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Town:
Arezzo
(central)
In
the middle of the lovely Tuscany paisage, lies Arezzo. The city
of Arezzo is situated near the Alpe di Poti, in the centre of a
wide basin where the Valdarno Superiore, the Casentino, and the
Val di Chiana all converge. Arezzo rises in one of the most
beautiful zones of the Tuscany, encircled by hills and forests.
Its
origins go back to remote antiquity. It was one of the most
important of the 12 cities of the Etruscans, and later became a
Roman stronghold, and an important military outpost on the Via
Cassia and an ally of Rome. The city expanded southwards and an
imposing amphitheatre was built. Traces of this period can still
be seen today.
Despite
various changes made over the course of time, Arezzo has managed,
partly due to its position, to preserve the environmental and
architectural character of its most ancient quarter, perched in
the highest part of the city; its shape has remained unaltered,
circled by a road perimeter running round the old 13th century
walls.
Arezzo
has been transformed in a short period of time from a prevalently
agricultural economy to a mainly industrial one, and has also
become a world centre for gold craftsmanship.
Affiliated
hotels: 
Hotel
Minerva*
Particular
attention has been paid to create a warm and comnfortable atmosphere with a
strong accent on Italian elegance. The
Minerva hotel was originally built in 1968, but was completely refurbished just
a few years ago. It is situated in the centre of the city in a quiet and
tranquil environment.
There
are 127 comfortable and luxurious rooms and 5 suites, all
with air-condition
private bathroom, hair-dryer, TV satellite, and direct-dial
telephone. In addition, the hotel offers conference
facilities, parking,
garage and private garden.
Hotel Minerva is easy and convenient to reach, either by car or by train. We are
located 5 km from the Autostrada A1 "Arezzo" exit.
*
Other HEI affiliated hotels in the area.
Places
to visit and things to do:
Arezzos
historical center deserves a careful visit. Much of the city
centre is closed to traffic, except for tourist access to the
hotels. It's an opportunity to experience characteristic
architectonical details and local atmosphere that can only be seen from the paved streets, from
the doorways of palaces, and from under the overhanging
buildings rising in the narrow, uneven alleyways. The Cathedral, built between the late 13th and the early 16th centuries,
is one of the city's most famous architectural monuments. This
delicate yet austere example of Tuscan Gothic contains valuable
works of art, among them a "Magdalene" by Piero
della Francesca and stained glass windows by
Guglielmo de Marcillat. Santa Maria della Pieve (12th and 13th
centuries) is the largest and most beautiful Romanesque church
in the Arezzo region and certainly the most characteristic that
sprang up in the city during the period of its independence, its
tower of "a hundred holes" (so called its
many double mullioned windows) is the emblem of Arezzo.
Siena, Florence, Grosseto are at easy reach by car.
Regional
food:
The
food in this area is simple, but often hearty. It is based on
peasant cooking and and packed with flavour. Specialities: Crostini
all’aretina with chicken paté, Casentino’s ham, Finocchiona,
Pasta
and beans, Tagliatelle with duck ragů, Ribollita soup, Pork
aresta with Finocchi, Mix of grilled meat, Filled rabbit,
Homemade gateau, seasonal Castagnaccio, Torcoli.
Local
wines:
Vineyards
are seen everywhere in the hills of Tuscany and some of the finest Italian wines
are made here. Popular
wines from the Arezzo area include Chianti, Vergine della Val di
Chiana, Vin Santo.
Location:
Motorway
exit Arezzo. Distance:
Florence 75 km, Siena 65 km, Perugia 80 km, Rome
210 km
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