| |
Profile
|
 The Hotel Villa Aurea is situated in Cortona, where the Tuscan hills meet the Umbrian hills. It is a few kilometres from centers of artistic interest and international culture in Florence, Siena, Perugia, and Arezzo. Inside the the 30.000 sq. m. park there is a hundred year old red wood (sequoia) tree that dominates the Italian gardens that are lined with spaces and relaxing paths. All of the buildings were internally restructured to give guests maximum comfort in a scenery from the past. |
 At Hotel Villa Aurea every single detail was taken into consideration from the hospitality to the antistress journey, from the cuisine to the nature of the surrounding park, and from the materials used for the furnishings to the music and colours so that the approach to a vacation of wellness can be lived as a global experience that involves the mind and body in a complete deep harmony. Other than the specific services of Hotel Villa Aurea such as the restaurant, the Antistress Wellness Center, and the meeting center, there is also the possibility to directly request other services at the reception:
The Val d'Esse
The presence of a considerable number of villas in Val d' Esse is justified from a long time because of its climatic privilege and its location as the important center of communication between Cortona, The Val di Pierle, Umbria, and Romagna. A Roman road that goes up to Cortona from Arezzo descends from the city until the valley where it meets with the road from Rimini and another road from Tuoro that lead through Piazzano to Lake Trasimeno. |
 It is not improbable that the battle of 217 B.C. between the Romans and the Cartaginesi took place right in the wedge between the Sepoltaglia and the "Cortonenses" mountains (the polibiana definition). The Val d' Esse is noted for its vicinity to the city of Cortona, its two important ramifications of the Roman road which are still fit for use, and its sunny, snug position. From the 18th century until current times, the Val d' Esse has been renowned for its peaceful summer residences. The numerous villas in the area were all built around the 1700's when the valley began to make agricultural cultivations during the years in which Cortona experienced great splendour in the era of enlightened transformation. |
 The Villa
Like other villas of the area, Villa Aurea was built in different stages from the base of a 16th century manor house and its present appearance is the result of various modifications over the years. The park around the villa also developed over many years with its three hectares of land preserving century old trees and rare plants. Even though the name was lost of the noble Cortonese family that began the construction of the Villa around 1750, Villa Aurea was definitely acquired by a religious order that made it into a summer residence for students of the Seminary of Cortona. |
 In the "Cortona Annals" written in 1786 by the witty local parish priest, Bernardino Cecchetti, there is the dispute between the Bishop of Pistoia and the local Clergy over the ownership and use of the villa. In the last century, before the restoration by the current owners, the villa has always been known as the Don Sterpi Institute in connection with the work of Don Orione. |
| |
|
