{"id":1573,"date":"2016-01-22T17:36:01","date_gmt":"2016-01-22T16:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cortonamia.com\/newsite\/en\/attrazioni-principali\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T10:41:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T08:41:43","slug":"10-attractions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cortonamia.com\/en\/10-attractions\/","title":{"rendered":"Main Attractions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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10 Best things to do in Cortona
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When visiting the charming town of Cortona, there are a number of must-see attractions that should not be missed. <\/span><\/h3>\n

We've put together a list of 10 of the best things to do in Cortona, all of which can be seen within one or two days. Some of the top highlights include:<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\u00a01\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>The Historical center<\/span>
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Cortona's Piazza della Repubblica<\/strong> is located on the slopes of a hill and is surrounded by well-preserved walls. On the east side of the square stands the Palazzo del Popolo<\/strong>, which was originally built in the 14th century and later rebuilt in 1514. The west side of the square is dominated by the imposing Palazzo Comunale<\/strong>, which dates back to 1241 and has undergone several renovations and expansions, including a less successful restoration in 1896. The Palazzo Comunale features a battlemented clock tower from 1509 and a flight of steps from the 16th century. To the northwest of the Town Hall is the Piazza Signorelli, which is home to the Palazzo Pretorio<\/strong>. The facade of this building bears the coats of arms of former podest\u00e0s and now houses the Accademia Etrusca and the Museum of Etruscan Antiquities. Piazza Garibaldi<\/strong> is a square that offers a wide view of the Val di Chiana, Lake Trasimeno, and Montepulciano<\/strong>. The square has an obelisk dedicated to Giuseppe Garibaldi<\/strong> in its center. Visitors can stop here to enjoy the breathtaking panorama.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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ITINERARY OF THE HISTORICAL CENTER<\/h2>

The itinerary will guide you through the numerous palaces, churches, and monuments that can be found within the walls of this historic town.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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\u00a02\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0MAEC MUSEUM<\/span>
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Museum<\/span> of the Etruscan civilization<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The eighteenth-century library of the MAEC, rich in philosophy and patristic texts, an evocative meeting place for the first Cortonese academics<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Cortona\u2019s civic museum at Piazza Signorelli offers a fascinating and eclectic collection that goes beyond the Etruscan limits suggested by its name. The Accademia, a historical institute founded in 1727, numbered Voltaire among its early members. The museum MAEC occupies one of the town\u2019s more impressive medieval palaces, the 13th-century Palazzo Casali (or Palazzo Pretorio), former home to Cortona\u2019s leading medieval family.
The main hall contains a famous and unusual 5th-century bc chandelier. The largest object of its kind ever found, it consists of a gorgon\u2019s head surrounded by dolphins and stylized waves, its 16 small oil lamps formed by alternating male and female figurines. Attic vases, bronze figures, and Roman statuettes line the walls, together with paintings by Pietro da Cortona and Luca Signorelli, both natives of Cortona (as well as works by Pinturicchio, Cristofano Allori, and more minor artists). Rooms off the hall include further paintings, notably a triptych by Bicci di Lorenzo, as well as (poorly labeled) fans, ivories, weapons, porcelain, miniatures, coins, and jewelry. Best of this miscellany are several medieval ceramics and an Egyptian collection amassed in 1891 by the Vatican\u2019s Egyptian legate.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

  • OPENING HOURS<\/a><\/li>
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    You can find the timetables on the official website at this address:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    https:\/\/cortonamaec.org\/it\/orari-e-tariffe\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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    You can find updated prices on the official website at this address:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    https:\/\/cortonamaec.org\/it\/orari-e-tariffe\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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    It is located in the historic center, within walking distance<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

    About one and a half hours<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n