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Lucca

Pop 89,000

Lovely Lucca endears itself to everyone who visits. Hidden behind imposing Renaissance walls, its cobbled streets, handsome piazzas and shady promenades make it a perfect destination to explore by foot – as a day trip from Florence or in its own right. At the day's end, historic cafes and restaurants tempt visitors to relax over a glass or two of Lucchesi wine and a slow progression of rustic dishes prepared with fresh produce from nearby Garfagnana.

If you have a car, the hills to the east of Lucca demand exploration. Home to historic villas and belle époque Montecatini Terme where Puccini lazed in warm spa waters, they are easy and attractive day-trip destinations from Lucca.

Lucca

1Top Sights

1Cattedrale di San MartinoD4

2City WallC1

3Museo della CattedraleD4

4Palazzo PfannerC2

5Torre GuinigiE3

1Sights

6Chiesa di San Michele in ForoC3

7Chiesa e Battistero dei SS Giovanni e ReparataD4

8Orto BotanicoF4

4Sleeping

92italiaD2

10Alla Corte degli AngeliC2

11Piccolo Hotel PucciniC3

5Eating

12Da FeliceC3

13Forno Amedeo GiustiC3

14GustevoleC3

15L'Hamburgheria di EatalyC2

16Ristorante GiglioC4

17Trattoria da LeoC2

6Drinking & Nightlife

18Bistrot Undici UndiciD4

7Shopping

19Antica Farmacia MassagliC3

20CaniparoliB3

21De CervesiaD2

22La Bodega di ProsperoC3

23TaddeucciC3

1Sights

Stone-paved Via Fillungo, with its fashion boutiques and car-free mantra, threads its way through the medieval heart of the old city. East is one of Tuscany's loveliest piazzas, oval cafe-ringed Piazza Anfiteatro, named for the amphitheatre that was here in Roman times. Spot remnants of the amphitheatre's brick arches and masonry on the exterior walls of the medieval houses ringing the piazza.

oCity WallHISTORIC SITE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP )

Lucca’s monumental mura (wall) was built around the old city in the 16th and 17th centuries and remains in almost perfect condition. It superseded two previous walls, the first built from travertine stone blocks as early as the 2nd century BC. Twelve metres high and 4.2km long, today's ramparts are crowned with a tree-lined footpath looking down on the historic centre and – by the Baluardo San Regolo (San Regolo Bastion) – the city's vintage Orto Botanico (Botanical Garden; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 44 21 61; Casermetta San Regolo; adult/reduced €4/3; h10am-7pm Jul-Sep, to 6pm May & Jun, to 5pm Mar, Apr & Oct) with its magnificent centurion cedar trees.

oCattedrale di San MartinoCATHEDRAL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 05 30; www.museocattedralelucca.it; Piazza San Martino; adult/reduced €3/2, incl Museo della Cattedrale & Chiesa e Battistero dei SS Giovanni & Reparata €9/5; h9.30am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 6.45pm Sat, noon-6pm Sun summer, 9.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 6.45pm Sat, noon-6pm Sun winter)

Lucca's predominantly Romanesque cathedral dates from the 11th century. Its stunning facade was constructed in the prevailing Lucca-Pisan style and designed to accommodate the pre-existing campanile (bell tower). The reliefs over the left doorway of the portico are believed to be by Nicola Pisano, while inside, treasures include the Volto Santo (literally, Holy Countenance) crucifix sculpture and a wonderful 15th-century tomb in the sacristy. The cathedral interior was rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries with a Gothic flourish.

oMuseo della CattedraleMUSEUM

(Cathedral Museum; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 05 30; www.museocattedralelucca.it; Piazza San Martino; adult/reduced €4/3, with cathedral sacristy & Chiesa e Battistero dei SS Giovanni e Reparata €9/5; h10am-6pm summer, to 5pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat & Sun winter)

The cathedral museum safeguards elaborate gold and silver decorations made for the cathedral's Volto Santo, including a 17th-century crown and a 19th-century sceptre.

oTorre GuinigiTOWER

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Via Sant'Andrea 45; adult/reduced €4/3; h9.30am-7.30pm Jun-Sep, to 6.30pm Apr & May, to 5.30pm Oct & Mar)

The bird's-eye view from the top of this medieval, 45m-tall red-brick tower adjoining 14th-century Palazzo Guinigi is predictably magnificent. But what impresses even more are the seven oak trees planted in a U-shaped flower bed at the top of the tower. Legend has it that upon the death of powerful Lucchese ruler Paolo Guinigi (1372–1432) all the leaves fell off the trees. Count 230 steps to the top.

