Central Tuscany

After you have visited Florence, Pisa, Lucca, and Siena you're thinking about how to find some of the less visited sites and learn more about the lifestyle and culture.
decide if a site interests you, cook with 13 authentic recipes, many from my Italian family, learn about Tuscan culture and festivals, find a place to stay, eat at good restaurants, use GPS coordinates to find your way around, participate in the evening "passeggiata" and Saturday market, get an idea on the mobile accessibility of sites "Advantages of Arezzo" Location. Arezzo is a short 45 minute train ride to Florence; 30 minutes by car from Cortona; 60 from the Val d'Orcia where many of the calendar page photos of Tuscany are found; and 90 from the wine region of Chianti. Nearby is Ponte Buriano, the bridge in the background of Leonardo da Vinci's; Mona Lisa. Less Expensive. With Florence only 45 minutes away by train, you can stay in Arezzo for less. Moderately priced hotels and Festivals. Arezzo hosts a monthly "Antique Fair, " considered by many the most important in Italy with over 200 dealers winding all around the old city center. Twice a year the four neighborhoods compete in the "Joust of the Saracino, " complete with full Medieval regalia. Markets of all types. Saturday mornings are for the large open air market selling everything from food to shoes to toys to kitchen wares.
"Churches" Pieve della Santa Maria Duomo - Arezzo's Cathedral Basilica di San Francesco Basilica di San Domenico Chiesa di Sant'Agostino Chiesa della Santa Maria in Gradi Chiesa della Santa Maria delle Grazie Badi delle Sante Flora e Lucilla Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata Chiesa di San Bernardo
"Major Museums" Casa Museo di Ivan Bruschi Museo Archeologico Museo dei Mezzi Comunicazione - Telecommunications Museum Museo Mudas - Diocesano Casa Museo Giorgio Vasari Museo Statale d'Arte Medievale e Moderna Casa del Petrarca Fraternity dei Laici MUNACS - National Museum of Historical Collections
"Landmarks and Sites" Anfiteatro Romano - Roman Amphitheater Prato and Fortezza Medicea Piazza Grande Biblioteca - Library Palazzo del Comune Ponte Buriano and the Mona Lisa
"Culture and Events" Giostra del Saracino Music and Arts Festivals Antique Fair Saturday Market Aretine Cuisine The Legend of San Donato Mercatini del Mondo - World Markets of Food
"Praise from Readers" I was delighted to find your book on the area on Amazon before our visit earlier this month. We went to Arezzo a few years ago, but this time, armed with guidebook we visited again. I wanted to let you know how helpful the book was. I had not noticed the bas-reliefs on the barrel vault of the main door of Pieve Santa Maria or visited the Museo Ivan Bruschi before, let alone the Telecommunications Museum which, like you, we stumbled on unexpectedly. I just finished your book and wanted to tell you I enjoyed it very much. I am planning to go to the Tuscany area next June for a wedding and it gave me a lot of usual information. Because of your book I plan on setting up shop in Arezzo for a few days. I have your guide books which have been very useful.