Two large Etruscan tumulus tombs sit in the open fields below Cortona, near the suburb of Il Sodo. The tombs, known as Melone I and Melone II, are about three kilometres apart and both can be visited — Melone II, with its remarkable carved staircase and altar platform, is the more rewarding stop.
Access is by appointment through the Cortona archaeology service (book at the Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca). The tombs are most impressive from up close, where the scale of the stone construction becomes clear.