7 Amazing Things to Do in Arezzo (+ Where to Stay)

A trip within a trip: that’s what it felt like when we left the apartment we had rented in Florence for a month to find some amazing things to do in Arezzo with only small backpacks in hand (as opposed to our normal habit of carting around several months worth of belongings at a time).

We set off excited about the prospect of seeing a Tuscan town that we had never laid eyes on before, and Arezzo didn’t disappoint: it charmed us immediately with its adorable town square, lovely churches, beautiful main street, and gorgeous views of the Tuscan countryside.

Arezzo made a perfect weekend getaway in Tuscany–we were delighted to go, and would definitely consider going back.

Things to Do in Arezzo: Storefront
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7 Amazing Things to Do in Arezzo, Italy

Visit the Piazza Grande.

Arezzo’s main square is the perfect place to start exploring things to do in Arezzo: centrally located, surrounded by beautiful buildings, and bustling with life, it makes the perfect first stop during your weekend in Arezzo.

Climb the clock tower at Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici for wonderful views of Arezzo.

Located in one corner of the Piazza Grande, climbing the clock tower at Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici is an absolute must while in Arezzo–the views from the top are amazing. Sitting on the rooftop, you can see almost all of Arezzo and into the Tuscan hills beyond the city!

Weekend in Arezzo: Things to Do in Arezzo, Piazza Grande

Admire the frescos at the Church of San Francesco.

This church is a must-see for renaissance art lovers: Piero della Francesca completed a series of frescos in this church in the 15th century, and they have remained remarkably preserved.

Though the church is fairly unremarkable on the outside, the inside is definitely quite memorable!

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Wander through the archaeological museum.

While Arezzo’s collection of artifacts inside the monastery-turned-museum was impressive, our favorite part of our time there was stepping foot into the remains of Arezzo’s Colosseum that the museum is now set next to.

When we arrived, the Colosseum grounds were locked, so we assumed it was likely off limits–but when we asked the woman at the front desk if we could see it, her response was simply, “Oh, sure! Just ask them to unlock the gate for you.”

What to Do in Arezzo: Archaeological Museum

Check out the house of Giorgio Vasari.

True renaissance man Giorgio Vasari was born in (and spent much of his life living in) Arezzo, and he decorated his house as only an artist would: by covering the ceilings and many of the walls in elaborate paintings that he completed himself.

We loved this small museum for how unexpected it was–we didn’t expect anything nearly as impressive as what we found when we walked in the door!

Go antiquing.

Arezzo is known for its many antique shops–perfect for either window shopping or perhaps a unique souvenir!

Visit the Medicea Fortress and surrounding park.

We loved wandering the grounds of this fortress: the fortress is set at the top of a hill in the city, and from the walls, you can see sweeping views of the Tuscan countryside, pretty views of Arezzo itself, and one of the most unique cemeteries we’ve laid eye on.

As a bonus, the park outside of the fortress makes a beautiful walk in as you approach–we were lucky to see the very beginning of the leaves changing for fall while we were there!

Weekend in Arezzo: Things to Do in Arezzo, Arezzo Cemetary

Where to Stay in Arezzo

We were invited to Arezzo by Alessandro Tarussio and his mother Bianca, who run the wonderful B & B Tarussio, and we adored our time at their small family run bed and breakfast.

Located in the home that Alessandro grew up in, B & B Tarussio consists of just a few rooms (all with private bathrooms), giving it a cozy and intimate feeling. We loved the sturdy furniture, the huge bathroom, the juice and glasses left in our room, and the cozy bed.

Breakfast was simple in the way that Italians prefer–pastries and coffee–but delicious, and we left full every morning from the large portion sizes Alessandro and Bianca provided for us.

Even without all of those benefits, B & B Tarussio would still have a major draw pulling guests in: the location. The bed and breakfast is located a five-minute walk from Arezzo’s Old Town and Corso Italia (the main street), set on a quiet road and yet easily accessible to the best things to do in Arezzo.

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In other words, you get almost all the benefits of staying close in to the city (no need for transportation other than your own two feet, within a short walk of the train station, close to all the best things to do in Arezzo), without any of the downsides (late night noise from nightlife and a surge in price from being located in the Old Town).

That is exactly the kind of location Jeremy and I are most fond of while traveling, and we tend to seek out similar locations whenever we can–so as you can imagine, we were very excited about this one!

Traveling to Arezzo? Book your room at B & B Tarussio!

Where to Stay in Arezzo: B & B Tarussio
Weekend in Arezzo: Things to Do in Arezzo, B & B Tarussio

Train from Florence to Arezzo: Getting To & From Arezzo

Since we were returning to Florence after our trip, we took a train from Florence to Arezzo on a round-trip ticket.

Travel from Florence to Arezzo and from Arezzo to Florence was very simple in both directions: roughly an hour’s train ride each way, with no changes and plenty of Tuscan scenery to admire along the way.

Thanks to Italy’s well-connected train system, you can reach Arezzo easily from most major cities and towns in the surrounding regions, including heading to Arezzo from Rome.

