Espresso in Arezzo

Monday 19 June 2017 - Early (for me) start for Arezzo today. Arezzo was originally an Etruscan settlement and later a Roman centre. The city flourished in the Middle Ages before its capitulation to Florence. The city today has one of the biggest jewelry industries in western Europe. The movie, "Life is Beautiful", features Arezzo.

A famous event on the calendar here is the Giostra del Saracino (Joust of the Saracen), held on Piazza Grande. This was held the weekend we arrived at the villa, so on Monday they were still packing up the scaffolding, seating, and fences. The piazza is sloping, so it must be tricky for the competitions. We stopped for an espresso and croissant.

Famous sons of Arezzo are Petrarch; Vasari, the painter and architect remembered chiefly for his history of the Renaissance artists; and Guido of Arezzo, who gave the world the modern musical scale before his death in the mid-11th century. In the background of the photo above is a 16th century loggia designed by Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574).

Below, a typical street, and Tuscan scene taken from a viewpoint in Arezzo (I was always trying to get the picture postcard of the Tuscan countryside).

The Church of San Francesco is probably the most famous in Arezzo, with the incredible Early Renaissance fresco cycle by Piero della Francesca depicting the Legend of the True Cross.

Later, we headed for home (via the supermarket) for a swim. That evening, some of the boys cooked a magnificent BBQ dinner for us. Note the size of this fireplace and it's right in the kitchen!