Arezzo Travel Guide: Piero della Francesca & Antique Markets

Arezzo is a prosperous Tuscan city known to most art historians for one extraordinary thing: the Legend of the True Cross fresco cycle by Piero della Francesca in the Basilica of San Francesco. It is also the setting for Roberto Benigni’s Life Is Beautiful and home to Italy’s largest antique market. It sees far fewer tourists than Florence or Siena, which means the experience of the city itself is markedly more relaxed.

Piero della Francesca

The Cappella Bacci in the Basilica of San Francesco contains the fresco cycle commissioned from Piero della Francesca around 1452–1466. It depicts the Legend of the True Cross — a medieval narrative tracing the wood of the Cross from the Tree of Knowledge through Solomon’s Temple and the discovery of the Cross by St. Helena. The spatial geometry, the pale Umbrian light, and the extraordinary stillness of Piero’s figures make this one of the greatest achievements in Italian painting.

Visiting: Timed entry, maximum 25 visitors at a time, 30-minute slots. Book online at pierodellafrancesca.it or at the ticket office. Entry approximately €8 as of 2026. Open Monday–Friday 9am–7pm, Saturday 9am–5:30pm, Sunday 1pm–5:30pm. Booking strongly recommended — slots fill up, especially on weekends and during the antique fair. A guided tour of Arezzo can combine the fresco visit with the city’s other highlights.

The city

Piazza Grande is the city’s main square — sloping, irregularly shaped, surrounded by medieval and Renaissance buildings including Vasari’s loggia (Giorgio Vasari, Arezzo native, biographer of the Italian artists, designed the loggia in 1572). The piazza’s asymmetric slope and mix of architectural periods give it a character entirely different from the planned Renaissance squares of Florence or Turin.

The Romanesque apse of Santa Maria della Pieve backs onto the piazza; the church’s facade (on Corso Italia) has four tiers of columns, each slightly different — one of the finest Romanesque facades in Tuscany. Free entry.

The Duomo (Cathedral of Saints Peter and Donatus) at the top of the city has stained glass by Guillaume de Marcillat (considered the finest Renaissance stained glass in Italy) and a fresco of Mary Magdalene by Piero della Francesca. Free entry. Open daily.

Museo Statale d’Arte Medievale e Moderna (Via San Lorentino 8) — Medieval and Renaissance art from the Arezzo area, including ceramics, paintings, and armour. Entry approximately €4. Closed Monday.

Casa Vasari (Via XX Settembre 55) — The house Giorgio Vasari built and frescoed for himself. A small museum showing the domestic taste of a 16th-century artist-architect. Entry approximately €4. Closed Monday.

The antique market

On the first Sunday of each month (and the preceding Saturday), Arezzo hosts the Fiera Antiquaria — Italy’s largest antique market, spread across Piazza Grande and the surrounding streets. Over 500 dealers sell furniture, paintings, jewellery, ceramics, prints, and oddities. The market draws serious buyers from across Europe. Arrive early for the best selection. Free entry.

The Giostra del Saracino

A medieval jousting tournament held twice a year — the penultimate Saturday of June and the first Sunday of September — in Piazza Grande. Four city quarters (rioni) compete: mounted riders charge at a wooden effigy of a Saracen and attempt to strike a target while avoiding the counter-swing. Medieval costumes, processions, and genuine civic rivalry. The September event coincides with the antique fair weekend, making it a particularly good time to visit. Standing room is free; bleacher seats approximately €20–40.

Where to eat

Arezzo’s food is Tuscan: ribollita, pici pasta, grilled meats, Chianina beef (the Valdichiana, where the Chianina breed originates, is immediately south of Arezzo). Trattoria Il Saraceno (Via Mazzini 6 — mains approximately €10–14) serves Tuscan standards at fair prices. La Torre di Gnicche (Piaggia San Martino 8 — mains approximately €12–16) is a wine bar-restaurant in the old town with a strong local wine list.

Where to stay

Budget: approximately €50–70/night. Mid-range: approximately €80–130/night. Hotel Patio (Via Cavour 23 — doubles from approximately €80/night) is well-positioned near the centro storico.

Getting there

Arezzo is on the main Florence–Rome rail line. Regional trains from Florence approximately 60 minutes (approximately €8); from Rome approximately 2–2.5 hours (approximately €15–20). Fast trains stop at Arezzo less frequently; the regional service is reliable.

Practical details

Piero della Francesca booking: Timed entry slots of 25–30 people fill up quickly from April to October, particularly on weekends that coincide with the antique market. Booking a week in advance for summer weekends is advisable. The ticket office at the Basilica can accommodate same-day visitors if slots remain.

Antique market logistics: The Fiera Antiquaria (first Sunday and preceding Saturday of each month) fills Via Guido Monaco and the piazzas across the old city — over 500 dealers. Prices are negotiable; the best furniture and large pieces are in the piazza; smaller items (prints, jewellery, ceramics) are in the side streets. The market is free and unticketed. Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning are the busiest periods; serious buyers arrive at opening time.

Giostra del Saracino: The June event is a rehearsal; the September event (first Sunday of September) is the main competition and has longer processions and a larger crowd. Bleacher seats (approximately €20–40, bookable at comune.arezzo.it) face the target; standing room fills the piazza perimeter. Arrive at least one hour before the procession begins.

Valdichiana wine and food: The area around Arezzo — the Valdichiana and the Casentino valley to the north — produces excellent wines and olive oil. Chianti Colli Aretini DOC is the local designation. Several estates along the SS71 between Arezzo and Cortona offer tastings. Cortona (approximately 30km south, approximately 40 minutes by regional train, approximately €4) is a worthwhile addition to an Arezzo visit.

More accommodation options: B&B Palazzo Testi (Via Mazzini 12 — doubles from approximately €70/night) is in the heart of the old city. Badia di Pomaio (approximately 4km from the centre — doubles from approximately €95/night) is a converted 16th-century abbey in the hills above Arezzo, with an exceptional view over the Arno valley.

For a full breakdown of where to stay: Arezzo hotels. For the full list of sights, the antique market calendar, and Giostra details: things to do in Arezzo. For Tuscan food specialities and where to eat: Arezzo food guide and the Tuscan food guide. Arezzo sits within easy reach of Siena (1 hour by regional train) — our Tuscany itinerary connects both as part of a broader regional route.