While you can also drive a car to and from Arezzo, unless you’re using it as a base and planning on lots of day trips, I wouldn’t recommend it. You won’t need a car at all to get around Arezzo itself, and parking could be a pain unless you find a hotel with available parking spaces.

Weekend in Arezzo: Things to Do in Arezzo, Casi Italia

We loved our quick weekend in Arezzo: our stay at B & B Tarussio was delightful, we found more than enough interesting things to do in Arezzo to fill a weekend with, and we loved the chance to get to know yet another one of Tuscany’s towns!

If you’re looking for a quiet day or weekend trip in Tuscany to a town a little less off the beaten path than Pisa and Siena, a place that feels straight out of a movie that would inspire you to visit Italy, consider making your way to Arezzo.

Don’t go to Arezzo without travel insurance! We use and recommend Safety Wing for their affordability, ease of purchasing & the clarity of their contract!

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Weekend in Arezzo: Things to Do in Arezzo, Train from Florence to Arezzo

Many thanks to Alessandro and Bianca for hosting us for two nights at B & B Tarussio. We incurred all other expenses during our weekend in Arezzo, and all opinions are, as always, our own.

About Kate Storm
Image of the author, Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

28 thoughts on “7 Amazing Things to Do in Arezzo (+ Where to Stay)”

  1. The buildings, the streets, the charming shops, and of course the quaintness of it all… Arezzo really looks picture perfect and like you said the perfect place for a weekend. Being so close to Florence and easily accessible by train I think it would make for a wonderful day trip too. Thanks for all the information. Glad to see you got to stay at a B7B because nothing beats the fun of staying with locals.

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  2. Such beautiful impressions from this lovely place. I have not been to Arezzo yet, even though seen many other places in Italy, but this truly is a jewel that needs to be visited. The Medicea fortress sounds amazing, I think that would be one of the highlights for me personally that I would like to discover there. Good thing is that here from Switzerland it is actually super close, so thanks to your post I have already a great weekend travel destination for next spring 🙂

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  3. What a stunning city – the view from the tower, the architecture of the buildings, the quaint streets and shops – a photographer’s dream! I hadn’t really heard about Arezzo, and now it’s on my bucket list. Thanks!

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  4. Arezzo looks like a such a picturesque Tuscan town! I love the look of your b&b too; definitely somewhere cosy and welcoming to stay here. I miss summer now looking at your photos!

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  5. Hi Kate
    What fantastic photos – love love love them! Just popped over from TBS to say hello and signed up – Love your voice.
    Look forward to reading the rest and happy travels to you (more posts for us)!
    Cheers
    Renuka

    Reply
  6. Always wanted to go to Italy, so high on my bucket list! Climbing tall buildings is something I love to do in cities, so going up the clock tower sounds like a great idea to me! The view is quite stunning. What a wonderful city!

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    • We can definitely recommend Italy–one of our favorite countries in the world, and for good reason! Plenty of towers to climb there, too. 🙂

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  7. Arezzo looks like a rustic charming little town of Italy. I loved the rustic houses, lovely shops. Going to Arezzo from Florence tips are great. I loved the cozy look of your Bed and Breakfast stay.

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  8. This article was just what I needed. I am planning a trip to Italy soon, and a stay in Florence was on cards. But now am surely going to check out Arezzo as well. The place looks like an amazing getaway, with so much of culture and history in it.

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    • So glad we caught you at the right time, Arnav! We LOVE Florence, but exploring Tuscany’s smaller towns is a must as well–they are amazing!

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  9. I haven’t yet been to Arrezo bit looks like a great place to visit. Your photos are so so beautiful. I loved the architecture and quaint streets. They are best and a bonus for the lens when one travels in Europe. I love to visit antique markets, though not for shipping but window shopping as I don’t collect stuff. Next time I am back in Italy, would put this on my list. Thanks for sharing

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    • Italy’s streets are definitely a feast for photographers eyes–always so much going on! I’m obsessed with their storefronts in particular, I must have photos of dozens of them stashed away!

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  10. We went there during Giostra del Saracino (the first Sunday in September) and we had a time of our lives. Definitely a must see.

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  11. My husband and I are planning a trip to Italy for 6 weeks and will be taking our little dog. What do you do with your dog while visiting the museums? Are there doggy day cares?

    Would greatly appreciate a response so it can help with our trip planning.

    Thank you and love your blog as I have learned so much!

    Reply
    • Hi Belinda!

      I’m not sure about doggy day cares–I know we’ve passed some in different cities in Europe, but we’ve never used them and I’m not sure if they cater to tourists.

      When we go to museums, etc, Ranger tends to stay in the hotel/apartment where we’re staying (however, we visited Arezzo before we had Ranger, so note that I’m not sure if the hotel we stayed in there is dog-friendly).

      Italy is exceptionally dog-friendly, though, we’ve never had any trouble at all finding dog-friendly places to stay.

      You’ll also find that well-behaved dogs are welcome on virtually all restaurant terraces and many times inside as well, inside coffee bars, and inside many shops. It’s a fantastic place to travel with fur-friends!

      Reply
  12. I am anxious to get back to Arezzo in September, as I have done in the past, many times, especially since my family lives in Arezzo – a lovely and relaxing town and a close proximity to Florence and Rome by train!

    Reply

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