Arezzo

A short history

Arezzo was one of the twelve principal Etruscan cities — already substantial by 500 BC — and one of the first to fall under Roman influence in the 3rd century BC. Its Roman amphitheatre still curves below the cathedral hill. In the late medieval period it produced a remarkable concentration of artists: Piero della Francesca worked here on the Basilica of San Francesco fresco cycle (1452–1466), and Giorgio Vasari — the architect, painter and writer who effectively invented art history — was born and worked here.

Twentieth-century Arezzo became a film backdrop. Roberto Benigni's 'La Vita è Bella' (1997) was set and shot here; the bicycle ride on Corso Italia, the soldiers in Piazza Grande, the bakery on Via Roma — all real Arezzo locations.

Today Arezzo is a quietly prosperous provincial capital with a strong gold and jewellery industry (Italy's largest goldsmith district), the most important monthly antiques fair in Tuscany, and tourist volumes a fraction of Florence's despite holding equivalent art treasures.

Where to base

Arezzo is small. Most visitors do it as a day trip from Florence, but one night unlocks the post-tour-bus evening atmosphere — the city is largely yours from 6pm.

Piazza Grande area. The most atmospheric quarter, around the sloping medieval square. Small hotels and B&Bs €100–€170/night.

Cortona (in the same province, 35km south). If you want a hilltop-village base, Cortona is the better choice — see below. Most travellers split Arezzo + Cortona over two nights.

Casentino countryside. The chestnut-forest mountains north of Arezzo. Agriturismi from €100/night; best for hiking + summer escape from the heat.

What to see

Basilica di San Francesco. Piero della Francesca's Legend of the True Cross — one of the most important fresco cycles of the Italian Renaissance. Pre-book online, 25-minute timed entry, €12. Limited numbers per session so the cycle stays visible.

Piazza Grande. The sloping medieval square that hosts the antiques fair on the first weekend of every month and the Giostra del Saracino (medieval jousting tournament) twice a year. Vasari designed the Loggia at the top. Sit at one of the cafés at the lower edge for the best view.

Vasari's House. The painter's own home, decorated by him. Small, often empty, intensely personal. €5.

Cathedral (Duomo di San Donato). 13th-century Gothic on the cathedral hill. Don't miss the small Mary Magdalene fresco by Piero della Francesca (a single panel, easy to overlook).

Cortona — see day trips below. The hilltop town inspired Frances Mayes's 'Under the Tuscan Sun' and now draws steady traffic, but mornings remain quiet.

What to skip

Pre-booked guided 'Arezzo Half-Day' bus tours. Arezzo rewards slow walking, sitting in cafés, getting a bit lost. A 3-hour scripted tour misses the point.

The antiques fair without time. First-weekend-of-the-month antiques fair fills Piazza Grande and 12 surrounding streets with stalls. Wonderful if you have all day and €100+ to spend; pointless if you're rushing through.

Best time to visit

April–June + September–October. The two shoulder windows. Particularly good for the Casentino forests (turning gold in October, full of wildflowers in May).

First weekend of each month. Antiques fair days. Atmospheric and crowded.

Giostra del Saracino days. Penultimate Saturday of June (evening) and first Sunday of September (afternoon). Medieval costume + jousting in Piazza Grande. Free; arrive 3 hours early.

Getting there

By train. Florence → Arezzo Centrale: 35 minutes on Frecciarossa (€18), 1h 10 on regional (€8). Rome → Arezzo: 1h 30 Frecciarossa. The station is 5 minutes' walk from the historic centre.

By car. A1 Autostrada del Sole runs Florence → Arezzo (1h with no traffic). Park outside the walls at Pietri or Mecenate (€10/day) and walk in.

Day trips from Arezzo

Cortona — 35 minutes by car. Hilltop town on the southern edge of the province; Etruscan museum, Renaissance churches, views over Lake Trasimeno. Half-day minimum; pair with a Cortona lunch.

Casentino forests. The chestnut + beech forests in the Apennines north of Arezzo. Bibbiena, Poppi (medieval castle), and the Camaldoli + La Verna monasteries. Full day by car.

Anghiari — small walled town 25 minutes east. Tuesday market. Site of the 1440 battle Leonardo da Vinci tried (and failed) to paint a fresco of. Siena sits 1h 20m to the west — the natural neighbour-province pairing.

Lake Trasimeno — 40 minutes south; technically Umbria, but the closest large lake. Boat to Isola Polvese for an afternoon swim.

Practicalities

Eat. Bistecca di Chianina (the cattle breed comes from this valley), ribollita, agnello fritto. Drink a Chianti Colli Aretini or a Sangiovese from neighbouring Valdichiana.

Antiques fair logistics. Best stalls open by 7am Saturday and Sunday of the first weekend each month. Bring cash (many vendors don't take cards), a metric measuring tape (furniture sizes are quoted in cm), and patience for negotiation in Italian.

Read first. Our practical-basics guide covers transport and trip logistics.