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--Italian Vacation Villas

La Pietra is a spectacular 17th century farmhouse for 6 people nestled among well-tended gardens and tall trees, close to Cortona.

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Fruit harvests from the Tuscan sun

In recent times, Cortona Italy has been made famous by Frances Mayes’ book Under the Tuscan Sun, a chronicle of her restoration of an old farmhouse a short distance outside of the town walls. However, the town has a much longer and rich history. Founded by the Etruscans, Cortona is one of the oldest and most beautiful of the hill towns of Tuscany. As a major power in the Middle Ages, Cortona succeeded in holding its own against Siena and nearby Arezzo. Blessed with a scenic location on the side of a mountain, Cortona offers splendid views over the Val di Chiana to the hills beyond. The countryside surrounding Cortona is filled with olive groves and vineyards

	Typical Tuscan food products are sold all over Cortona

Once enclosed by vast Etruscan walls, Cortona’s past lives on within its medieval walls that rest on an Etruscan-era foundation. A charming town with a maze of steep, cobblestone streets lined with medieval buildings, Cortona today is home to a population of approximately 25,000 inhabitants. Visitors will not want to miss seeing its artistic treasures and its Etruscan artifacts.

Cortona is a wonderful base for exploring the major tourist towns and cities of Tuscany, as well as those of Umbria. Nearby is Arezzo, famous for its antique market and Piero della Francesca’s monumental frescoes in the Church of San Francesco. These frescoes were reopened to the public in 2002 after a restoration project that lasted almost 15 years. Florence and Siena are both within easy reach; there is regular train service to Florence from a nearby station.

Cortona's buildings and gates capture the feel of a medieval Tuscan town

For those wishing to explore the magical hill towns of southern Tuscany, Montepulciano, Pienza, and Montalcino are all within easy striking distance to Cortona villas. In Umbria, Gubbio, Assisi, and Perugia are all within an hour’s drive of Cortona. A little further afield lie Deruta, known throughout Italy for its production of wonderful ceramics, and Todi, one of Umbria’s unforgettable hill towns.