10 Things to Do and See in Arezzo

Arezzo is Tuscany’s Cinderella, unfairly overshadowed by the fame of Florence, Siena and Pisa. This does not mean, however, that it should be considered a secondary tourist destination.

On the contrary, Arezzo offers everything you expect from the most beautiful side of Tuscany: its atmosphere, hospitality, art and gastronomy, but without the unbearable crowds of tourists that afflict its more famous Tuscan sisters.

By reading this guide on what to see in Arezzo, you will understand that we are not mistaken and that this city of art is truly worth visiting.

Giorgio Vasari and Piero della Francesca have always been Arezzo’s historical ambassadors. Their artistic and architectural legacies are still the city’s main attractions today.

Everything refers back to them: the loggia of Piazza Grande, the frescoes in the Basilica of San Francesco, the Cathedral of San Donato, and the Vasari House Museum.

But that is not all: Arezzo offers much more. On this page, we suggest the 10 things to see during a weekend or holiday in Arezzo.

The full range of hotels in Arezzo is available on Booking.com. About 50 hotels with photos, services, prices and reviews from guests who have already stayed there.
Go to Booking.com

1

This small stone and brick church is famous because it houses “The Legend of the True Cross” by Piero della Francesca, rightly considered one of the absolute masterpieces of Italian art.

Inspired by the Golden Legend

The fresco cycle is inspired by the Golden Legend, written by the Ligurian bishop Jacobus de Voragine and very popular in the Middle Ages. The “Legend” tells the story of the piece of wood used to build the Cross of Jesus: grown from the branch that God placed in the mouth of the dead Adam, the tree was supposed to be used to build King Solomon’s Temple, but it “rebelled” by shortening and lengthening itself whenever necessary.

Thrown into a river, it was used as a footbridge until the Queen of Sheba prophesied its future use. Solomon then had it buried until the Israelites found it and used it to make the Cross of Jesus.

The frescoes are arranged in non-chronological order, but are aligned according to symmetry: the outdoor scenes are at the top, court scenes with architectural backgrounds are in the middle section, and battles are at the bottom.

The interior of the Basilica

Inside the Basilica of San Francesco, you should also admire a fresco by Luca Signorelli and the large central Crucifix by the Master of San Francesco.

Opening hours and ticket price for the Church of San Francesco

Opening hours:
Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm Saturday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Sunday: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm. Visits every 30 minutes. Booking required by phone at +39 0575 352727.
Closed: Monday, Wednesday, January 1st, December 25th.

Ticket price: full price €10, reduced €4.

How to get there: in the square of the same name, Piazza San Francesco. On foot through the historic centre.

2

Piazza Grande, or Piazza Vasari in Arezzo, is one of the most harmonious architectural complexes in Italy, and therefore in the world. Built on a steep slope, its unusual trapezoidal shape is overlooked by churches, historic buildings, loggias and old shops. What should you see in this beautiful square in Arezzo?

What to see in Piazza Grande in Arezzo

On the left are the Pieve di Santa Maria (see point 3) and the Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici, with its still-functioning astronomical clock. On this side there is also a splendid public fountain.

On the upper side of the square stands the outline of the Palazzo delle Logge, built to a design by Vasari.

On the right are Palazzo Lappoli, with its wooden balcony, and Palazzo Casatorre dei Cofani, with its distinctive tower. A curiosity: this is the square from Benigni’s “Life Is Beautiful”, where he is seen several times riding downhill by bicycle. Piazza Grande hosts the monthly Antiques Fair and the Giostra del Saracino jousting tournament (see point 8).

3

If the Church of San Francesco is the most loved by tourists, thanks to the presence of Piero della Francesca’s frescoes, the Cathedral of San Donato is the church of the people of Arezzo, whose fortunes it has followed over the centuries.

Built on the site of the city’s ancient Acropolis, construction began in 1278 and was completed only in the 1500s.

The history of the bell tower, rebuilt three times, is unusual: the first one was attached to the cathedral, but the vibrations of the bells damaged the cathedral’s famous stained-glass windows, so it was moved farther away; the second was demolished because an underground aquifer had made it unstable; finally, the current one was built. It was originally detached from the cathedral, but was later connected to the church by the construction of the cathedral keepers’ houses.

The façade was rebuilt in the early 1900s, while the original interior is divided into three large naves. Particularly beautiful are the coloured stained-glass windows by Guillaume de Marcillat, the Mary Magdalene by Piero della Francesca, painted in 1465, and the Holy Trinity between Saints Donatus and Bernard by Andrea della Robbia.

The marble panel depicting the “Baptism of Christ”, which decorates the baptismal font, is attributed to Donatello.

The Diocesan Museum of Arezzo

In Piazza Duomo, inside the Diocesan Museum building (MUDAS Museum), several works are preserved, including three wonderful wooden crucifixes and works by Bartolomeo della Gatta, the most important painter in southern Tuscany after Piero della Francesca.

