Museum
Historic Residence
Spaces & Places
Cortona and Lake Trasimeno
An Etruscan hill town and, just across the border in Umbria, the shores of Lake Trasimeno.
Val di Chiana · Etruscan history, the lake
- km in all
- 115
- of driving
- 1 h 50
- the whole day, stops included
- 4 h 45
- stops
- 2
A tour of landscapes more than museums: the morning in Cortona, then down to the lake and a stroll in a village on its shore.
The day
Driving times are Google Maps' without traffic; the stops are the ones we suggest. Leave around 9 and you will be back in the early afternoon.
Leave the Grancia
40 min by car · 42 km
Cortonasuggested stop about 1 h 30
30 min by car · 22 km
Passignano sul Trasimenosuggested stop about 1 h
Break for a coffee or a light lunchabout 30 min
40 min by car · 51 km
Back at the Grancia
The stops
from La Grancia · 42 km · about 40 min
Cortona
Via Lauretana, end
It was one of the twelve cities of the Etruscan league. The Palazzo Comunale looks onto Piazza della Repubblica. Via Nazionale, almost level and easy on foot, leads to Piazza Signorelli. Higher up is the Basilica of Santa Margherita. Cortona is the end of the Tuscan Via Lauretana, which starts in Siena and passes the Grancia. For the MAEC, the Museum of the Etruscan Academy and of the City of Cortona, you will find information at cortonamaec.org.
On foot in Cortona
- Piazza della Repubblica
- the Palazzo Comunale
- Via Nazionale
- Piazza Signorelli
- the Basilica of Santa Margherita
- the viewpoint over the Val di Chiana
Piazza della Repubblica 
The Palazzo Comunale 
Piazza Signorelli 
The Basilica of Santa Margherita 
The viewpoint over the Val di Chiana
from Cortona · 22 km · about 30 min
Passignano sul Trasimeno
On the north shore of Trasimeno, the largest lake in peninsular Italy, just inside Umbria. It is one of the Borghi più belli d'Italia: the old village sits on a promontory, still enclosed by its medieval walls with their gates and towers, and at the top stands the Rocca, home to the Boat Museum. Before you leave, a walk along the lakefront is well worth it.
- the old village inside the walls
- the Rocca and the Boat Museum
- the lakefront
The old village inside the walls 
The Rocca and the Boat Museum 
The lakefront
from Passignano sul Trasimeno · 51 km · about 40 min
Back to the Grancia
From Passignano you drive back to the Grancia in about 45 minutes.
Why choose it
Cortona, the Etruscan hill town, and then a pause on the shore of Trasimeno, the largest lake in peninsular Italy.
Where to stop
In Cortona you can leave the car in the car park in Piazza Mazzini.
Before leaving Passignano, we suggest a coffee or a light lunch near the lake.
Distances and times are Google Maps' without traffic and are approximate: traffic, parking and stops add to them.
FAQ
How far is Cortona from the Grancia?
About 40 km by car, around forty minutes.
Is there time for Cortona's museums?
In half a day there is time for a short visit. If you would like to see the museums properly, we suggest giving Cortona a whole day.
Is Cortona on the Via Lauretana?
Yes, it is the end of the Tuscan part of the route, which starts in Siena and passes the Grancia. Those who walk it collect the Testimonium at the Info Point in Piazza Signorelli.
Set off from the Grancia and come back to it
Four Junior Suites in the old town of Serre di Rapolano: in the evening you come back to the same place, with no need to repack.
Check availability- Photo: opening photo · LigaDue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Cortona · TeKappa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Cortona, Piazza della Repubblica · Sailko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Cortona, the Palazzo Comunale · Diego Baglieri, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Cortona, Piazza Signorelli · Diego Baglieri, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Cortona, the Basilica of Santa Margherita · Mongolo1984, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Cortona, the viewpoint over the Val di Chiana · Matthias v.d. Elbe, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Passignano sul Trasimeno · RiccardoSiliqua, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Passignano sul Trasimeno, the old village inside the walls · LigaDue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Passignano sul Trasimeno, the Rocca and the Boat Museum · LigaDue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Passignano sul Trasimeno, the lakefront · Matthias v.d. Elbe, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: The Lidò at Passignano · Sabas88, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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