Anghiari and Sansepolcro day trip from Arezzo or Florence
A day trip to Anghiari and Sansepolcro from Arezzo or Florence: Anghiari's walled lanes and Piazza Baldaccio with the museum of the 1440 battle in the morning, then the straight road across the valley to Sansepolcro for Piazza Torre di Berta and the cathedral before lunch, Piero della Francesca's Resurrection in the Museo Civico, a walk down Via XX Settembre and Rosso Fiorentino's Deposition in San Lorenzo. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Anghiari and Sansepolcro in 1 day
Day 1
Historic centre of Anghiari (Piazza Baldaccio)
Walled medieval town on a hilltop, with steep lanes, arches and a long view down the straight road to Sansepolcro.
Museo della Battaglia e di Anghiari
Small museum in Palazzo del Marzocco on the 1440 battle between Florence and Milan, and on Leonardo's lost painting of it.
Historic centre of Sansepolcro (Piazza Torre di Berta)
Main square of Piero della Francesca's home town, named after the medieval tower blown up in 1944, with cafes for lunch.
Sansepolcro Cathedral
Romanesque cathedral of the town whose name means Holy Sepulchre, keeping the Volto Santo, a large early medieval wooden crucifix.
Museo Civico di Sansepolcro (Piero della Francesca's Resurrection)
Town museum with Piero della Francesca's Resurrection fresco, his Misericordia polyptych and other works, in the old town hall where the Resurrection was painted.
Via XX Settembre
The old main street of Sansepolcro, lined with Renaissance palazzi, shops and cafes, good for a slow walk after lunch.
Church of San Lorenzo (Rosso Fiorentino's Deposition)
Small church in Sansepolcro holding Rosso Fiorentino's Deposition of 1528, a strange, intense Mannerist painting worth the detour.
Watch: Anghiari and Sansepolcro
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
A car is the practical way: from Arezzo Anghiari is about 30 minutes, and Sansepolcro another 10 minutes along the straight valley road. From Florence it is about an hour and a half by car on the motorway to Arezzo and then across the hills. Buses run from Arezzo to both towns but are infrequent, so check the return times before going.
Staying in Arezzo or Florence? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Anghiari and Sansepolcro
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with mild days in the upper Tiber valley and autumn truffles and chestnuts on menus. Summer is warm but rarely as hot as southern Tuscany, and the towns stay quiet compared with Florence. Anghiari remembers the battle with the Palio della Vittoria in late June, and Sansepolcro holds its crossbow Palio della Balestra against Gubbio in September.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Anghiari and Sansepolcro on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Anghiari and Sansepolcro on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Anghiari and Sansepolcro 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 Anghiari and Sansepolcro
- Park below Anghiari's walls and walk up; the lanes are steep and cobbled, and the centre is small enough to see on foot in an hour.
- The Museo della Battaglia e di Anghiari is closed on Tuesdays; it tells the story of the 1440 battle Leonardo painted for Florence's Palazzo Vecchio.
- The Museo Civico in Sansepolcro closes for lunch, so plan lunch in town and see Piero della Francesca's Resurrection in the afternoon.
- For more Piero, the Madonna del Parto in Monterchi is a short drive south of Anghiari and can be added on the way back to Arezzo.
- Sansepolcro's crossbow contest, the Palio della Balestra, is held in early September; Anghiari is known for its hand-woven linens, sold in shops around the old town.
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
- Historic centre of Anghiari (Piazza Baldaccio): This illustration was made by louis-garden. Please credit this : louis-garden An email to Louis-garden or a message here would be appreciated too. More pictures (not free) at My Photos Site, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Historic centre of Sansepolcro (Piazza Torre di Berta): Alessandro.puleri, Public domain
- Museo Civico di Sansepolcro (Piero della Francesca's Resurrection): sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Museo della Battaglia e di Anghiari: Zeo1440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sansepolcro Cathedral: sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
