Arezzo
Arezzo is a city of ancient Etruscan and Roman origins as evidenced by the statue of the Chimera that there has been found and the Roman amphitheater right in the center. Arezzo in recent years is increasingly frequented by streams of tourists, Italians and foreigners throughout the year.
Historical Center
The historic center of Arezzo area from the lawn with the Medici Fortress, the city hall, the cathedral, the beautiful Piazza Grande with the palace of the Tribunal and the apse of the church of Santa Maria that are the background and which hosted the set The Life is Beautiful by Roberto Benigni.
Piazza Grande in Arezzo is also famous for hosting the Saracen Joust and also preserve the medieval tower-houses like this.
The Saracen Joust
The Saracen Joust is a race that ranks among the historical commemorations.
Recovered since 1931, the tournament pits the 4 districts of the city (Porta del Foro, Crucifera Port, Port, and Port St. Andrew Holy Spirit).
jockeys must carry a spear hit the backboard cheesecloth supported by a wooden representation of the Saracen.
The race takes place twice a year at night the second Saturday of June, in daytime on the first Sunday of September in Piazza Grande
Piero della Francesca e Arezzo
Piero della Francesca in Arezzo has left important works as the History of the True Cross in the church of St. Francis and the Magdalen in the beautiful Gothic cathedral in the city
Others Arezzo events
Antique Fair the first Saturday and Sunday of each month in the historic center. Polyphonic choral competition dedicated to Guido Monaco is held annually the last week of August
Historical Center
The historic center of Arezzo area from the lawn with the Medici Fortress, the city hall, the cathedral, the beautiful Piazza Grande with the palace of the Tribunal and the apse of the church of Santa Maria that are the background and which hosted the set The Life is Beautiful by Roberto Benigni.
Piazza Grande in Arezzo is also famous for hosting the Saracen Joust and also preserve the medieval tower-houses like this.
The Saracen Joust
The Saracen Joust is a race that ranks among the historical commemorations.
Recovered since 1931, the tournament pits the 4 districts of the city (Porta del Foro, Crucifera Port, Port, and Port St. Andrew Holy Spirit).
jockeys must carry a spear hit the backboard cheesecloth supported by a wooden representation of the Saracen.
The race takes place twice a year at night the second Saturday of June, in daytime on the first Sunday of September in Piazza Grande
Piero della Francesca e Arezzo
Piero della Francesca in Arezzo has left important works as the History of the True Cross in the church of St. Francis and the Magdalen in the beautiful Gothic cathedral in the city
Others Arezzo events
Antique Fair the first Saturday and Sunday of each month in the historic center. Polyphonic choral competition dedicated to Guido Monaco is held annually the last week of August
Florence
Visit Florence
Florence is almost obligatory stop for those coming to visit Tuscany.
Glimpses through the streets of Florence, between Piazza Signoria and the Duomo is famous Ponte Vecchio, and between here and the main focus of the most prestigious boutiques and shops of Popular Searches handicrafts.
Florence also focuses a lot of museums like the Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti, with the lovely Boboli Gardens and the cave restored some years, the Accademia museum, the museum and the Museo Bardini Stibbert only to name some of the most important.
Outlets near Florence
In Valdarno, not far from Florence, concentrate the outlets of the most important houses of Italian fashion.
Within a radius of 20km around it will find the outlets of Prada, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Cavalli, Armani, Valentino, Bottega Veneta , Loro Piana and Sergio Rossi and many other international fashion brands.
Reaching Florence
Florence is about 50 km from our holiday home for a journey of about an hour by car.
Florence highway
The easiest way to reach Florence is the A1 motorway towards Florence / Bologna.
Florence to Casentino
A second route longer but also much more overview is that through the valley of Casentino along the main road 71 in direction to Ponte a Poppi. It continues with the highway 67 of Consumption by Borgo alla Collina, consumes, Pontassieve.Una second longest road but also much more overview is that through the valley of Casentino driving down highway 71 in direction to Ponte a Poppi. Continuing with the highway 67 of Consumption by Borgo alla Collina, Consume, Pontassieve.
Glimpses through the streets of Florence, between Piazza Signoria and the Duomo is famous Ponte Vecchio, and between here and the main focus of the most prestigious boutiques and shops of Popular Searches handicrafts.
Florence also focuses a lot of museums like the Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti, with the lovely Boboli Gardens and the cave restored some years, the Accademia museum, the museum and the Museo Bardini Stibbert only to name some of the most important.
Outlets near Florence
In Valdarno, not far from Florence, concentrate the outlets of the most important houses of Italian fashion.
Within a radius of 20km around it will find the outlets of Prada, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Cavalli, Armani, Valentino, Bottega Veneta , Loro Piana and Sergio Rossi and many other international fashion brands.
Reaching Florence
Florence is about 50 km from our holiday home for a journey of about an hour by car.
Florence highway
The easiest way to reach Florence is the A1 motorway towards Florence / Bologna.
Florence to Casentino
A second route longer but also much more overview is that through the valley of Casentino along the main road 71 in direction to Ponte a Poppi. It continues with the highway 67 of Consumption by Borgo alla Collina, consumes, Pontassieve.Una second longest road but also much more overview is that through the valley of Casentino driving down highway 71 in direction to Ponte a Poppi. Continuing with the highway 67 of Consumption by Borgo alla Collina, Consume, Pontassieve.
