The Cortona and Arezzo guided tour is a day outside of Florence to visit two extremely engaging destinations in Tuscany: a historic journey into the past.
Arezzo Walking Tour
The tour starts with a pick-up at your accommodations in a private, air conditioned transport. The trip to Arezzo takes approximately one hour, where you will begin the walking tour of the city.
Reaching back to Etruscan origins, Arezzo is often referred to as a museum “en plein air”. The streets are lined with palazzos and churches that reflect its long and conflicting history. As you stroll the city streets you will come in contact Etruscan and Roman ruins, including the Roman amphitheater. The narrow cobbled-stone roads are lined with medieval towers and neo-classical buildings, each with a special story attached.
The first stop includes the revolutionary frescoes of Piero della Francesca in the Basilica di San Francesco depicting The Legend of the True Cross, a story which tells of the different phases of the cross which was used in the crucification of Christ.
Other sites of interest in Arezzo include the Piazza Grande, the Duomo, the home of Vasari, the Roman amphitheater and the Medici fortress built on the ruins of the Etruscan temple. The tour of Arezzo will show you the local color, pointing out the passage of history, and how it shaped its story but also how it influenced the stories of nearby towns, like that of Florence, Siena and Cortona.
There will be plenty of time for photos and shopping while on the Cortona and Arezzo Guided Tour at all destinations for local products at the artisans’ shops which are filled with linen, leather products, pottery, olive oil and wine.
The tour will proceed to visit enchanting town of Cortona, made famous in the film “Under the Tuscan Sun”.
We will wander the streets, boutiques and admire the palazzos, churches and monastery which form this amazing town.
The area between Arezzo and Cortona is famous for is wine and olive oil production, including many award winning vineyards. Upon request the lunch stop can include a wine & olive oil tasting as well as a selection of typical Tuscan specialties from the province, giving you a special insider view of the local cuisine.
Surrounded by memories of the Etruscans that once reigned over the area, Cortona sits perched high above dominating the landscape. Legend has it that 108 years after the Great Flood, Noah entered the Valdichiana riding on the Tiber and Paglia rivers. The town now encompasses yesteryear and today in finely tuned harmony.
