Cortona Saturday Market: Where It Runs and How to Shop It

Updated October 2026 by the team at Hotel Villa Santa Margherita

On Saturday 19 June 2021, Cortona’s market traders got an extra square to work with. After a series of meetings, the town council, local shopkeepers and stallholders agreed to stretch the old-town market all the way to Piazza Garibaldi. Under the new layout, which was a trial, the stalls linked up the three main squares of the historic centre.¹

Cortona’s weekly market takes place on Saturdays in the squares of the old town. Get there early, when the stalls have just gone up and the steep lanes are still cool. The layout can change from week to week, so check the latest notices from the Comune before you head out.

It’s the quickest way to see the town the way locals live it. You’ll find residents with their shopping bags, restaurant owners setting out tables, and the odd visitor stopping to watch with a coffee still in hand. If you’re wondering what’s genuinely worth buying in Cortona, the Saturday market is a good place to start.

Market day, squares and opening hours

Here’s what the official sources we checked in October 2026 actually say.

The 2021 layout began as a trial, running until 25 September that year. The stated aim was to give the town market a fresh start after a hard stretch, while fitting in with the shops and businesses already in the centre. At the time, mayor Luciano Meoni called it “a trial that everyone has committed to, in order to relaunch the town market and the businesses of the historic centre after a difficult period”.¹

The stalls don’t always sit in the same place. On Saturday 20 September 2025, for instance, part of the weekly market was relocated under Mayor’s Order no. 24 of 12 September 2025, and traffic in Piazza Duomo was temporarily rerouted.² So a Saturday in September might follow a different route from one in June. The council pages we read don’t give exact opening and closing times, so do check before you set off.

The hotel is a short stroll from the old town, so you can walk to the market. Leave the car in our private car park and take your time on the way up: in Cortona, almost every street goes uphill.

What you’ll find on Cortona’s stalls

The council pages we looked at don’t list which kinds of stalls turn up each Saturday. Any list we gave you could be out of date by November anyway, so here’s how to shop well instead.

At the fruit and veg stalls, look at what’s piled high. Full crates usually mean that’s what’s in season right now, and a trader who knows their growers will happily tell you where it came from. Go ahead and ask; everyone does.

At the cheese and salumi counters, taste first. One sliver of pecorino tells you more than any label. If it has to sit in your room for a few days or go in your suitcase, ask whether they can vacuum-pack it.

With olive oil, ask about the vintage and the mill. A serious producer will answer without missing a beat.

If there are non-food stalls, go for the practical stuff. The shops in the old town are better for anything special, but the market is where you’ll pick up the straw hat you left at home, or an apron if you fancy cooking once you’re back.

A picnic on the town walls needs nothing more than a wedge of cheese, some bread, a piece of fruit and a bottle of water. If you’re after rarer specialities to take home, head past the stalls to the delis in the centre, where the more unusual local produce tends to be.

Saturday market, fairs and seasonal markets compared

Besides the Saturday market, the Cortona area has seasonal events with traders and exhibitors, often outside the town walls. Use this table to pick one that suits the kind of day you have in mind.

Details for the Fiera di Settembre, Cortonantiquaria and Mercatale sotto le stelle come from the Comune’s announcements for the 2026 editions.³ The Forte dei Marmi traders’ event in Camucia took place in 2025.⁴ Dates shift every year, so treat the table as a rough guide to timing, then check the calendar for the season you’re travelling in.

Cortonantiquaria runs in late summer. The rest of the year, if you’re hunting for period pieces, try the antique shops in Cortona’s old town.

What about a farmers’ market?

None of the official sources we checked confirm a farmers’ market schedule in the historic centre. We’d rather tell you that straight than have you turn up on the wrong day. If you’d like to buy direct from producers, ask at reception for any dates during the week you’re staying.

Planning your market morning

Saturdays in Cortona have their own rhythm, so plan around it.

• Go early. The first couple of hours bring more choice, more room to stop and chat, and fewer people on the steps between squares.
• Walk. The old town is steep and cobbled, so comfortable shoes matter more than a sun hat.
• Bring some small notes. Cash is simpler and quicker at the smaller stalls.
• Take a backpack or a roomy bag. In summer, add a cool bag if you’re planning to buy cheese.
• Allow a good hour. That’s enough to wander the stalls without rushing, stop for a taste, and double back for the pecorino you couldn’t stop thinking about.

Once you’re done, put the bags down and take a seat. Plenty of people round off the market with a glass of wine in one of Cortona’s enotecas.

Getting your market finds home

Vacuum-packed aged cheeses, oil in a well-sealed tin and small items all travel happily in a suitcase. Fresh fruit and soft cheeses are for eating while you’re here, ideally at lunch on a bench looking out over the Valdichiana. If you’ve also bought something fragile or bulky, say a ceramic plate from one of the shops in town, consider having your purchases shipped internationally, and ask the shopkeeper how they pack things before you pay.

When is Cortona’s weekly market?

On Saturdays.¹ The council pages we checked don’t give exact times, so confirm them with the tourist office or at reception before you go.

Where is it held?

In the historic centre, across the main squares of the upper town. In 2021 the stalls were also extended to Piazza Garibaldi on a trial basis.¹ The Comune can move part of the market, as it did on 20 September 2025.²

Can I drive there?

You’re better off walking up. On Saturdays some squares are taken over by stalls and traffic can be rerouted, as happened in Piazza Duomo in September 2025. If you’re staying with us, leave the car in our private car park; the centre is just a short walk away.

Is there a farmers’ market in Cortona?

We couldn’t find a confirmed schedule in the official sources we checked. To buy direct from producers, ask at reception for any dates during the week you’re in Cortona.

What’s worth buying?

Things you can taste first and eat during your stay: seasonal fruit, bread and cheese for an outdoor lunch. For the suitcase, stick to vacuum-packed goods or well-sealed containers, and always ask the trader where things come from.

Saturday starts at the hotel

The perfect Cortona Saturday begins with breakfast, included in your stay, on the terrace at Hotel Villa Santa Margherita, looking out over the Valdichiana. Then leave the car in the private car park and stroll up into town as it wakes up. When you come back, bags full and a bit sun-warmed, the quiet garden is waiting. Spend the afternoon on fashion and the boutiques in the centre, or simply do nothing at all. Book direct with us and you’ll always get the best available rate.

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