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Arezzo Hotels accommodations (Italy)

Hotel accommodations and reservations in Arezzo.

Arezzo has great tourist resources and many high quality hotels. Book your accommodation in Arezzo in selected Hotels from One, Two, Three, Four and Five Stars, residence, farm holidays.

Informations about Arezzo.

The city is the capital of Arezzo province, an area in the south-east of Tuscany with 39 communes and about 330, 000 inhabitants, situated on the border between Umbria, Emilia Romagna and Marche. Set at the confluence of four valleys (Casentino, Val di Chiana, Tiberina and Valdarno), Arezzo is easily reachable from Florence, Siena, Perugia and Rome.

Arezzo: short history

Its first settlements go back to Paleolithic times. In VII-VI centuries B.C., Arezzo was one of the twelve most important Etruscan city, becoming an important commercial centre: its beautiful decorated vases found their way not only between the bordering regions, but also to Africa, Spain and Southern Gaul. There are some significant evidences of this period: worth of note is the bronze known as the “Chiemera of Arezzo”, discovered near Arezzo in an Etruscan necropolis and successively taken to Florence.

Under the Roman dominion, Arezzo had a prominent position among the cities of the Italia peninsula; thanks to its geographical position it became an important military station. But it was after the year 1000 that the city lived its greatest splendour, when as a free common it elected its own government, becoming in the 13th and 14th a powerful republic. The economical and cultural decline of the city began in 1384, when Arezzo was ceded to Florence.

Arezzo to visit, churches and works of art

The most interesting and noteworthy palaces are in the old town; among them, Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo Albergotti, Palazzo Brandaglia and Palazzo Cofani-Brizzolari merit a visit. The first stop on the tour is the gothic Cathedral of San Donato, an impressive construction which was begun in XIII century and finished at the beginning of ‘900, when the campanile was erected. Inside, a precious fresco portraying Maria Maddalene by Piero della Francesca, and medieval stained glasses and the thomb of Pope Gregory X. Other churches to visit are: the Romanesque church of Santa Maria della Pieve, with its bell tower known as “Il campanile delle cento buche” (hundred holed belltower); the church of San Francesco; the church of San Domenico; the church of Santa Maria of the Graces; the church of Sant’Agostino; the Badia of S. Flora e Lucilla; the church of San Bernardo; the church of San Michele; and the church of SS. Annunziata.

Arezzo medieval tournaments, Joust of the Saracen

In the upper part of Arezzo, near to the Cathedral, there are the ruins of the medieval Medici Fortress, a superb example of military architecture from XVI century, a construction which was partially dismantled by the French troops in the year 1800. Not far from the medieval fortress there is the Museum of Medieval and Modern Art, where in a XV-century building are housed important collections of medieval paintings and sculptures.

The central Piazza Grande is the most typical square of the town; it has an uncommon shape: trapezoid with a strongly sloping surface. This is the scenario of the Giostra del Saracino (Joust of the Saracen), a medieval tournament held every year in June and September. A famous Antiques fair is hosted in the historic centre every first Sunday and the Saturday preceding the fair; an extraordinary event for dealers and collectors.

Gastronomy of Arezzo

The cooking from Arezzo is partially different from the rest of the region. Among its typical dishes there are: the zuppa di cavolo (a cabbage soup), the pappa al pomodoro (a tomato soup), the pappardelle all’aretina, il fagiano tartufato (truffled pheasant), pieces of pig’s liver and the anguilla con i piselli (eel with peas). As everywhere in Tuscany, perfect the hotel reception.

Arezzo Hotels

What to see

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