Mas13

My family (4 adults & 5 Teens) have rented a Villa in Cortona for the 1st week in August. Any suggestions of where to go/do locally? Thank you!

Dayle

This is really a question you should have asked or researched before you rented the villa.

If it has a pool perhaps your teens will be happy for a couple of days. Is it right IN Cortona or in the countryside near the town?

I visited Cortona for a few hours on one trip. I did think it was a pretty town, but there didn't seem to be a lot to do or see. I had an excellent lunch, hiked up to the top to the church, which was beautiful! Skipped all the tourist shops near the main piazza.

I hope you have two rental cars for day trips. Umbria is wonderful and day trips will probably be of interest.

What do your teens like? What are they interested in? Perhaps we can make more suggestions with more to go on.

HappyTrvlr

Visit the Celle, St. Francis lived there. You walk over a stream to this small monastery. Interesting and located on the hillside below Cortona. Visit Lake Trasimeno nearby.
Go to Arezzo for a day and another day take a drive over to Pienza and Montepulciano and Pienza. Go to Asissi. Visit Deruta for it's pottery and have lunch in Todi. Lots to see and do near and in Cortona.

bilboburgler

nice little Egyptian museum down at the bottom of the town and a interesting church at the top (with an unusual story).

bvlenci

I think it's an Etruscan museum, Bilbo, or rather a civic museum focusing on the Etruscan civilization. I did see that they have some Egyptian artifacts there.

http://www.cortonamaec.org/museo/1_orari.php

One very interesting thing they have is an Etruscan chandelier, one of the best-preserved Etruscan artifacts I've ever seen.

http://www.cortonamaec.org/percorsi/...chede/ae12.jpg

If there's another Egyptian museum, I can't find anything about it.

indyhiker

Explore the area around Lago Trasimeno. You can take a ferry to one of the islands and there are several small lakeside towns to explore exploring. You can also rent bikes and ride around the lake.

flpab

Visit the Celle, St. Francis lived there, ditto on that. You are close to so many great places there so you should be ok. Have them watch Under the Tuscan Sun.

bilboburgler

bvlenci, now you could be right and it had an Egyptian exhibition on while we were there, brains get old!

sandralist

For what it is worth, I don't see much wrong with booking a villa in Cortona for August and then researching in March which specific activities to do . The area is rich. The hard part will be narrowing them down.

In addition to exploring Lago Trasimeno, I recommend the underground excavations in Chiusi

http://www.valdichianaliving.it/en/territories/chiusi

Less than an hour from Cortona there is a huge acquapark. I have never been, and I would think it gets mobbed in August, but maybe your villa owner can give you some tips or maybe you can find information in English online.

http://www.azzurrapiscine.it/aquapark-tavernelle/

A day trip to Perugia would be on my agenda, and be sure to use the escalators to get into town. If you have your own van or multiple cars, the Ipogeo dei Volumni just right outside of Perugia is eerie and cool (literally cool).

http://www.perugiaonline.com/cinepgus.html

If your teens are shoppers, then go to Arezzo and the outlet stores nearby in Montevarchi.

There are spas in Rapalano Terme.

I can't remember whether there is a Palio in Siena this year. If you want to go, that is something you definitely need to plan ahead to do.

Just in general I would think there are lots of concerts, folkloric events, things going on. Many teens have never spent any time on a farm, so visiting some in the area and having lunch would be something I'd do. Were it me traveling with teens in August, I would challenge them to get into the rhythm of Italian summer time living: Up early, go sightseeing in the cool of the day, a loooooong break for lunch/swim/snooze and then enjoy the nighttime. Probably without too much trouble they can locate the non-touristy piazza off in a corner of Cortona where the local teens hang out (the ones whose parents run the town's holiday businesses). Many Italian teens learn English in school and would enjoy talking to your teens.

Mas13

THANK YOU ALL for the wonderful information!!! Yes our Villa has a pool and ping pong, bikes…Im sure they will enjoy. I plan on early rise, touring and back to the Villa by mid afternoon.