An Overture
Arezzo is a wealthy, refined city in eastern Tuscany, often overlooked by visitors yet holding one of the region's greatest art treasures: Piero della Francesca's Legend of the True Cross fresco cycle. An ancient Etruscan and Roman centre, later a hub of goldsmithing and antiques, Arezzo climbs a hill to a sloping medieval square and a grand Romanesque-Gothic core, with little of the tourist crush found further west. It sits squarely on the main Florence–Rome rail line, making it both an easy day trip and an excellent uncrowded base — well placed for Cortona, the Casentino valleys, and even Umbria. The city is also the setting for Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful.
Top Things to Do
Basilica di San Francesco — Piero della Francesca's "Legend of the True Cross"
One of the supreme fresco cycles of the early Renaissance (1450s).
Insider tip — Entry to the Bacci Chapel containing the frescoes requires a separate timed ticket with limited numbers — book ahead, especially in season.
Piazza Grande
A beautiful sloping square ringed by medieval towers, the Vasari loggia, and the curved apse of Santa Maria della Pieve; host to the antiques fair and the Saracen joust.
Insider tip — Free; the café terraces catch the afternoon sun.
Pieve di Santa Maria
A striking Romanesque church with a multi-tiered "hundred-holes" bell tower and a fine façade facing the Corso.
Insider tip — Free entry.
Arezzo Cathedral (Duomo)
Gothic cathedral with stained glass by Guillaume de Marcillat and a small Piero della Francesca fresco of Mary Magdalene.
Insider tip — Free; up at the top of the hill.
Medici Fortress (Fortezza Medicea)
Restored hilltop fortress with parkland and panoramic views.
Insider tip — Modest or free entry; great for a picnic.
Casa Vasari
The frescoed home of the artist-architect-biographer Giorgio Vasari, an Arezzo native.
Insider tip — Ticketed; small.
Walking Tours
The uphill Corso walk
From the station up Via Guido Monaco and Corso Italia, climbing through the shopping streets to Piazza Grande, the Pieve, the Duomo, and the Fortezza park at the summit — a continuous ascent linking all the main sights in ~1.5 km.
Arezzo railway station → Basilica di San Francesco, Arezzo → Corso Italia, Arezzo → Pieve di Santa Maria, Arezzo → Piazza Grande, Arezzo → Cattedrale di Arezzo → Passeggio del Prato, Arezzo → Fortezza Medicea, Arezzo
Antiques wander
On the first weekend of each month, the entire upper town fills with the Fiera Antiquaria, Italy's most famous antiques market — a walk through it is an experience in itself.
Basilica di San Francesco, Arezzo → Corso Italia, Arezzo → Piazza Grande, Arezzo → Logge Vasari, Arezzo
Day Trips & Beyond
Cortona
Hilltop Etruscan town. Getting there — Train to Camucia-Cortona (~20 min) + connecting bus or taxi up the hill.
SearchSansepolcro
Piero della Francesca's birthplace, home to his Resurrection. Getting there — Bus or the private LFI train line (~1 hr) east through the Tiber valley.
SearchCasentino Valley (Poppi, Camaldoli, La Verna)
Forested upper Arno with castles and monasteries. Getting there — LFI train to Poppi/Bibbiena, then local bus to the sanctuaries.
SearchHidden Gems
Giostra del Saracino (Saracen Joust)
A medieval costumed jousting tournament held twice yearly (June night edition and first Sunday of September) in Piazza Grande, with contrada-style district rivalry.
Ticketed grandstand seating; book ahead.
SearchFiera Antiquaria
The monthly antiques fair (first Sat–Sun), drawing dealers and browsers from across Italy.
Free to wander; arrive early for the best finds.
SearchCasentino monasteries (Camaldoli & La Verna)
Remote, spiritually charged retreats — La Verna being where St. Francis is said to have received the stigmata.
Getting there — Bus from Bibbiena; check sparse timetables.
SearchFood & Dining
Aretine cooking is robust and inland.
The hills yield Chianti Colli Aretini wines and excellent chestnut and porcini products from the Casentino.
trattorias around Piazza Grande and the streets off Corso Italia; quality is high and prices are notably gentler than in Florence.
Where to Stay
Getting around — The historic core is compact and walkable, though uphill; the station sits at the bottom of the slope.
Practical Notes
Getting There & Around
- Getting in (without a car): Arezzo station is on the main Florence–Rome line with frequent direct trains (Florence ~50–90 min; Rome ~1.5–2.5 hrs). The separate LFI regional line and buses serve the Casentino and Valdichiana. The bus terminal is by the station.
- Getting in (with a car): Off the A1 autostrada (Arezzo exit); park in lots below the centre — the upper town is ZTL-restricted.
- Getting around: On foot. It's a steady climb from the station to Piazza Grande (~15 min) — escalators and city buses ease the ascent. Taxis wait at the station.
- Tips: For Cortona, the practical route is train to Camucia-Cortona then the shuttle bus up; the hilltop is too steep to walk from the station.
Good to Know
- The Piero della Francesca frescoes require a timed, capacity-limited ticket — reserve in advance.
- Many sights and shops close midday; the antiques fair and joust dates dominate the calendar — plan around them.
- Arezzo is calm, prosperous, and very safe, with little tourist-targeted crime.
- The centre is hilly — comfortable shoes recommended.
Notable Insights
Character & Value
- Cultural/etiquette: Arezzo is an affluent, understated city of goldsmiths and antiquarians; it rewards slow wandering rather than checklist sightseeing.
- Budget: One of Tuscany's best-value art cities — mid-range trattoria meals (€15–25) and hotels run well below Florence/Siena prices, while the headline art (Piero's frescoes) rivals anything in the region.
Timing & Highlights
- Timing: Come on the first weekend of the month for the antiques fair, or for the September joust, for the city at its liveliest. Otherwise weekdays are serene. Spring and autumn are ideal.
- Standout experience: Standing alone before Piero della Francesca's Legend of the True Cross — a world-class masterpiece you can often view with only a handful of other people, unthinkable for comparable art in Florence.
Recommended Videos
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