The most important core of the museum consists of works by Giorgio Vasari, including the banner with the Preaching of the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus, and a large tondo with the Madonna of Mercy.

Opening hours and ticket price for Arezzo Cathedral and the MUDAS

Cathedral opening hours
Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (last admission 5:30 pm)
Sundays and holidays from 1:30 pm to 6:00 pm (last admission 5:30 pm)

Ticket price: free

Diocesan Museum opening hours April 1st – October 31st: Every day 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (last admission 5:30 pm) November 1st – March 31st: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (last admission 4:30 pm) December 26th – January 6th: Every day 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (last admission 5:30 pm).

Ticket price: €6

How to get there: in the highest part of Arezzo.

4

The first thing to see is the large Crucifix by Cimabue, recently restored and the great attraction of the Basilica of San Domenico.

The large cross, more than 3 metres high, is the first work attributed to Cimabue and was painted between about 1268 and 1271.

Cimabue, whose real name was Cenni di Pepo, was Giotto’s master and was described by Vasari as the painter who revolutionised art in Europe.

Cimabue, just as in the Arezzo Crucifix, moved from the idealised figures of the Byzantine tradition to “real” subjects, endowed with emotion and humanity.

The exterior of the Basilica of San Domenico is Romanesque-Gothic and features an unfinished façade with a bell gable. The interior has a single nave, with frescoes that are largely deteriorated, while the Gothic altar of the Dragondelli Chapel is still clearly visible. Next to the Crucifix is the Funerary Monument of Ranieri degli Ubertini by Gano di Fazio, the oldest example of a suspended tomb in Arezzo.

Opening hours and ticket price for the Basilica of San Domenico

Opening hours: Weekdays and holidays 8:30 am-1:00 pm and 3:30 pm-7:00 pm

Ticket price: free

How to get there: in the highest part of Arezzo.

5

This small museum is one of the many little-known Italian treasure chests that are always overshadowed by the great galleries. The Museum of Medieval Art in Arezzo, however, is exactly what you expect from a museum: a fine selection of works, the peace and quiet needed to admire them without crowds, and knowledgeable, helpful guides.

The museum is housed in the beautiful “Casa della Dogana”, once the seat of the State Monopolies. After crossing the large arcaded courtyard, you enter rooms divided by historical period. Along the route, you encounter works by Pietro Lorenzetti, Parri di Spinello, Bartolomeo della Gatta, Andrea della Robbia and Vasari, beautiful ceramics from the Umbrian and Tuscan schools, and more recent works from 19th-century Tuscany, including canvases by Telemaco Signorini and Cecioni.

Opening hours and ticket price for the Museum of Medieval and Modern Art

Opening hours:
Tuesday: 9:15 am – 1:30 pm
Wednesday: 9:15 am – 7:15 pm
Thursday: 9:15 am – 1:30 pm

Closed: Friday to Monday, January 1st, December 25th.

Ticket price: free

How to get there: Via S. Lorentino 8. 800 metres from Piazza Grande, following Via Piaggio di Murello.

6

They have similar names, but they are two completely different churches: the first is Santa Maria della Pieve, in the city centre, while the second is Santa Maria delle Grazie, just outside Arezzo’s walls.

Overlooking Piazza Grande, the apse of the Pieve di Santa Maria contributes to the overall scenic effect of Arezzo’s main square. The church’s main façade is hidden in Via Seteria, to the left of the square.

It has five blind arches at the base and three orders of loggias supported by 68 columns. The massive bell tower on the right is known as the “tower of 100 holes”, due to the distinctive design of its paired mullioned windows arranged over five floors. The interior has three naves with a trussed ceiling.

The most important work in the Pieve is the Polyptych by Pietro Lorenzetti, depicting a Madonna and Child, the Annunciation, the Assumption and 12 saints. The apse, which overlooks Piazza Grande, is Romanesque, with blind arches and two superimposed loggias.

Santa Maria delle Grazie

The second “Santa Maria”, on the other hand, lies a little outside the usual tourist routes and is therefore less well known, but it truly deserves a visit. Santa Maria delle Grazie was built on the site of a temple dedicated to Apollo and a spring around which pagan rites were once performed. In 1425, Saint Bernardino repeatedly tried to have it destroyed, and succeeded in 1428.

In its place, he had an oratory built, where between 1428 and 1431 Parri di Spinello painted the fresco with the image of the Madonna of Mercy, still visible today.

The Madonna is framed by the marble altar by Andrea della Robbia, which depicts a Madonna and Child between two angels in the tympanum; Saints Lorentino, Pergentino, Donatus and Bernardino in the niches; and the Pietà on the frontal.

In 1490, the distinctive portico with the starry sky was built, immediately catching the eye of those arriving at Santa Maria delle Grazie. It was designed by Benedetto da Maiano, inspired by Brunelleschi’s Ospedale degli Innocenti.

