Le Celle di San Francesco
Tucked into a wooded ravine just 2.5 km east of Cortona, Le Celle is a Franciscan hermitage so small and serene that most day-trippers never find it. Saint Francis himself founded this cluster of stone cells beside a rushing stream in 1211, and Franciscan friars still live and pray here today — making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited Franciscan sites in the world.
Finding the Hermitage
A narrow lane off the SP35 road toward Mezzavia winds down through dense oak and chestnut forest before depositing you beside a mossy stone bridge over the Torrente Vibrata. The hermitage clings to the cliff face above the stream: a series of tiny medieval cells, a small chapel and a low-ceilinged refectory, all connected by worn stone steps.
The cell where Francis slept — barely large enough for a single stone bench — is preserved behind a wooden door and open to visitors. The simplicity is startling after the gilded churches of the town above. Bring a jacket even in summer; the ravine stays cool and shaded.
Etiquette and Atmosphere
Le Celle is a working religious community, not a tourist attraction, and the atmosphere reflects that. Speak quietly, dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered), and be prepared to share the space with friars moving between prayers. Photography inside the chapel is not permitted.
The stream path below the hermitage makes a beautiful 30-minute walk through the forest before looping back to the car park. Wild cyclamen carpet the banks in autumn, and the sound of the water combined with the birdsong makes this one of the most genuinely peaceful spots in the whole of Tuscany.
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