Cortona, Tuscany

Yesterday I took my niece Jess to Cortona, a hill town in Tuscany. On Saturdays there is a small market in Piazza Signorelli. I was also keen to try out my new wide angle and telephoto lenses, fortunately for me, Cortona is a beautiful town and there was plenty of subject matter to shoot.

Piazza della Repubblica, Cortona, Tuscany

Piazza della Repubblica, Cortona, Tuscany

Piazza della Repubblica, Piazza Signorelli & Saturday Market

After taking a few shots in the Piazza della Repubblica we moved on to Piazza Signorelli and the market.

Vegetables at the Cortona Saturday market

Vegetables at the Cortona Saturday market

La Saletta

Afterwards it was time for a coffee and a hot chocolate in La Saletta, a bar on via Nazionale, Cortona’s main shopping street.

Cappuccino at Bar La saletta in Cortona

Cappuccino at Bar La saletta in Cortona

Museo Diocesano

We decided it was time for a visit to the Museo Diocesano to see Fra’ Angelico’s magnificent altarpiece and paintings by Luca Signorelli and futurist artist Gino Severini.

Fra Angelico's Annunciation in Cortona

Fra Angelico’s Annunciation in Cortona

A Walk To Santa Margherita

It was now time for the steep walk up Cortona’s streets towards the church of Santa Margherita and the Medici fortress at the top of the town.

The view from above Santa Margherita, Cortona

The view from above Santa Margherita, Cortona

Catching our breath at the top, we wandered into Santa Margherita where the body of Cortona’s patron saint lies in a glass coffin.

The body of Santa Margherita, Cortona

The body of Santa Margherita, Cortona

Then it was one final climb to the Medici Fortress for some incredible views across the Val di Chiana and of Lake Trasimeno. From here we wandered down a different path back to the via Nazionale, our visit to Cortona was at an end.

A Fiat 500 in the streets of Cortona

A Fiat 500 in the streets of Cortona