Taverna Il Gozzoviglio, Via Guelfi 9 52044 Cortona AR. The staff fabulous, the food fast delicious and the right proportion. We tended to eat just the entree or Primo size, in case we felt like sweets. The house wine was always wonderful. We ordered it by the quarter litre. The other great thing about Italy is the way dogs are just ‘part of the furniture’ and so dogs barking under a table near us made us feel very rustic and comfortable.

Our last meal in the town was Cassarecce Arrabiata and Tagliatelle alla Ragú Chianina. So yummy!(images to follow)

There is a Canadian University in Cortona. We didn’t see it because the streets in the town are mostly uphill and hard to walk on for long periods. We had to park down the road and there is a carpark below the hotel with escalators to the top. Very modern.

During our stay in Cortona we of course had to visit Bramasole the renovated home from the movie Under the Tuscan Sun and for a mere 💶40 (approx A$65) you can tour the property – ha! so we drove by and photographed a possible scene making balcony and drove on. All very disappointing really, but Frances Mayes the author at 79 still lives in Cortona. We didn’t see her.

Just around the corner from the property which was not offering itself to be looked at.