Arezzo is a handsome hilltop city in eastern Tuscany, equidistant from Florence, Siena, and Perugia. In the Middle Ages it rivalled Florence in military power; today it draws visitors with a medieval centre rich in Etruscan, Roman, and Renaissance traces — and far fewer crowds than its more famous neighbours.
The undisputed highlight is the cycle of frescoes by Piero della Francesca in the Basilica di San Francesco, painted around 1452 and depicting the Legend of the True Cross. They are among the greatest works of the Italian Renaissance. The Piazza Grande, with its irregular sloping layout and Vasari's handsome loggia, is the setting for the Giostra del Saracino (a jousting tournament held twice yearly) and one of Italy's best antique fairs, held on the first Sunday of every month.
The city gained modern fame as the setting for Roberto Benigni's film "Life Is Beautiful" — several scenes were shot in the old town. Beyond the centre, the valleys of the Arno and the Tiber spread out below, and the surrounding countryside is classic Tuscany.