Churches and castles of the Casentino
Traces of the medieval period are present in every part of the valley.
Tour of churches and medieval castles and an itinerary that traces the natural course of the river Arno, where these buildings were built and it's recommend to anyone who has never visited the Casentino because it is very suggestive.
The church of Sietina
Close to our holiday home is the church of Santa Maria a Sietina, which still retains its charm of a medieval structure with beautiful frescoes from the late fourteenth century.
Along the SS 71 from Arezzo to the Casentino Umbrian Casentino meet for first Castel Nuovo.
Castello di Valenzano
Leaving the highway 71 in town
Calbenzano you arrive in Valencia.
Castle over the centuries went through several properties.
Was administered by Rondinelli of Arezzo for about 400 years until Bastogi since the end of the nineteenth century they decided to turn it into a neo-Gothic mansion in the taste of the time.
Other castles
Moving further north, from up to Rassina're having other castles or ruins of castles such as Castle and Focognano Gressa near Bibbiena and many other largely built by the noble family of Conti Guidi, who dominated the Casentino until the fifteenth century.
Poppi Castle
The castle of Poppi definitely worth a visit for its privileged position from which dominates the whole Casentino from Pratomagno to the mountain of Verna.
Also retains the castle courtyard, the cistern, the frescoed halls (places the Library Rilliana and exhibitions in the summer) and paintings by Giotto's pupil Taddeo Gaddi.
Parish church and castle of Romanian
Casentino evocative landscape of the high church of Romanian, near Pratovecchio, with the castle that overlooks it and the nearby "Fontebranda" mentioned by Dante in his Divine Comedy.
Castle and church of Stia
Be the palace in Florence and nearby castles of Porciano Papiano and may be the ideal place to spend a relaxing day in the Upper Casentino.
The palace also houses the museum of contemporary art and the museum's ornithological Siemoni Carlo; in summer hosts various exhibitions and cultural activities.
Churches and castles in Castel San Niccolo and Montemignaio
Going from Poppi to Florence for the old road there are to see the Romanesque church of San Martino in Vado and the castle of Castel San Niccolò (Strada in Casentino) and the parish of Santa Maria Assunta and the castle of Montemignaio.
The forests of Casentino
The relationship with the nature of the Casentino compared to other valleys in the province of Arezzo has made in recent years holiday destination for complete relaxation, away from smog and noise of cities.
Within the Forest National Park Casentinesi you can go for long walks, trekking on foot or on horseback, all in the maximum relax, and rediscover a direct relationship with nature and unique in its kind.
Visit the Casentino Forests
Poggio Scali, Capo d'Arno, where the river Arno, the Lama forest, the natural reserve of Sasso Fratino Ridracoli the dam, the chestnut Miraglia and Lake of the idols. These are just some of the routes that you can do inside the park.
Even if it does not really part of the National Park, we report the Florentine side Pratomagno to visit the nearby biogenetic with the ancient forest of Vallombrosa and the abbey Order of Vallombrosa.
The National Park Authority
The name of the entity Casentino National Park, Mount Falterona and Campigna indicates that the protected area extends between Tuscany and Emilia Romagna.
Compared to the Tuscan Romagna side is sweeter and gives the decline in having unique landscapes, from Mugello to Monte Penna.
Royal forests
The protected area is based on that of the royal forests protect dell'Alpe Casentinese made by Charles Siemoni by order of Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany after centuries of exploitation by intensive use by the monks of Camaldoli and inhabitants of the valley.
Forest Casentino was in fact as a primary source of income derived from which the wood, liqueurs, essences, but also the ingredients for perfumes and medicinal recipes.
Visiting Cortona
Cortona is one of the goals of the province of Arezzo most sought after by tourists and bars around the world.
Cortona lies on a hill, about 600 meters high above sea level, and the city will sweep over the entire Valdichiana up the nearby Lake Trasimeno.
Signorelli e Beato Angelico
Cortona is famous for its Etruscan Academy, for the diocesan museum which houses the Annunciation by Fra Angelico and for being the birthplace of Luca Signorelli, active in the fifteenth century in central Italy is famous for the frescoes in the chapel of San Brizio in the cathedral of Orvieto .
Lago Trasimeno
Lake Trasimeno is the largest lake in central Italy. There are three islands at the center of the lake reached by ferry.
Polvese island serves as a park while planning the largest island is inhabited on a permanent basis. Lake Trasimeno park has become with the surrounding area since 1995.
How to arrive to Cortona
Getting to Cortona from our holiday home is very simple, you first need to get to Arezzo and then follow the signs for Castiglion Fiorentino first and then Cortona.
Visiting Siena
Siena is one of the most enchanting cities of Tuscany. Enclosed by walls still retains all the charm of a medieval town and recalls the era of European Municipalities and lordships.
Piazza del Campo
Piazza del Campo is Siena's main square is famous not only because we run here twice a year the Palio, but also for its shell shape for the Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia for the fountain sculpted by Pisano .
San Galgano
30km west of Siena to Montalcino lies the picturesque abbey of San Galgano.
Getting to Siena
To get to Siena from our holiday home must follow the directions first and then to Amber Colonna del Grillo from which incorporates the dual carriageway Siena Bettolle.