Around Town Arezzo

I love Arezzo. It’s a Tuscan town that is mostly overlooked by travelers and tourists. Maybe that’s why it’s so endearing to me. You can walk around town and not hear a word of English being spoken. You’ll be surrounded by Italian families strolling through town, going about their every day activities. If you stay for more than a few days you begin to feel like one of the locals and may even be a bit perturbed when the once a month antique market sets up shop and for two days the town is overrun by visitors.

I passed by this building on Corso Italia (Arezzo’s main drag) many days as I walked around town. I’ve always been fascinated with the family crests displayed on the edifice. I often wonder about the families associated with these emblems and wonder what part they played in the history of the town.

And what about this one? Could it have belonged to the villain of Arezzo?

I’d Rather Be…

Walking down this charming pathway to my apartment in Arezzo.

Heading out each morning to have that perfect cappuccino to start the day.

Eating a piadina filled with prosciutto and arugula from my favorite lunch spot.

Shopping for handcrafted cheese at the weekly market and heading right home eat with a chunk of bread from the local panetteria (bread shop).

It’s good to dream, isn’t it?

Churches Of Arezzo

When I first made plans for a month in Arezzo in 2008 I ordered a map of the city so I could locate the school I would be attending and figure out where my apartment was. I wanted to get the lay of the land before I arrived. I started studying the map and noticed that there were quite a few churches located in the centro. I’ve been known to make a stop into each and every church we pass by (in Italy) and looked forward to visiting those in Arezzo.

Once I got to town I immediately set out, map in hand, and began exploring. Every time I passed a church I opened the huge wooden doors, crept into the darkened space and did my usual routine-walked around the perimeter savoring the art lining the walls, stepped into a pew and said a prayer or two and of course, lit a candle before leaving. The above photo is of Chiesa di San Domenico, which is home to a gorgeous crucifix painted by the thirteenth century Italian artist, Cimabue.

On my recent stay in town I returned to my favorites and also discovered a few I hadn’t been to before. Arezzo’s churches, unlike in many other towns, are usually unlocked and open almost every day.

This one, located a short walk outside of the centro is Santa Maria delle Grazie, built in the 1400′s. What I love about this church is the portico built on the front.

And my favorite, Chiesa della SS Annunziata next to my “hidden garden”. La Madonna delle Lacrime (Our Lady of tears) is the sculpture situated behind the altar.

I think I’ve finally been to all of the twenty or so churches in town.

My Hidden Garden

I blogged about this spot some three years back when I spent a month studying in Arezzo. Each day on my way to school I passed a church which held a statue of the Madonna that I fell in love with. There was something about this piece of art that just spoke to me and I frequently stopped in, usually on my way home from class. One day as I walked by on the tiny sidewalk outside the church, I noticed that a large wooden door that was always closed had been propped open. Little did I know that when I peered inside I would find this charming little passageway, filled with plants. Of course I quickly pulled out my camera and took a shot, unsure of when the door might be open again.

This past May I was living in different part of the city and didn’t pass this area unless I made of point of going that way. Of course I visited the church a few times (including Easter mass which brought me right back to being a kid as listening to the service in Italian reminded me of the Latin of the past) and each time the door to my secret garden was closed. One morning on my way to the tiny supermercato near my old apartment lo and behold, there was my garden. I took this picture that day and I was filled with a sense of joy that this special place was exactly as I remembered.

Perspective

I love this view. Standing at the top of Anghiari’s ( located in the province of Arezzo) main street and gazing off into Umbria in the distance.

Il Teatro Anghiari

I’m not shy about professing my love for Arezzo and the surrounding area. It’s a slice of the real Tuscany and I could take up residence there in a heartbeat. If you find yourself near Arezzo and have a car, you really should take a drive to the medieval town of Anghiari. Situated on the top of a hill right above the valley of the Tiber River, the views from town off into Umbria are amazing.

It’s a charming town to stroll through and if you plan ahead you may just be able to take in a show in the beautiful theater (in the above photo) located in the center of town. Unfortunately I was there in the afternoon and the performances were scheduled for the evening.

