Cortona Antiques Market – Piazza Signorelli
On the last Sunday of each month, Piazza Signorelli and the surrounding medieval lanes fill with dealers selling everything from Renaissance-era ceramics to mid-century linen and hand-forged ironwork. It is one of the most authentic antiques markets in southern Tuscany — far less touristy than Arezzo's famous Fiera Antiquaria.
What to Expect
Stalls spill from the piazza down Via Nazionale and into the loggia of the Palazzo Casali, mixing serious antique dealers with farmers selling dried porcini, truffle paste and local olive oil. Arrive by 09:00 to beat the midday heat and get first pick of the ceramics.
Look for hand-painted Deruta-style pottery, wrought-iron candle holders, old linen tablecloths embroidered with Etruscan motifs, and the occasional oil painting that a Florentine dealer hasn't yet snapped up. Prices are negotiable — a polite 'può fare di meno?' goes a long way.
Beyond the Stalls
The market backdrop is spectacular: the 13th-century Palazzo Casali, home to the MAEC Etruscan museum, anchors one side of the piazza while the Teatro Signorelli's neoclassical façade closes the other. Even if you buy nothing, the atmosphere is pure Tuscany.
Combine the market with a coffee at Caffè degli Artisti on Via Nazionale, a local institution that has been serving espresso and cornetti since the 1960s. The bar fills with locals debating their finds — the best free entertainment in town.
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