Jim in one of the alleys in Cortona

Cortona and Castiglione

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May 15th 2013
This morning we woke to sunshine although the weather forecast for Arezzo was rain at stages through the day. We headed for Cortona the beautiful walled medieval hill top town about 45 minutes from Arezzo. The town was made famous following the novel and film "Under the Tuscan Sun" - all about a woman called Frances who ends up letting go of fear and taking the plunge to make a new life in Italy. ... read more

Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Arezzo

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Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI establis... ... read more