Arezzo

Likes & Dislikes

Likes

Arezzo - Piazza Grande - Krista K. photo

1. The sloping Piazza Grande

2. As the local peoples leisurely walk on Corso Italy even on an early Monday evening

3. The medieval towers

4. The right decision to spend a night here

Dislikes

1. Arezzo, in total has less spectacular sights than the more famous Tuscan towns

2. There are no sidewalks on many Old Town streets, which makes some difficult for pedestrians.

3. We traveled to Sicily two weeks earlier and certainly had better restaurant experiences than here.

Opinions

Arezzo - Piazza Grande from above - Krista K. photo

,, Arezzo is a beautiful, very compact small town. The city center is at the top of the hill as it should be; the cobblestoned streets and the medieval houses are lovely. I especially liked the elderly locals full of energy. An old lady in her 80s climbs the steep street with her rolling shopping bag at a leisurely pace while looking around with routine confidence. In a butchery, the two shopkeepers are likewise in their eighties, and they serve us with adorable old-style professionalism. (Krista, 2022)

Practicals

Transport

The Old Town is not car-friendly at all. The parking rules are strictly enforced. Avoid getting a painful fine. Visitors should expect to pay a minimum of 10 Euro/day for parking. There are very few parking spots for non-residents. You better find a car park further from the Old Town and then walk. The area of the tourist sights is not so big, easily walkable. It is recommended to wear solid shoes due to the sloping streets.(Krista, 2022)

Arezzo - Pedestrian zone - Krista K. photo

Arezzo - public bus - Krista K. photo

Food

The opening hours of the restaurants are annoying for a tourist. They are open from noon to two, maximum to three, and seven to eleven in the evenings. We had the impression that the life of the restaurant owners is basically concentrated around the siesta. Fortunately, Arezzo has a Pakistani immigrant community, and their eateries are open most of the day.

On weekends the restaurants are full of customers, and you are expected to make a reservation.

Restaurants charge 2-3 euros per person for coperto (cover charge) everywhere. The cost of a dinner/lunch for two rarely stops under € 50.

Arezzo - Caffeteria - Krista K. photo

Fun

Arezzo - Italian proverb: 'Guest is like the fish, begins to smell after three days - kr

Public safety

Arezzo - Police car - Krista K. photo

Others

Arezzo - One of the scenes in Life Is Beautiful was filmed here - Krista K.'s photo

Background

Destination in brief

Population (in 2022): 95,000

Tuscan city is little discovered by foreign tourists. It is located 80 km southeast of Florence

Before you visit Arezzo, we recommend seeing the Oscar-winning film "Life is Beautiful" (La Vita É Bella), directed by Roberto Begnini. This great movie was mainly filmed in this city.

History

Locals are very proud of Arezzo's history and culture. However, sometimes they may exaggerate when explaining that the rival Florentines could only manage to occupy Arezzo by a trick in medieval times.

Nowadays

Arezzo - Piazza de San Francisco - Krista K. photo

Attractions

Piazza Grande

Arezzo - Piazza Grande - Il palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici - Krista K. photo

Arezzo - Piazza Grande - Krista K. photo

Old Town

Arezzo - Old Town - Krista K. photo

Churches

Arezzo - The Basilica of San Francesco - Krista K. photo

Arezzo - Badia delle Sante Flora e Lucilla - Krista K. photo

Arezzo - The Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata - Krista K. photo

Corso Italia

Arezzo - Old Town - Corso Italia - Krista K. photo