CETONA

Cetona is a typically Medieval town, situated on the eastern slopes of Monte Cetona. The charming old town centre with its steep, twisting streets leading up to the towering rocca (fortress), is well worth a visit. Seen from distance, the town seems to shoot up towards the castle, as if looking for protection, with its stone built houses standing out against the vivid green of the mountain.

The area was settled thousands of years ago, at the very down of history, and spectacular traces remain, particularly in the Belvedere area where there are a series of prehistoric caves that were inhabited from the middle of the Palaeolithic era right up until the Bronze Age. The entire area makes up the “Parco Archeologico Naturalistico del Monte Cetona”. The park is full of places of interest and is provided with a comprehensive information centre. Many of the archaeological finds can be seen in the “Museo Civico per la Preistoria del Monte Cetona”, which is situated in the centre of the old town. The museum is particularly well organized and informative.

Cetona, however, has a vast historical and artistic heritage and we would warmly recommend a tour of the many outstanding buildings and churches, which contain important works of art. The Collegiate church, for instance, has a painting attributed to Pinturicchio. There are other, not less notable treasures in the countryside surrounding “the mountain” as the Monte Cetona is usually called around here, with its overgrown woods, innumerable nuances of colour and the great variety of wildlife. It is no coincidence that thanks to its beauty, tranquillity and the high quality of life, Cetona has become the chosen home of many artists and leading figures in the world of culture.