Arezzo

a hidden gem in the heart of Tuscany

When you wake to the sound of church bells in Arezzo, your biggest decision will be how to spend your day.

You could wander the mediaeval city streets, browse the antique shops, and pick up local prosciutto and fresh pecorino from the markets for lunch. In the afternoon you might visit the Piero della Francesca frescoes, stroll to the Medici fortress and finish at a local trattoria.

Alternatively you might want to make an easy day trip by car, bus or train to Siena, Florence, Assisi or Cortona.

Every month the city hosts Italy’s best antiques market, and in June and September the city succumbs to ‘giostra’ fever as the four 'quartieres' compete in an ancient jousting tournament. For lovers of fine food, Arezzo offers wonderful restaurants and trattorias. There are daily fresh produce markets and a large Saturday market as well as specialty stores offering locally produced pasta, cheese, prosciutto, sinfully rich pastries, the regional Chianti wines and of course, gelato that tastes like heaven on earth.

However you want to spend your time, Arezzo is the perfect place to take a break from your hectic touring itinerary.