Wintertime is coming...

Why not join us for the Season?

Winter's coming and Christmas will soon be here. As usual, many families are discussing where to spend their Christmastime holiday.

In winter and especialy in the days coming up to Christmas every large towns and small village celebrates in some way and are enlightened with a magical atmosphere.

Florence, Siena, Lucca, Pisa, Arezzo and Perugia, offer you Christmas lights, music, traditions, nativities and tastes. And, maybe more than in the summertime, there are Christmas and antiques markets, fairs, cultural events and much more that will make your holidays in Tuscany or Umbria hopefully unforgettable.

In the larger cities most shops open on Sundays during the run up to Christmas - lots of time to buy those wonderful presents to take back home or to treat yourself, of course. Florence will give you high fashion and outlets for Gucci, Armani and Prada, while Siena, besides the quaint baker's shops and delicatessens, will offer you excellent wineries with huge selections of local and well-known Italian wines. You'll also enjoy local arts and handicrafts.

And Cortona, is just an ideal place to stay.

There's no milk and mincepie for Santa here as the choice for Vin Santo and Cantucci take the chill off better!

Cortona is much more than "the town from 'Under the Tuscan Sun' film" - Did you know how much there is to see? Here are just a few examples:

• Piazza della Republica - The 13th century town hall and clock tower are on one of Cortona's main squares, Piazza della Republica. There are cafes nearby for enjoying the piazza life.
• Duomo - Cortona's Renaissance cathedral, built on the site of an Etruscan temple, has an 11th century facade and has beautiful 16th and 17th century paintings inside.
• Museo dell' Accademia Etrusca - In the 13th century Palazzo Pretorio on Piazza Signorelli is the Etruscan Academy Museum. Besides good Etruscan artifacts, the museum holds Roman remains, Renaissance and Baroque paintings, 15th century ivories, and a small Egyptian exhibit. It's closed on Mondays.
• Museo Diocesano - This small museum, also closed on Mondays, holds outstanding art works and a decorated Roman sarcophagus.
• San Domenico - Near the public gardens, the church of San Domenico has a completely intact 15th century altar piece and works by Fra Angelico and Signorelli.
• San Francesco - The Church of San Francesco, built in 1245, holds a Pietro di Cortona painting and the reamins of Signorelli.
• Cortona's Walls - Cortona's Etruscan walls are incorporated into the medieval walls that surround its historic center. Inside the walls, you can wander the narrow medieval streets of Cortona's historic center. Near the walls, you'll often be rewarded with fantastic views of the valley below.

For accommodation of your choice: villas, apartments or bed and breakfasts view our listngs here.