Capital city of the Tuscan province, Arezzo is 296 meters above sea level. It is located on a hillside between Casentino, Valdichiana and the upper Valdarno. This geographical position has favored the development of artisan (especially goldcraft) and industrial activities. The city has given birth to famous people like Petrarch, Aretino and Vasari, and has maintained an extremely interesting historical and artistic tradition since the Middle Ages. The historic center contains stupendous works of art and testimonies from every era.

Arezzo owes its name and its foundation to the Etruscans (4th century B.C.). In the Roman era, it became an important military outpost on the Via Cassia. Of lesser importance in the High Middle Ages, the city underwent an economic and building revival between the 9th and 12th centuries, thanks to the power exercised by the bishops. In 1098, it became a free commune. Conflict with the neighboring cities of Siena and Florence intensified, until it suffered a grave blow from Florence in the battle of Campaldino (1289). In the 14th century, Arezzo definitively lost its freedom and passed under the Signori of the Medici. Only with the Unity of Italy, did the city again find the strength to reaffirm its administrative and economic importance.

By Car
On the A1 Florence-Rome motorway and the State Road SS73 from Siena.

By Train
Arezzo railway station is connected to Florence, Siena, Rome, Bologna.

By Air
The nearest airport is A. Vespucci Airport of Florence- Peretola (Tel. 055-333498), 86 km far away. The main national and internationl airlines land here.

The historic center can be visited enjoyably on foot. There are parking areas located at the principal points of access: to the north, near the Church of S. Domenico; to the east, in Via Leone; to the southeast, near the railroad center.

The transport agency (ATAM) offers shuttle-bus services (Tel. 0575-984520).

Tourist Information
APT, Agency for the Promotion of Tourism
Piazza Risorgimento, 116, Tel. 0575-23952
Tourist Office, Piazza della Repubblica, 28 tel. 0575/377678
Information point, Sala S. Sebastiano - Via Ricasoli, tel. 0575/377829

Useful Numbers
Carabinieri: 112
Emergencies: 113
Fire Department: 115
Urban Police: 0575-906667
Doctor on Call: 118
Road Assistance: 116
Railway Station: 0575/20553
Taxi Service: 0575-382626

Arezzo’s cooking is based on traditional dishes, with rustic and genuine products of peasant culture. Among the typical dishes are filled pastas and “gnocchi del Casentino.” The latter have a ricotta and spinach base, and are served in broth or with a tomato sauce. The celebrated “pappardelle,” fettuccine flavored with a thick hare sauce, are certainly worth trying. Meats and games triumph as second dishes: roast beef or lamb, skewered or grilled; birds served with herbs; pork livers and roast pork. Much attention is given to the side dishes based on the vegetables in season: fried celery, stuffed artichokes, porcini mushrooms, vegetables flavored with olive oil. The hardy Chianti from the Arezzo hills goes well with these robust dishes. For lovers of white wine, we recommend the Bianco vergine of the Valdichiana.

Walking downtown, one can’t help but admire the many elegant windows of the famous gold shops. Even today, the artisans use complex techniques, like the ancient Florentine “mosaic.” The shops of restorers and antique furniture dealers are quite prestigious. Food shops show the typical alimentary productions of the peasant tradition (oil, wine, meats). Finally, at the Caffé dei Costanti, an ancient literary café in the downtown area, one can taste the exquisite chocolate “gatto`,” a sweet of French origin that arrived in Arezzo in the Napoleonic era.

Teatro Comunale Petrarca
Via Guido Monaco, Tel. 0575-23975