Discover Mercatale: Festivals, Cycling and Cultural Landscape

Mercatale between summer festivals, cycling and cultural landscape

Mercatale combines Mercatale Sotto le Stelle, cycling, religious remembrance and surroundings featuring mountains, islands, a palace, a castle and museums.

Summer evening with regional cuisine

Mercatale Sotto le Stelle is a recurring summer event. The edition announced for 1 August 2026 from 7 p.m. to midnight was the fifth. Mercatale Sotto le Stelle featured tagliatelle, porchetta, desserts, wines and regional products. There was also live music, DJ sets, children's entertainment and craft markets. Starting at 7 p.m. and ending at midnight, the evening event has clearly defined times for planning the day. The five-hour time window focuses the visit on the evening.

Cycling with a clearly defined route point

The 2026 edition of the Gran Premio Città di Cortona was the 25th Trofeo Val di Pierle. The route of this circuit race included the Cima Protine climb, which is 3.3 kilometres long and has an average gradient of 6.1 per cent. For cycling enthusiasts, the climb provides a clearly defined route point. Length and gradient can be considered separately when planning the sporting activity: the number of kilometres describes the extent of the climb, while the percentage describes its average incline. The gradient is given as an average value; it therefore does not describe every individual metre of the climb.

A procession in Val di Pierle

At the carnival in Val di Pierle, an allegorical float procession travelled on Sunday, 15 February 2026, from Mengaccini via Lisciano Niccone to Mercatale. The February date differs significantly in timing from the summer date of Mercatale Sotto le Stelle.

Religious names and remembrance

The parish of Mercatale is officially called “MERCATALE DI CORTONA” and alternatively “S. Maria in Val di Pierle”. The parish church of Santa Maria del Carmine contains two marble plaques bearing the names of those who fell in the First World War.

Palace, castle and museums in the surrounding area

Villa Guglielmi- Isola Maggiore, a palace, is located in the surroundings of Mercatale. Castello Di Coceto, a castle, is also located in the area. Museums in the surrounding area include the Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca and the Museo Diocesano Del Capitolo. For those interested in culture, the parish, the parish church of Santa Maria del Carmine, Villa Guglielmi- Isola Maggiore, Castello Di Coceto and the two museums can be included separately in their own itinerary.

Mountains and islands in the surrounding area

The mountain Monte Maestrino is located in the immediate surroundings of Mercatale. The mountains Monte Castel Giudeo and Alta San Egidio, as well as the island Isola Minore, are also located in the area.

Practical information for the sports facility

U.P. Val di Pierle must be contacted to access Mercatale's sports facility. The contact is expressly for access to the sports facility.

Other places you can discover afterwards include Pietraia, Terontola, Montanare, Pergo Di Cortona, Col Di Morro, Ossaia, Torreone and Camucia.

To the higher-level travel overview: Cortona.