DelBrenna Cortona — Handcrafted Jewellery in the Heart of Tuscany
There are jewellers, and then there is DelBrenna. Tucked into the heart of Cortona’s historic centre, DelBrenna Cortona is a family-run jewellery house that has been handcrafting silver and gold pieces in Tuscany for three generations — and has quietly become one of the most beloved shopping destinations in the whole of central Italy.
If you visit Cortona and walk past DelBrenna without going in, you will have missed one of the town’s genuine hidden treasures.
A Family Story, Three Generations in the Making
DelBrenna’s story is rooted in Cortona. The family has been making jewellery here for generations — and in 2008, Sebastian and Megan DelBrenna brought that tradition into the public eye by opening a small boutique in Piazza della Repubblica. What started as a modest shop under the Tuscan stairs has grown into something far more remarkable.
In 2013, they opened the DelBrenna Showroom — an extraordinary space tucked into the underground of Cortona, inside the ancient cellar of the noble Alfieri-Venuti palace. What was once a medieval olive oil mill and wine cellar is now a jewellery atelier unlike anything else in Tuscany.
Today, DelBrenna has boutiques in Cortona, Florence, and Kansas City — but Cortona remains the heart of everything.
The Jewellery
The soul of DelBrenna’s collections is the handcrafted chain — a family signature design that has been refined across generations. Every chain is made by hand in their Tuscan studio, using 925 silver, and the technique is an intense labour of artisanal skill that few jewellers still practise.
From this foundation, DelBrenna builds an extraordinary range — necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, and pendants that play with different chain sizes, shapes, and gemstones. The designs are distinctly Italian: elegant, timeless, and made to be worn every day.
One piece deserves special mention: the Cortona Coin. A replica of a coin used in Cortona during the Middle Ages — the original can be seen in the MAEC Museum — it’s one of the most meaningful souvenirs you can bring home from Cortona. Not a tourist trinket, but a piece of genuine local history worn as jewellery.
The Showroom Experience
Shopping at DelBrenna is not like shopping anywhere else. The underground Showroom on Vicolo Corazzi is an experience in itself — two long staircases lead down into a vaulted space where ancient stone walls meet contemporary jewellery displays, and where the history of the building is as much a part of the visit as the pieces themselves.
Guests are welcomed with a glass of prosecco with gold and silver flakes — a detail that perfectly captures the DelBrenna spirit — and guided through the space by staff who genuinely know and love the collection. It’s unhurried, personal, and memorable.
The boutique on Piazza della Repubblica is smaller and more accessible — the perfect place to browse if you’re passing through — while the Showroom rewards those willing to seek it out.
Insider tip: Don’t just visit the boutique on the main piazza — make time for the underground Showroom on Vicolo Corazzi 17-19. It’s one of Cortona’s most extraordinary spaces, and most visitors never find it.
Where to Find DelBrenna in Cortona
DelBrenna Boutique
Piazza della Repubblica, 12
The original location — a tiny jewel box under the Tuscan stairs.
DelBrenna Showroom
Vicolo Corazzi, 17-19
The underground atelier in an ancient palazzo cellar. Not to be missed.
Website: delbrenna.com
Insider tip: DelBrenna ships internationally — so if you fall in love with a piece but can’t decide, you can always order from home. Their online shop carries the full collection.
Why DelBrenna Matters to Cortona
In a town full of souvenir shops selling mass-produced goods, DelBrenna is the real thing. Every piece is handmade in Tuscany, every design is original, and the family behind it has deep roots in Cortona’s community.
DelBrenna has been featured on the PBS Special Dream of Italy with Frances Mayes — the writer who made Cortona famous worldwide. That’s not a coincidence. Like Mayes, DelBrenna understands that what makes Cortona special is not the view, but the people who have chosen to build their lives here.
Shopping at DelBrenna is not just buying a piece of jewellery. It’s taking a piece of Cortona home with you.
