Cortona
With its prevailing medieval character, Cortona is equally ancient and noble, making it a robust tourist destination.
Situated on a hill, this city resides 50 miles from Florence in the Arezzo province. Clay-colored roofs and amber stone structures blanket an entire swath of hillside, which is set against a profusion of rising emerald green Cypress trees. Surrounding the town are the gentle, sloping mounds and basins of the ever-familiar Tuscan plains, forever a collage of textures. Far in the distance lies a panorama of dusky mountain ranges overlooking the beautiful Lake Trasimeno, an added boon to the area's stunning views.
Adventure looms here, as you traverse narrow, pitched streets to encounter a town richly endowed in architectural pursuits. Twenty-one churches and cathedrals dominate the district, all of which reflect a variety of period elements, from Byzantine to Romanesque, Medieval to Renaissance. As you work your way through coursing streets, you'll be led to any one of the city's main squares where you may enjoy an afternoon interval in a nearby café. Better yet, after a day pursuing Etruscan artifacts and the works of Renaissance painters, head for the Piazza della Repubblica for an evening meal and a glass of wine, as soft lavender hues paint the square at dusk.
Further wanderings lead you to glimpses of old Etruscan tombs or stone walls in the Cyclopean style, still standing in ruin after their formation some 3000 years ago. End your quest by climbing atop the hilly rise to take in the fabulous views. As the setting for Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun, Cortona is captivating.