A good idea, whether we are on a tour of Tuscany or on a trip to Florence, is to spend a day in the city of Arezzo. Only an hour by train from Florence and close to many of the prettiest villages in Tuscany, this medieval city is well worth a visit. So we are going to dedicate this post to discovering what to see in Arezzo.
Do you remember the square that Roberto Benigni rides through on his bicycle in "Life Is Beautiful"? Well, it is in Arezzo, and it is considered one of the most beautiful and best preserved medieval squares in Italy. The whole first part of "Life Is Beautiful" was filmed in Arezzo. There is a route around the city to visit the film's most famous locations, such as the theatre or the house of "Maria, the key!".
But although the city has become more famous thanks to this film, there is much more to see in Arezzo. Its wonderful Duomo, its Romanesque churches, the frescoes of Piero della Francesca, … Other reasons to visit Arezzo, besides the things to see, are its excellent food and its popular festivals.
Arezzo, although it is a hugely important medieval city, is one of the lesser known capitals of Tuscany, overshadowed by places like Florence, Siena or Lucca. The advantage is that it is not a very touristy city, so we won't find huge crowds of visitors and we can get a feel for the genuine style of the people who live here. Another interesting advantage is that Arezzo can easily be seen in a day or even half a day, if we don't go into museums. This way, a visit to Arezzo fits in perfectly with any kind of trip: we can go and see it from Florence, or stop off if we are touring the villages of Tuscany.
So that you can get the most out of your trip and get to know this little known jewel of Tuscany, we are going to describe what to see and do in Arezzo.
What to see in Arezzo: how to get there
As we said, Arezzo enjoys a privileged position. The capital of the province of Arezzo, to the south of Florence and the west of Siena, it borders another important region of Italy: Umbria. It is very close to some of the most visited areas of Tuscany, such as Chianti and the Val d’Orcia, and some of the prettiest little villages in Italy belong to this province, such as Cortona or Anghiari (the 8 prettiest villages near Florence).
Seeing Arezzo by car:
It is quite likely that if you are touring Tuscany by car you will pass close to Arezzo (you can find tips in Travelling by car around Florence and Tuscany). In addition, the A1 motorway, which links Florence and Rome, passes very close to Arezzo: it is 10 minutes from the motorway exit to the centre. And another advantage is that as it is a small, not very touristy city, parking is not usually a problem. So if you pass near Arezzo, it is worth stopping to see the city. A stroll through its historic centre is a must on a tour of Tuscany!
Where to park in the centre of Arezzo:
Although Arezzo is a fairly quiet city, it is best not to drive into the historic centre (advice that applies to all the cities of Tuscany), mainly because there are many Limited Traffic Zones (ZTL) and, if we don't spot them, fines follow. So I advise you to enter the centre only if we are going to a public car park and, if not, to use one of the car parks at the gates of the centre.
The most convenient and cheapest car park in Arezzo is the Parking Pietri ("Parcheggio Pietri"), on Via Giuseppe Pietri. It is a large open area with two car parks side by side: one paid, marked as a Blue Zone (cheaper than the blue zone near the station) and one free. Naturally, the free car park is usually full, but I advise you to try that one first and, if there is no space, leave the car in the paid one. From the car park you go through one of the gates in the city wall and from there you take some escalators that drop us in the Cathedral square. Super convenient!
We can also park in one of the car parks inside the historic centre, which can be reached without entering the restricted zone. There are two car parks very close to each other: the "Parking Piazza del Popolo" (Piazza del Popolo 1), underground, and the "Parking Cardona ATAM" (Via Porta Buia 6), the cheapest in the centre, which is why it is usually full.
You can also try driving along the streets parallel to the avenue leading to the station, that is, the streets "Via Spinello", "Via Niccolò Aretino" and "Via Antonio Guadagnoli". It is all Blue Zone, but they let you pay for a maximum of 2 hours. There is a car park at the end of these streets, the "Parking Eden", but I don't recommend it because it is very expensive (3€/hour).
There are other car parks a little further from the centre, but with very low prices: here is the link to all the public car parks in the city of Arezzo.
Seeing Arezzo by train:
An interesting idea if we have time to spare on a trip to Florence is to make a day trip by train. We already included Arezzo among the day trip options outside the city in the post What to see near Florence. This getaway gives us the chance to see a mainly medieval city in peace and without queues, as well as to eat at much more affordable prices than in Florence.
From Florence, the best way to get to Arezzo is by train from Santa Maria Novella station. There are generally two trains every hour linking these two cities: a "regionale veloce" that takes an hour and makes only 4 stops at the main intermediate stations; and a "regionale" that takes an hour and a half because it stops at almost every village between the two cities. Both trains cost the same, 8.70€, so I advise you to take the "regionale veloce". On the Trenitalia website you will find all the timetables, but there is no need to buy the ticket in advance.
Arezzo station is practically opposite the start of the historic centre, so it is very conveniently located. For reference, to head to the centre, look for the street "Corso Italia".
What to see in Arezzo: main monuments
The main street around which the principal monuments of Arezzo's historic centre are arranged is the Corso Italia, or simply "il corso". Most of the places of tourist interest to see in Arezzo are concentrated within a few steps of this street. I am going to name the monuments we can't miss in Arezzo's historic centre, from its highest part, that is, Piazza del Duomo, heading down towards the train station:
Arezzo Duomo (Cattedrale dei Santi Pietro e Donato), in Piazza del Duomo.
