What to see in Arezzo in 2 days: complete itinerary

What to see in Arezzo in 2 days

Arezzo is one of Tuscany's most underrated art cities. Here Piero della Francesca painted the most important fresco cycle of the 15th century, Giorgio Vasari built his ideal home, and every first Sunday the Piazza Grande transforms into Italy's largest antiques market. A city where art is not behind museum glass but in the corners of streets.

Day 1: Art and the historic centre

Morning (3-4 hours)

Start at the Basilica of San Francesco to admire Piero della Francesca's Legend of the True Cross (1452-1466), the masterpiece that alone justifies the trip. Booking is mandatory (maximum 25 people every 30 minutes), but early morning is less crowded. Every detail — the light, the faces, the geometry — reveals something new with each visit.

From San Francesco, climb Corso Italia to the Pieve di Santa Maria, a Romanesque masterpiece with a facade of blind columns (68 columns, each different) and Pietro Lorenzetti's polyptych in the apse. The "hundred holes" bell tower dominates the city skyline.

Afternoon (3-4 hours)

Emerge into Piazza Grande, one of Italy's most beautiful squares: an asymmetrical sloping surface surrounded by the Palazzo della Fraternità dei Laici (Gothic-Renaissance), the Logge del Vasari, and medieval tower-houses. The Giostra del Saracino jousting tournament takes place here (June and September).

Visit Casa Vasari, the residence the artist personally decorated with allegorical frescoes in every room. It is one of the few Renaissance artist homes preserved intact. Continue to the Archaeological Museum with the Chimera of Arezzo (the copy; the original is in Florence) and extraordinary Arretine coral vases.

Evening

Aperitivo under the Logge del Vasari overlooking the square. Dinner in the trattorias of the Porta Crucifera quarter, where Arezzo cuisine shines: ribollita, pici with duck ragù, scottiglia.

Day 2: The upper city and surroundings

Morning (3-4 hours)

Climb to the Duomo at the hilltop. The Gothic interior holds Piero della Francesca's Mary Magdalene (fresco on the left pillar, easy to miss) and Guillaume de Marcillat's stained glass, considered among Italy's finest. The 16th-century organ still plays during services.

Continue to the Medici Fortress, built by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. Today it is a public park with 360-degree views over the Val di Chiana, Valtiberina and Chianti hills. On clear days you can see as far as Monte Amiata.

Afternoon (3-4 hours)

Descend to the San Domenico quarter to visit the eponymous church with Cimabue's Crucifix, an early work by the master who preceded Giotto. You are often alone before this extraordinary piece.

If it is the first Sunday of the month, the Ivan Bruschi Antiques Fair fills Piazza Grande and surrounding streets with over 500 exhibitors. Otherwise, visit the Medieval and Modern Museum in Palazzo Bruni-Ciocchi with its maiolica collection and garden.

Evening

Walk through the Prato, the long tree-lined park connecting the Fortress to the lower city, popular with locals for the evening stroll. Dinner in the Piazza Sant'Agostino area, less touristy and more authentic.