One of the things we’ve been enjoying most about our current location is the altitude. Cortona is a hill town, and we are at the very top of this particular hill town. The views to the valley below are spectacular, especially at sunrise and sunset. Larry went out one recent morning to capture some of the magical morning golden hour.

Later in the day we decided to take a long walk around the other side of the hill, giving us a view of the valley on the other side, gradually descending and then spitting us out at the public park at the bottom of the town. The slowly sloping street is lined with tall, straight cyprus trees planted in honor of those young men from Cortona who died in World War I. One of the things I love the most about Tuscany (and Provence – they’re very similar in climate) is the vegetation. I love the silver-green leaves and gnarly trunks of the olive trees and the tall, dark, majestic cyprus trees, who seem to be standing watch over their domain wherever they are planted. This road also takes us past the real Bramasole (not the one used for the movie), Frances Mayes’ Tuscan home. It is a striking house with a lot of character. I especially like the varied coloring of the stucco. I’ve taken this same walk many times while we’ve been staying in Cortona and love every inch of it. It’s serene, peaceful, and beautiful.