Day Trip Ideas from Cortona
Day 1- Perugia
Baci Italian chocolate, made in Perugia
Enjoy Italian Chocolate Kisses
Drive east on the highway about 30 minutes to Perugia. Park at the base of the town and take the mini-Metro up to the center. Tour the Perugino factory where Italy’s favorite candy, the Baci, is made. One of Europe’s most celebrated jazz festivals is held in July, while October is time for Eurochocolate. Continue to Torgiano to visit the Museum of Wines and enjoy a midday meal at Le Tre Vaselle (see our Restaurant Guide). Or visit Deruta to shop for ceramics.
Day 2- Siena
The magnificent Duomo di Siena
Continue your explorations with a visit to Siena
Mosey north from Castellina-in-Chianti on the same SS222 wine route through Panzano and Greve. Have your feet measured at Fragiani's in Panzano, choose your pelt and style and order your custom shoes to be picked up on Friday. Using your Chianti vineyard map and our recommendations for visits to wineries, stop along the way to taste and buy Chianti Classico wine to enjoy at your villa. Then, if you have time, stray from the SS222 and visit the abbey Badia a Passignano, Radda and Gaiole.
Day 3- Florence
Duomo, Florence, Tuscany
Live the Renaissance
Take the train from one of Cortona’s two rail stations (Cortona-Camucia or Cortona-Terentola), or if you are up for some hassle, drive and park free at Piazzale Michelangelo. Admire the view from San Miniato and walk into town (30 minutes downhill) or take the bus. Make reservations well in advance to visit the Uffizi. Take in the Duomo and Orsanmichelle, if you have time, and come back another day for the rest. On your way back to the train station, stop at the Farmacia di Santa Maria Novella on via della Scala. We love their potpourri, but this ancient apothecary is worth visiting even if you don't buy anything. Visit the Accademia to see Michaelangelo's David, as well as the monk's cells at San Marco. Other options include the Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens, the library (and market) of San Lorenzo, Sant' Ambrogio market, and the Synagogue. Don’t visit Florence on Monday when museums are closed.
Day 4-Assisi
Basilica di San Francesco, Assisi, Tuscany
Feel at Peace in the Home of St. Francis
Visit the Basilica of San Francesco (Saint Francis) and stroll through Assisi to the Basilica of Santa Chiara (Saint Clare). Continue on to Spello, but if you are there in June for the “infiorate,” when the streets are filled with wonderful works of art all made from flower petals, you will want to go on Sunday, and we suggest you get an early start to avoid the crowds.
Day 5 -Chianti
Taste & Learn
Chianti, Tuscany
Explore the countryside of Chianti by driving the SS222 wine route through Greve, Panzano, Castellina in Chianti and on, using your Chianti vineyard map and stopping at villages along the way. Reserve in advance for lunch with wine pairing at historical Vignamaggio. Reserve a wine tasting at the worldwide headquarters of Antinori and pick up some wine for your villa. If you have time, visit the abbey Badia a Passignano.
Day 6-Arezzo and Montevarchi
Stroll & Shop Italian
The Mall Luxury Outlets, Florence
See Piero della Francesca's Legend of the True Cross and continue to Montevarchi, with designer outlets like Prada, Gucci, and Dolce & Gabbana. Shop till you drop! Or follow the Piero della Francesca trail all the way to Urbino.
Day 7-San Quirico D'Orcia, Bagno Vignoni & Pienza
Bagno Vignoni
Soak in Natural Thermal Springs
Visit San Quirico D'Orcia in the morning to enjoy the view from the Piazza della Libertá, continuing on to the tiny village of Bagno Vignoni, famous for its sulphur baths and worth a visit to admire the architecture of its stone-lined piscine. Explore Pienza, well known for its pecorino cheese; ask to taste the difference between the young (soft and mild) and aged (sharp) varieties.
Day 8- San Gimignano & Volterra
Piazza della Cisterna San Gimignano
Marvel at a Skyline in Tuscany
See the famous skyline and walk all the way around the fountain in the Piazza della Cisterna to ensure your return. Continue to Volterra to shop for alabaster artifacts or to visit the Etruscan museum or the Museo Giarnacci, a major archaeological museum. Enjoy a local specialty, cinghiale (wild boar), for lunch.
Day 9- Montalcino
Saint Antimo Abbey, Montalcino
Savor Biodynamic Wine
Visit the enoteca in the fortress atop this classic Tuscan hill town to sample the famed Brunello wine. Stopping to see the Sant' Antimo Abbey, just down the road. Make reservations ahead of time for dinner at Taverna dei Barbi, with an international reputation for Tuscan country cuisine. (Closed Tues evening and all day Wednesday - 0577 8471 17). If you have time continue on to Buonconvento & Monte Oliveto: The drive from Asciano to the abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore takes you through the eerie landscape of the Crete. Shop for unique souvenirs in the abbey gift shop, which specializes in herbal remedies. Have lunch at the restaurant by the gatehouse or continue on to Buonconvento for lunch at the unpretentious Da Mario. If you have time, visit the village of Murlo, one of the oldest settlements in the area.
Day 10- Orvieto
Duomo di Orvieto, Tuscany
Experience the Awe of Architecture
Explore Orvieto, visiting the Etruscan tombs, St. Patrick’s Well, and the Cathedral, as well as its many shops and restaurants. One of our favorites, Antica Trattoria dell’ Orso which has some of the best soup in Italy. Continue on to Todi before returning via the area of Perugia.
Or take a longer daytrip to Pisa & Lucca: Visit Pisa's Campo dei Miracoli to see the Leaning Tower and the Cathedral. Spend the afternoon in Lucca. Rent bikes at the tourist office to ride around the city walls, or tour some of Tuscany's most impressive villas and gardens in the surrounding hills. In July or August, attend the Puccini Festival in nearby Torre del Lago. If you have kids, visit the Leonardo Museum in Vinci or the Parco di Pinocchio in Collodi. Or hike the villages of the Cinqueterre and stop at Carrara to see the quarries where Michelangelo got his pure white marble.
Enjoy a Picnic by the Abbey
Day 11- San Galgano
San Galgano Abbey, Tuscany
Explore nearby Lake Trasimeno and visit the ancient city of Citta’ della Pieve.
Or take a picnic to San Galgano: This ruined Cistercian abbey is one of Tuscany's most unusual attractions because it is a huge cathedral open to the sky. Stop at the little chapel on the hill to see the Italian Sword in the Stone.
