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Cortona or Florence after a day in Cortona cooking?

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We will be traveling by trains. We will be taking a cooking class in Cortona and are wondering if we should stay in Cortona or stay in Florence and just take the train to Cortona as a day trip and then back to Florence at night? Suggestions? Is there anything open very late in Cortona? We are not museum or art people. We are more foodies and scenery people.

Or, to put it another way:

If you had the choice to stay overnight for two nights in Cortona or Florence and would be on tours all day and only have the evenings, where would you stay and why? Only free time would be two evenings and one morning. We will have already spent 1 1/2 days in Florence.

Posted by
263 posts

See the Watch, Read, Listen section of this site. There is an episode that Rick did on Hill Towns and they visit Cortona. You can also read Rick Steves' Italy for information on Florence and Cortona and more. I wouldn't go to Italy without it.

Posted by
16895 posts

I'm moving posts in here from two other threads. Please don't ask the same question repeatedly. If you can't locate your old questions, click on your name in the top right corner.

Posted by Ken
Vernon, Canada
04/14/16 12:22 AM

Florence most definitely has a more vibrant atmosphere in the evenings, with lots of street entertainers, good restaurants, etc. There are some nice restaurants in Cortona also, but it tends to be much quieter. Much of the activity in the evening seems to centre on Piazza della Repubblica and in the shops and restaurants along Via Nazionale.

Posted by glennlorrainer
NSW Australia
04/14/16 12:41 AM

Cortona is only a small town, that is interesting to walk around, but like other hill top towns once you have looked around there is not as much to see as a city, as such. we loved our stay in cortona. being in the hill top towns is nice in early morning and late afternoon. a lot less tourists and the scenery over the surrounding area is great. if you have been touring all day, ( and have been to florence) then 'perhaps' a small town might be just the thing to relax and enjoy a good meal? if you haven't been to a hill top town then definitely cortona.

toss a coin?

we watched the movie 'under the tuscan sun' so naturally had to also stay in cortona. glad we did. hope this helps.

Posted by
16895 posts

This thread gave me a better understanding of your route, so I would spend the two nights in Cortona, not make a second stay in Florence.

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