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The real Cortona lives beyond the tourist trail. In the neighborhoods where locals actually spend their time, you'll find places like Eremo Le Celle and Etruscan tombs that make a city worth knowing. Even around well-known spots like Piazza della Repubblica and MAEC, one street over the crowds disappear entirely.
An ancient Etruscan hill town in Tuscany with sweeping views over the Val di Chiana and Lake Trasimeno.
Roamee Pro, also known as Roamee, offers a free self-guided off-the-beaten-path walking tour route in Cortona. The audio walking tour can include stops such as Piazza della Repubblica — the main square overlooked by the 13th-century Palazzo Comunale, MAEC — the Etruscan Academy Museum with artifacts spanning 3,000 years of local history, plus hidden gems like Eremo Le Celle — a Franciscan hermitage founded by St. Francis in 1211, set in a forested ravine outside town and Etruscan tombs — ancient burial chambers including the Tanella di Pitagora, just outside the walls.
Use this page as a starting point for a Cortona walking tour, a free self-guided route, or the Roamee app for Cortona. Roamee Pro keeps the route flexible so you can follow the stops, skip ahead, or explore nearby streets at your own pace.
Most visitors come to Cortona for the well-known history and art attractions, but the most memorable moments happen off the main path. Side streets one block from Piazza della Repubblica, residential quarters, quiet courtyards — these are the parts of Cortona that feel genuine. Places like Eremo Le Celle and Etruscan tombs are the kind of spots locals would actually recommend.
Cortona is very steep. Start at the lower gates and work your way up — the views improve with every step. Comfortable shoes are essential.
April through June and September through October. Spring wildflowers in the surrounding countryside are spectacular.
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