My Arezzo Hide Away

As much as I am smitten by Lucca, my heart will always belong to Arezzo. It was in 2008 that I spent a month in this somewhat off the beaten track Tuscan town and fell hard and fast. I was there to study Italian and immerse myself in the language and it turned out to be the perfect place for me to leave English behind. This is a town that’s not overrun with tourists and Italian is what you’ll hear when you’re out and about in town.

When my month was up it was all I could do to pack my bags and move out of town. My charming landlady drove me to the car rental office and with tears in my eyes, I vowed to return to Arezzo. It took three years, but in 2011 I once again enrolled in Cultura Italiana and started searching for a place to stay.

I had some info about an apartment in the centro that a schoolmate had rented for a year and contacted the owner. As luck would have it, this little gem was available and I moved right in. Tucked away down a quaint lane the apartment actually was hidden behind an ancient stone wall.

Who has garden in the middle of the centro? Well, I did! My kitchen door opened onto this wonderful giardino (garden) and it was all mine-the owners happened to be away during my stay.

Spring in Tuscan means wisteria and I had my own secluded spot complete with a table and chairs. It was the perfect spot to study but I must admit that I probably did more sipping of wine under the wisteria than studying Italian!