Archive for the ‘Tuscany’ Category

Secret Artist – Donatella De Palma

After being the most rational girl in the world,
at the age of fifty has a complete change of perspective, embracing art in all its unpredictable ways.
She starts one day in the middle of a sunny June 2006, in Cortona’s beautiful countryside and falls in love with colours and brushes and hands and eyes and any paintable surface.

In 6 years she goes through so many artistic periods that Picasso himself would be amazed! …the black pen period, the sphere period, the silhouette period, the blue pen period, the phosphorescent period, and many more…

Unfortunately, every now and then, she also goes through a “painting-on-top-of-finished-paintings” period, which sometimes causes the loss of very beautiful artwork.
She is also a very inspired interior designer and a curious photographer.

People are her favourite  subject, but not the only one…

“I love to find out who they are! I don’t know the people I draw…
they are just ‘my people’ whoever they are and wherever they may exist..”

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Casa Chilenne

One of the best times of year to be in Cortona?
September.
Where to stay?
Bed and Breakfast “Casa Chilenne”.

Jeanette’s breakfast is delicious.
It makes you want to stay forever…

The roof terrace that overlooks via Nazionale, Cortona’s main street, makes you feel very lucky…

Luxurious rooms and bathrooms, decorated in Belle Epoque style, give you the warmest of atmospheres…

 

Run down the stairs, open the door,
you’ll find yourself in the heart of one of the most ancient towns in Italy.
Amazing.

Further information and bookings HERE.

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Colin Firth in Cortona!

Posted on: by Lucia 1 Comment

What happens when you are enjoying your dinner a little too much, on Friday night, in Piazza Signorelli, Cortona?

You don’t notice Oscar winning actor Colin Firth taking a stroll in the square.

Colin Firth in Piazza Signorelli

I was too much into good food, good wine and good friends to take any notice!

I’ve only just discovered, Colin Firth had just been to see Greta Scacchi’s performance for the Tuscan Sun Festival, at Teatro Signorelli.

Apparently I missed both!

Lucia

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Star gazing and wine tasting in Montepulciano.

Every year, on the 10th of august, at night, Italians raise their heads to the sky and look for falling stars.

In Italy it’s Saint Lawrence’s night, “la notte di San Lorenzo”.
Usually shooting stars are visible more on this day  than at any other time of the year because Perseus’ constellation is passing through our planet’s orbit.
The meteor shower is explained in a much more poetic way by Saint Lawrence’s martyrdom.
Falling stars would be his tears descending on earth on the day of his death, creating a magic and hopeful atmosphere.
So if you hope for a special wish to come true you should pronounce these words, when you spot a falling star: “Star, my beautiful star, I wish for…..”
“Stella, mia bella stella, desidero che…..”

I recommend, on this occasion, Montepulciano’s main summer event: “Calici di stelle”.

Montepulciano

(does “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano” ring any bell? )
“Star Chalices”.
A wine and food tour through the town’s quarters, accompanied by art performances and music!
Only twenty minutes from Cortona!

The complete programme is HERE.

Calici di stelle

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From Cortona with love

Whether you are looking up at Cortona, or being embraced by its strong ancient walls, you feel enamoured.

At least, this is what happens to me.

Born and raised in this sweet stone nest, still, after 29 years, I fall in love with it every morning as soon as I step out of my little house.

Cortona

View from Porta Montanina

I feel like I’m forever living on holiday.

The only thing missing is the sea!

But imagine Cortona as an island, in the middle of any sea.

Too much.

“Non si può avere tutto nella vita”… “You can’t have everything in life”

But let me tell you a secret,

There are certain days in Cortona when you can actually spot a very special ocean…

November foggy sea

But not in May,

May’s all for cherries and blossoms and bees

and fields of poppies could be the only seas.

 

See?

Writing rhymes. This is pure love, pure cortonese love.

Lucia.

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Welcome to the Cortona Travel Blog

In the coming months we will bring you news about things of interest in and around Cortona. We will try to keep you informed about things going with a focus on in the categories of

  • Cortona Events
  • Food and Restaurant Reviews
  • Art
  • Music
  • Photography

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