Opening hours and ticket price for the Pieve di Santa Maria

Opening hours: weekdays and holidays 8:30 am-1:00 pm and 3:30 pm-7:00 pm

Ticket price: free

How to get there: in Piazza Grande.

Opening hours and ticket price for Santa Maria delle Grazie

Opening hours: every day from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Ticket price: free

How to get there: Via S. Maria delle Grazie, 1. 25 minutes on foot from the centre. Bus: line L1S or LF8

7Arezzo has rightly paid tribute to one of its most illustrious sons: Giorgio Vasari, Italian painter, architect and art historian. Vasari bought this small palace in 1511, but he did not live there for long: shortly after marrying the fourteen-year-old Niccolosa Bacci, he moved to Rome and then to Florence.

Nevertheless, he personally oversaw the decoration of the house, collecting paintings, sculptures and other works, most of which have since been dispersed.

Since 1911 it has belonged to the State, which turned it into the Vasari Museum and Archive, containing writings and correspondence that the artist exchanged with other leading figures of his time, including Michelangelo, Cosimo I de’ Medici and Pope Pius V.

Ownership of the archive is disputed between the State and the current owners of the building, who tried to sell the entire archive to a Russian buyer.

What to see in Vasari’s House in Arezzo

A visit to the House Museum allows you to admire the works spread over three floors: the apartment with the Room of Fame and the Arts, the Room of the Muses, the Room of Abraham and the Hall of the Fireplace, decorated by Vasari and his pupils. There is also a beautiful hanging garden that the artist personally cared for.

Opening hours and ticket price for Casa Vasari

Opening hours:

Monday 2:15 pm – 7:45 pm (last admission 6:45 pm);
Wednesday and Friday 9:00 am – 1:30 pm (last admission 12:20 pm);
1st and 3rd Saturday of the month 2:15 pm – 7:45 pm (last admission 6:45 pm);
2nd and 4th Saturday of the month 9:00 am – 1:30 pm (last admission 12:20 pm);
Sunday 9:00 am – 1:30 pm (last admission 12:20 pm).

Closed: Tuesday, Thursday, January 1st, December 25th.

Ticket price: €4 full price, €2 reduced

How to get there: Via XX Settembre 55, in the upper part of Arezzo

8

At the most panoramic point of Arezzo there is a beautiful public park created around the old medieval city and the fortress commissioned by the Medici to protect Arezzo. The pentagon-shaped fortress was built around 1550, following the original designs by Giuliano and Antonio da Sangallo.

9

Every first Saturday and Sunday of the month, Piazza Grande in Arezzo turns into a huge antiques market that attracts sellers and enthusiasts from all over Italy. More than 500 exhibitors fill the square, selling objects of every kind: a real goldmine for expert art buyers and curious visitors alike.

The Arezzo Antiques Fair is almost 50 years old — it has been held since 1968 — and, to the organisers’ credit, it has never missed an appointment. The Giostra del Saracino, on the other hand, takes place only twice a year.

On the penultimate Saturday of June, at night, for the Giostra di San Donato, and on the first Sunday of September, during the day, for the September Joust, Piazza Grande becomes the setting for this ancient competition in medieval costumes.

The knights of the city’s four districts must strike the shield of the “Buratto” with a lance, while avoiding being hit in return by the Saracen dummy. The joust recalls the period when people trained against possible invasions by the “Moors”, but over the centuries it became a simple celebration of skill.

10

Nature has given Arezzo hills, vineyards, vegetable gardens, wild animals and farm animals. Moreover, the sea is far away, winters are long and summers are cool, so expect hearty cuisine made of pasta, meat, cheese, vegetables and good wine.

Also expect the great tradition of Italian cucina povera: as an appetiser, crostini with chicken liver pâté and Casentino cured meats arrive at the table; among the first courses, menus never fail to include acquacotta (bread, eggs, cheese and mushrooms), pappardelle with hare or with goose sauce — or chicken — gnocchi with ricotta and spinach, and bringoli or pici with various sauces. Among the main courses, Chianina beef takes pride of place, together with “Grifi”, calf’s muzzle seasoned with spices and tomato, and a fine selection of cheeses, including abbucciato fiorentino. The typical dessert of Arezzo and its province is Gattò aretino, a Swiss roll made with sponge cake soaked in chocolate and alchermes.

H

A little outside the most crowded Tuscan tourist circuits, Arezzo is a destination for those who love quality tourism and is well equipped with a good range of accommodation. In the historic centre and its immediate surroundings, there are about 40 hotels, farm stays and B&Bs.

There are usually no availability problems, except possibly during the high season — spring and early autumn — and during the city’s most important events: the Giostra del Saracino (the penultimate Saturday of June and the first Sunday of September) and the Antiques Fair, held every first Saturday and Sunday of the month. A room in a 3-star hotel in the historic centre starts from €50 per night.

The full range of hotels in Arezzo is available on Booking.com. About 50 hotels with photos, services, prices and reviews from guests who have already stayed there.
Go to Booking.com