Piazza della Repubblica & Piazza Signorelli - to take the city pulse

Cortona’s ancient city gateways lead to a self-indulgent stroll along medieval streets, monuments and bustling squares. Begin a walking tour in the heart of town, in the delightfully asymmetrical Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza Signorelli, once home to the ancient Etruscan-Roman forum but now the site of the Saturday morning market. Visitors congregate in these two squares, a pedestrianised zone made for people-watching. Take the city pulse while sipping a coffee, listening to the talented buskers, or browsing for arty trinkets. Named after local painter Luca Signorelli, Piazza Signorelli boasts the 13th-century Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall) and Cortina’s Etruscan Museum, the Museo dell’Accademia Etrusca . Conveniently, the local tourist office is housed in the same mansion.

Address: Cortona tourist office, Palazzo Casali, Piazza Signorelli, 9, Cortona
Web: www.cortonaweb.net