Arezzo day trip from Florence or Siena
A day trip to Arezzo from Florence or Siena: Arezzo Cathedral, the Prato park, Santa Maria della Pieve, Piero della Francesca's frescoes in San Francesco and the sloping Piazza Grande, then the historic centre of Cortona, Piazza Garibaldi and Santa Maria delle Grazie al Calcinaio. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Arezzo in 1 day
Day 1
Arezzo Cathedral
Gothic cathedral at the top of the old town, with stained glass by Guillaume de Marcillat and a Mary Magdalene fresco by Piero della Francesca.
Parco Il Prato
Green park on the hilltop between the cathedral and the Medici fortress, with views over the Tuscan countryside.
Santa Maria della Pieve
Romanesque church with a tiered, arcaded facade and a tall bell tower, its apse facing Piazza Grande.
Basilica of San Francesco (Piero della Francesca frescoes)
Franciscan church whose main chapel holds Piero della Francesca's Legend of the True Cross, a masterpiece of Renaissance fresco painting.
Piazza Grande
Arezzo's sloping main square, ringed by medieval houses and Vasari's loggia, home to the antiques fair and the Saracen joust.
Historic centre of Cortona
Hill town of Etruscan origin, a walk of steep lanes, medieval palaces and views over the Valdichiana plain.
Piazza Garibaldi
Terrace square at the edge of Cortona's old town, with wide views over the Valdichiana and towards Lake Trasimeno.
Santa Maria delle Grazie al Calcinaio, Cortona
Renaissance church on the slope below Cortona, designed by Francesco di Giorgio Martini, with a dome and a calm, harmonious interior.
Watch: Arezzo
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
Regional trains run from Florence to Arezzo in about an hour, and the old town is a short walk uphill from the station. From Siena the drive or the regional train takes about 1-1.5 hours. Cortona is about 30 minutes from Arezzo by car, or by train to Camucia-Cortona and then a local bus up the hill.
Staying in Florence or Siena? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Arezzo
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, mild for walking the hilltop towns, while July and August are hot and winter is cool and quiet. The Giostra del Saracino joust is held in Piazza Grande in June and September, and the antiques fair runs every month.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Arezzo on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Arezzo on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Arezzo on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Arezzo
- Piero della Francesca's Legend of the True Cross in San Francesco is seen in small timed groups; book a slot ahead, especially at weekends.
- On the first Sunday of each month and the Saturday before, the Fiera Antiquaria antiques fair fills Piazza Grande and the streets around it.
- Arezzo's old town climbs a hill from the station, and Cortona is steeper still; wear comfortable shoes.
- Cortona is about half an hour from Arezzo by car; trains stop at Camucia-Cortona below the hill, with a local bus up to the town.
- Check the times of the last train back to Florence or Siena before setting out, especially if ending the day in Cortona.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Arezzo Cathedral: Spike, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Basilica of San Francesco (Piero della Francesca frescoes): unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Historic centre of Cortona: Patrick Denker, CC BY 2.0
- Piazza Grande: Andrewrabbott, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Santa Maria della Pieve: Tetraktys, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