Luckily the door to the building was open and I was able to sneek inside for a quick peek. The theater is small, with less than 600 seats. The interior is stunning and as I stood there admiring the decor, I couldn’t help but imagine the scene when the theater was in its heyday back in the late 1700′s.

More Where I Want To Be

Need I say more. Italy, countryside, olive trees, old stone building…

Vestri-For Chocolate And Gelato Lovers

I first discovered Vestri a few years back when I attended school in Arezzo. It was Easter week and there was a class trip to this cioccolateria which is located just outside of the town center. It was an amazing afternoon, complete with tastes and a behind the scene tour of the chocolate production. I had planned on taking the bus there to do a little chocolate shopping on my recent trip to Arezzo, but never seemed to find the time.

Imagine my delight when our day of exploring Florence’s food shops led us right to the Vestri shop on Borgo degli Albizi. It was toward the end of our tour and we stopped at Vestri to do a sampling of their gelato. I’m pretty traditional with my gelato preferences and tried nocciolo (hazelnut), cioccolato, caffe, and pistachio. There was no way to choose a favorite, as they were all amazing. The longer we hung around, the more we we sampled. I tasted various chocolates and a few more gelato flavors and I have to tell you, the gelato here is stellar. By this point I’d been in Italy for three weeks and I’d eaten a fair amount of gelato and Vestri was suddenly right at the top of my list.

One more thing, Leonardo who is the son of the founder of Vestri, works at this location and he is friendly, charming and pretty easy on the eyes (sadly no photo)!

Vestri
Borgo degli Albizi, 11
Florence

Via Romana, 161 A
Arezzo

Thanks to my friend A. for the last photo.

Autumn In Tuscany-Cook With Panini Girl In Lucca

Antiche Mura-Arezzo

If you’ve read my blog before you know I love Arezzo. If you’re a new reader, I’ll let you in on a little secret, Arezzo is an off the beaten track small Italian city that is worth a detour. I first fell in love with this town three years ago when I chose to spend a month there attending language school. I rented an apartment, went to school each morning, shopped alongside the locals and walked with them in the daily passeggiata.

This year I was lucky to spend two weeks there doing the same thing, although in a different apartment in another area of the town. At the end of my stay I had to move to a hotel for the last few days and I am happy to say that it was easy to fall in love with Antiche Mura, located on the top of a hill, not far from the Duomo.

Antiche Mura is a small inn with six rooms, housed in a building that hails from the twelfth century. I’m sure there have been numerous restoration over the years, but the last one happened only a few years ago. I was thrilled when I opened the door to my room and I saw this charming space. Although small, it was perfect and the bed was so comfortable that it was hard to get up in the morning. Breakfast isn’t served at the inn, but you are given a voucher for a bar right down the road for your morning cappuccino and cornetto (or some other pastry or savory delight).

Take a look back at my previous posts (over under categories) if you want to know more about the town and why it’s a worth a stop. If you do get a chance to stay in Arezzo, Antiche Mura is the perfect place to rest your head after a day of sight seeing.

Antiche Mura
Piaggia di Murello 35
52100 Arezzo

39 333 271 1268

Arrivederci Aerzzo

It’s hard to believe, but two weeks have passed and it’s time to leave Arezzo and head over to Lucca. I just walked down to my favorite pasticceria for one (well, probably two or three) last treat and they weren’t open! Well, problem easily solved as there’s another place around the corner and a few of their pasticcini will have to to tide me over on the train until I get settled in Lucca and find my favorite spots there.

If you’ve never visited Arezzo, it’s really worth a detour. You hear about Cortona (Under The Tuscan Sun)-well Arezzo is not that far away and has plenty of charm and none of the tourists. I could see staying here for a month and using it for day trips around Tuscany and Umbria, which is also quite near.

Arrivederci for now. I know I’ll be back!

Autumn In Tuscany-Cook With Panini Girl In Lucca