Don't miss the hexagonal bell tower ("campanile"), next to the apse (on the outside). The interior can be visited for free (opening hours: 07.00-12.30 / 15.00-18.30).
Fortezza Medicea, Viale Bruno Buozzi.
Behind the Duomo a park stretches out and runs round the Fortress of Arezzo, which is often used for temporary exhibitions. From the park ("Passeggio del Prato") there are wonderful views of the surroundings of Arezzo.
Church of San Domenico, in Piazza San Domenico.
It is a small church which, although only a few metres from the Duomo, lies a little off the main tourist routes. It has a very pretty Romanesque facade and stands out for its "cut off" appearance. The interior is sober and bright, and you can go in for free.
Pieve di Santa Maria (or the church of Santa Maria della Pieve), at the junction of Corso Italia and Via di Seteria.
One of the best examples of Romanesque architecture in Tuscany, and one of the most amazing churches you will see, both outside and inside. Don't miss its portico or its bell tower, and try to see the interior. Entry is free. The official opening hours are 8.00-12.00/15.00-18.00, but it is not always open at those times.
Piazza Grande (behind the Pieve di Santa Maria).
Despite the other monuments to see, it is worth stopping in Arezzo just to enjoy the view of this beautiful sloping medieval square. You have to see it, take it in and photograph it from every angle.
Basilica of San Francesco, in Piazza San Francesco.
This simple Gothic church is famous for housing one of the most famous frescoes in Italy: the "Legend of the True Cross", painted by Piero della Francesca between 1453 and 1466. The ticket to see the frescoes is bought at the side of the church, on Via San Francesco.
Church of Sant’Agostino, in Piazza Sant’Agostino.
I mention this church mainly because of its location, since it stands in a wide square a couple of steps from Corso Italia where there are several bars and restaurants, and a really good atmosphere, especially in summer.
Roman amphitheatre, Via Francesco Crispi 15.
It may seem like very little if we have been to Rome or Verona, but on the way to the station we can stop to see Arezzo's small Roman amphitheatre. Only part of its structure survives, but in summer it is used for open-air opera performances.
Santa Maria delle Grazie, at Via Santa Maria delle Grazie 1.
A little on the outskirts of the city, very close to the ring road, stands this small Renaissance jewel. The church has a lovely entrance portico, and is surrounded by a green park open to the public. The interior holds important works of art and you can go in for free, from 7.00 to 20.00.
What to see in Arezzo: main museums
Although in Arezzo, thanks to its long history and being a provincial capital, we find several museums, I am going to name the most important ones from the point of view of tourist interest. I remind you that on the first Sunday of every month all the state museums in Italy can be visited for free. Of the ones I mention, all are state-run except the Museum of Sacred Art. There is also a combined ticket that lets you see these three state museums together with entry to the Church of San Francesco, to see the frescoes of Piero della Francesca. You can find detailed information on the official website.
Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale Mecenate).
This museum is in the grounds of the Roman Amphitheatre, but the entrance is on Via Margaritone 10. The Etruscan and Roman sectionsare especially interesting. It is a small museum that is easily seen in a little over an hour. It opens from 9.30 to 11.30 and from 14.00 to 19.00, on Sundays it opens non-stop, and it costs 6€.
Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art (closed for renovation).
This museum is right opposite the main facade of the Duomo and holds important works of art from both the Cathedral and other churches in Arezzo and the province. For the moment it is closed for renovation and will reopen in March 2020.
Casa Vasari Museum
The house of this important Renaissance artist, who worked for the Medici family, has been turned into a museum. In it you can admire works by the painter as well as several rooms of the house decorated with frescoes painted by the man himself. It is very close to the Church of San Domenico, at Via XX Settembre 55. Entry costs 4€ and the museum has rather complicated opening hours: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 8.30 to 19.30; Thursday, Sunday and public holidays from 8.30 to 13.30.
Museum of Medieval and Modern Art
Inside a lovely Renaissance palace, at Via San Lorentino 8, stands this museum which houses an important collection of Arezzo and Tuscan painting from the early Middle Ages to the 19th century. Entry is free but the opening hours are quite limited: Tuesday from 9.00 to 13.30, Thursday from 15.00 to 19.30 and the first and third Saturday of the month, from 15.00 to 19.30.
What to do in Arezzo: festivals and events
The most important festival in Arezzo, and one of the most famous in Tuscany, is the "Giostra del Saracino". It is a mounted tournament of medieval origin that pits the four districts that divide the historic centre against one another. It is held twice a year, in June and September, in Piazza Grande, and is accompanied by parades and dinners throughout the weekend. When the dates coincide with the Giostra del Saracino, Arezzo is usually packed.
Also very famous is the Antiques Market held on the first weekend of every month in Piazza Grande and in the streets of Arezzo's historic centre. It is the chance to see all kinds of curiosities and strange objects.
I hope the information we have shared helps you plan a visit to Arezzo. I also leave you a link to the official Arezzo tourism website so you can fill in more details about the city. In addition, in the province of Arezzo there are many more things to see and do, such as visiting the medieval villages of Cortona, Castiglione Fiorentino or Anghiari, or strolling among the little villages and landscapes of the Casentino area.
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