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  • You might not think of Tuscany for island-hopping and horseback-riding, but Italy’s most beloved region has a lot more to offer—plus new hotels to help you enjoy it all.
  • Where to eat and explore while staying in an 800-year-old village.
  • 52100 Arezzo, Province of Arezzo, Italy
    One of the most important cities during the Etruscan period, then later made rich by its goldsmith traditions, this city, just a short drive southeast from Florence, is something of an insider’s favorite when visiting Tuscany. With fewer crowds, you’ll have more room to breathe while exploring sites like the Church of San Francesco (with its stunning early-Renaissance frescos by Piero dell Francesca), the ruins of the Roman amphitheater, the Medicean Fortress, and the Church of San Domenico, home to a wooden crucifix by Cimabue. Arezzo is also a favorite among treasure seekers, as it’s home to a number of well-stocked antique shops and one of the best antiques fairs in Tuscany. Running since 1968, the latter takes place the weekend of the first Sunday of each month, and features over 500 vendors and up to 30,000 shoppers looking to score a find. Taking place July to September, the Terre d’Arezzo Music Festival also draws big crowds to the piazza with its calendar of classical concerts and opera performances.
  • Overview
  • Florence is best in the off-season; the summer months are painfully crowded. If you love art history, this is your chance to dive deep. Tuscany contains a mind boggling number of sights and experiences. The hill towns, like San Gimignano, are incredibly atmospheric (and touristy). Sienna’s duomo is a stunning architectural creation literally cantilevered out over a hill. Get out of town to see the vineyards. Arezzo’s stunning Piero Della Francesca murals are worth the trip alone.
  • The main square of the Tuscan town of Arezzo transforms into a jousting track when the bi-annual Joust of the Saracen - (a medieval term for the ‘infidels’ the Crusades sought to convert) takes place. The “primary” joust is in June, with the main event the first weekend in September. Like the heart of American football season, every cobbled street here is festooned with flags bearing the rich colors and crest of one of the four competing town quadrants. And, having just moved here, we had to get into the action. Our three year old daughter, Lulu, decided she liked the Porta San Spirito colors of blue and gold the best. So, she picked out a matching toy trumpet from the street vendors who set up tables everywhere selling silk scarves, toy drums, trumpets and other noise makers all with corresponding team colors. The practice sessions that this photo is taken from were free, while tickets for the actual joust event started at 50 Euro - so we thought we’d save up for next year!