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Arezzo is an ancient hilltown in the central Italian region of Tuscany (or Toscana). Dating from Roman times (when it was known as Arretium) the existing fabric of the town today is largely medieval. The town caps a hill above the flood plain of the River Arno. In antiquity it was probably one of the dozen Etrurian towns that comprised the Dodecapolis, the most important cities of the civilisation swept away by the Romans. In the Middle Ages Arezzo fell in the interminable internicine wars between the rival Guelph and Ghibelline clans - but it is for the art of the Renaissance that Arezzo really shone. Vasari, Petrach and Pietro Aretino were all natives, while the medieval star of the city was incomer Piero della Francesca, whose superb frescoes decorate the church of San Francesco. The city is awash in historical must-sees but put the following on your list for starters. The Piazza Grande is the main medieval square in the city: important buildings here include the church of Santa Maria della Pieve, the Palazzetto della Fraternita dei Laici, the Loggia di Vasari, the Espiscopal Palace, the palazzo Cofani-Brizzolari (with the Torre Faggiolana) and the Palazzo del Popolo. Important churches abound with the Duomo (the Gothic cathedral of San Donato), the Basilica of San Francesco, San Michele, St Augustine and a dozen more. There is a Roman amphitheatre and museum, the Fortezza Medici (fortress), the House of Petrarch and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Arezzo has a number of festivals, including the annual Giostra dei Saracino (Joust of the Saracens) and the Arezzo Wave music, literary and film festival each July. Arezzo is famous for its gold workers, antique shops and markets too.
To the left you'll find a selection of hotels, to get you in the mood
- see also our full listings of Arezzo hotels.
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