Discover Sodo

At the foot of Cortona, in the district of Sodo di Cortona, lies the MAEC archaeological site. It contains two monumental Etruscan tombs dating from the Archaic period. Sodo is also connected to cultural trails for slow tourism, designed for walking or cycling. This gives you a clear distinction when planning your trip: on one side are tombs, an altar and artefacts; on the other are trails running across fields, along the riverbank and through olive groves and woodland. If you are looking for hotels in Sodo, these themes offer a concrete way to decide what to focus on during your stay.

Two burial mounds, different evidence

Tumulo I del Sodo dates to the early 6th century BC. A hemispherical artificial mound encloses a tomb made of large blocks of yellowish tuff. Tumulo I is one of Cortona’s oldest Etruscan funerary monuments. The burial chamber was accessed via a long dromos. This led, beyond a square vestibule, to five burial chambers. The sequence of passage, antechamber and chambers makes the layout of the interior easy to understand.

Tumulo II del Sodo preserves in situ a monumental Etruscan altar dating to the early 6th century BC. It is decorated with sculptures and ornamental motifs and has a flight of ten steps. During burial ceremonies, the altar was used to lay out the deceased and present offerings to the gods and ancestors. The two structures therefore reveal different aspects: Tumulo I centres on the burial mound and burial chambers, while Tumulo II centres on the altar and its ceremonial functions.

Tomb 2 of Tumulo II was exceptionally well preserved and contained intact grave goods: gold jewellery for women, a writing stylus and bronze remains of a folding chair. Together, the monuments bear witness to the spirituality, art and social organisation of the Etruscans of Cortona. Their architecture, altar and finds offer different ways to explore this cultural heritage.

Cultural trails between Sodo and the agricultural landscape

The MAEC cultural trails include the Sentiero dei Principi Etruschi and the Sentiero dei Tre Tumuli Etruschi; both are connected to Sodo. A section of the Sentiero dei Principi Etruschi starts in Sodo and follows the bank of the Rio di Loreto. The trail’s two routes meet at Molinaccio. The trail is connected to the Sentiero della Bonifica via the Torrente Mucchia and the Canale Maestro della Chiana.

The Sentiero dei Tre Tumuli Etruschi runs through fields between the burial mound at Camucia and the tumuli of Sodo. Here, the agricultural landscape links historical and archaeological evidence. The two trails thus differ in their stated points of reference: the Sentiero dei Principi Etruschi includes the bank of the Rio di Loreto and connections to other routes, while the Sentiero dei Tre Tumuli Etruschi focuses on the fields between the burial mounds.

The Sentiero dei Mulini connects Sodo with Sant’Egidio. The route climbs through olive groves and woodland to the Eremo delle Celle ai Cappuccini. Its name recalls the seventeen mills that stood along the Rio di Loreto until a few years ago and were used to grind seeds and olives. The trail thus connects the landscape areas mentioned with the history of the mills along the Rio di Loreto.

Discover more destinations: Colcellalto, Castelfranco Di Sopra, Monte San Savino, Fasciano, Campoluci, Sant'Andrea di Sorbello, Sestino, Civitella In Val Di Chiana.

For the broader travel overview: Arezzo.