ASSISI AND CORTONA, ITALY . HILLTOPS.

I was on a holiday through Italy in 2011. It included these two hilltop towns. I knew
about Assisi, but only knew of Cortona, because of seeing a Andre Rieu concert on
Sky Arts tv channel.. -- Assisi is a medieval town in Italy in the province of Perugia, in the
Umbria region. The old town is at an altitude of 424m, on the side of Mount Subasio.
Assisi is the birthplace of Saint Francis. there is a huge Basilica with his name. It was
completed in 1253 AD. - I arrived from Rome by train at Assisi rail station,which is on
the Foligno to Terontola line. The station is some distance from the town. This did
not matter to me ,because my hotel was close by . I stayed at the Hotel Moderno.
I took bus C , up to the old town on the hilltop. I started my trip at the top and walked
down to the Basilica of St. Francis,where i caught the bus down. Places of interest were the
Cathedral of di San Rufino, at the top, and the Temple of Minerva, and Basilica of
St Francis of Assisi. The Basilica is on two levels. -- In the lower town was the Basilica of Santa Maria. At the bus
stop nearby was a group of Nuns, talking away quite loudly. So i called them at Chatter
of Nuns.

ASSISI ITALY -- Hotel in lower town near rail station.

ASSISI ITALY. Road up to hilltop Assisi.

ASSISI ITALY. Lower town.

ASSISI ITALY.

ASSISI ITALY -- I'm glad it's not my job to water the plants. !

ASSISI ITALY -- The Umbria hills.

ASSISI ITALY...Hilly street.

ASSISI ITALY. City centre.

ASSISI ITALY. Narrow hill street.

ASSISI, ITALY. - Cathedral di San Rufino, near the top of the hill,in Piazzo San Rufino. First built in the 5th century.

ASSISI ITALY. Facade of cathedral di San Rufino.

ASSISI ITALY.

ASSISI ITALY.

ASSISI ITALY

ASSISI ITALY. Temple of Minerva.

ASSISI ITALY. Temple of Minerva.

ASSISI ITALY Temple of Minerva.

ASSISI ITALY.. I hope the brakes on .!

ASSISI ITALY.

ASSISI, ITALY. -- View of the Tuscany countryside.

ASSISI ITALY -- St. Francis Basilica.

ASSISI ITALY. St Francis Basilica., Lower Plaza.

ASSISI ITALY.. St Francis Basilica.

ASSISI ITALY. St Francis Basilica

ASSISI ITALY. St Francis Basilica.

ASSISI ITALY St Francis Basilica. -- Upper Basilica.

ASSISI ITALY.....PAX --- PEACE.

ASSISI ITALY. St. Francis Basilica, completed 1253.AD

ASSISI ITALY. Basilica Santa Maria.--St Mary of the Angels.

ASSISI ITALY -- Santa Maria Basilica in lower ASSISI.

ASSISI ITALY. Basilica Santa Maria in lower Assisi town,

ASSISI ITALY Inside Basilica Santa Maria in lower Assisi town.

ASSISI, ITALY. --- - Could you call this a Chatter of Nuns ?

C0RTONA is in the Province of Arezzo In Tuscany at the altitude
of 600m [ 1968 ft} A lovely Tuscan hilltown. The old town is a walled centre, great
to wander round. Views of Valdichiana and Lake Trasimeno. The narrow streets
are what i call serious hills. There are museums, Art Galleries and historic churches.
i arrived in Cortona by train at Camuica-Cortona closest station. On the Florence to Rome line. My hotel was opposite
the station. Tickets for the bus are on sale in the shop nearby. Going up the hill
the bus stops in Piazza Garibaldi , with a short walk to Piazzo della Republica.[ I mentioned the Andre Rieu concert, it took place in 2003... While on holiday in Cortona with his family, Andre fell in love with the town, and decided to hold a concert here. 3 concerts were held for free.

CORTONA, ITALY, -- Hotel near rail station in lower town,.

CORTONA ITALY.

CORTONA, ITALY. -- View from hilltop of Valdichiana and Lake Trasimeno.

CORTONA ITALY. -- Via Nationale, the only flat level street .

CORTONA ITALY. --hilly side street.

CORTONA ITALY. -- Palazzo Comunale, town hall, built 1241.

CORTONA ,ITALY. -- Another steep hill through Arch.

CORTONA ITALY -- Piazza del Republica.

CORTONA ITALY. -- Shop where i bought my return bus ticket,to lower town.

CORTONA ITALY. --Way to centre.

CORTONA ITALY. --- Steps of the City Hall in Piazza del Republica.

CORTONA ITALY. Gateway in city wall.

CORTONA, ITALY. -- Madonna del Calcinaio Renaissance church on the Southern slopes, in the Tuscany countryside. Built 1485 to 1513.

CORTONA ITALY. -- One of the hilly streets.

CORTONA, ITALY. --Piazza della Republlca.---it was pointed out to me that this was where the Andre Rieu concert took place.

CORTONA , ITALY. ---Piazza Garibaldi, Bus Stop.- Short walk to centre square.

CORTONA, ITALY. Enjoying a beer in Piazza della Republica.

Two lovely hilltop cities.--The currency in Italy is the Euro. The clock is Central European Time, one hour ahead of London. A train to Cortona from Rome takes 2 and half hours. Assisi to Cortona takes 1 and half hours.