Chiesa e Battistero dei SS Giovanni e ReparataCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 05 30; www.museocattedralelucca.it; Piazza San Giovanni; adult/reduced €4/3, with cathedral sacristy & Museo della Cattedrale €9/5; h10am-6pm summer, to 5pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat & Sun winter)

The 12th-century interior of this deconsecrated church is a hauntingly atmospheric setting for summertime opera and concert recitals (www.puccinielasualucca.com), staged daily at 7pm; buy tickets (adult/reduced €20/16) in advance inside the church. In the north transept, the Gothic baptistry crowns an archaeological area comprising five building levels going back to the Roman period. Don't miss the hike up the red-brick bell tower.

oPalazzo PfannerPALACE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 95 21 55; www.palazzopfanner.it; Via degli Asili 33; palace or garden adult/reduced €4.50/4, both €6/5; h10am-6pm Apr-Nov)

Fire the romantic in you with a stroll around this beautiful 17th-century palace where parts of Portrait of a Lady (1996), starring Nicole Kidman and John Malkovich, were shot. Its baroque-styled garden – the only one of substance within the city walls – enchants with ornamental pond, lemon house and 18th-century statues of Greek gods posing between potted lemon trees. Summertime chamber-music concerts hosted here are absolutely wonderful.

Chiesa di San Michele in ForoCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza San Michele; h7.40am-noon & 3-6pm summer, 9am-noon & 3-5pm winter)

One of Lucca's many architecturally significant churches, this glittering Romanesque edifice marks the spot where the city's Roman forum was. The present building with exquisite wedding-cake facade was constructed over 300 years on the site of its 8th-century precursor, beginning in the 11th century. Crowning the structure is a figure of the archangel Michael slaying a dragon. Inside the dimly lit interior, don't miss Filippino Lippi's 1479 painting of Sts Helen, Jerome, Sebastian and Roch (complete with plague sore) in the south transept.

CENT SAVER

If you plan to visit the Museo della Cattedrale, Chiesa de SS Giovanni e Reparata and the sacristy inside Cattedrale di San Martino, buy a cheaper combined ticket (adult/reduced €9/5) at any of the sights.

4Sleeping

Piccolo Hotel PucciniHOTEL€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 5 54 21; www.hotelpuccini.com; Via di Poggio 9; s/d/t €75/95/120; aW)

In a brilliant central location, this welcoming three-star hotel hides behind a discreet brick exterior. Its small guest rooms are attractive with wooden floors, vintage ceiling fans and colourful, contemporary design touches. Breakfast, optional at €3.50, is served at candlelit tables behind the small reception area. Rates are at least 30% lower in winter.

oVilla LucreziaB&B€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 95 42 86; www.luccainvilla.it; Viale Luigi Cadorna 30; d/q €120/140; pW)

A particularly handy address for those arriving by car, this 10-room B&B is a two-minute walk from the city walls, inside a graceful 19th-century villa with a jasmine-scented garden. Rooms are spacious and light-filled, with big windows, contemporary design furnishings and sharp en-suite bathrooms. Complimentary tea, coffee and cakes are at hand throughout the day in the basement breakfast room.

The villa also lends guests free bicycles to pedal into town. Free courtyard parking.

2italiaAPARTMENT€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %392 996 02 71; www.2italia.com; Via della Anfiteatro 74; apt for 2 adults & up to 4 children per night/week €190/1050; W)

Not a hotel but several family-friendly self-catering apartments overlooking Piazza Anfiteatro, with a communal kids' playroom in the attic. Available on a nightly basis (minimum two nights), the project is the brainchild of well-travelled parents-of-three, Kristin (English) and Kaare (Norwegian). Spacious apartments sleep up to six, have a fully equipped kitchen and washing machine, and come with sheets and towels.

Kristin and Kaare have several other apartments and villas to rent in and around Lucca. They also organise cycling tours, cooking courses, wine tastings and olive pickings for guests.

Alla Corte degli AngeliBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 46 92 04; www.allacortedegliangeli.com; Via degli Angeli 23; d €240-270; aiW)

This boutique hotel sits in a couple of 15th-century townhouses, with a stylish beamed lounge leading to 21 sunny rooms adorned with frescoed ceilings, patches of exposed brick and landscape murals. Every room is named after a different flower, and up-to-the-minute bathrooms have hot tubs and power-jet showers.

5Eating

oGustevoleGELATO€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %366 896 03 46; www.facebook.com/gelateriagustevolelucca; Via di Poggio Seconda 26; cones & tubs €2.30-3; h1.30-7pm Tue-Thu, noon-7pm Fri, to 8pm Sat)

With enticing flavours like liquorice and mint, ricotta with fig and walnut, or pine kernel made with local Pisan kernels (nuts in sweet, crunchy caramelised clumps), the most recent addition to Lucca's artisan gelato scene is pure gold. Gelato is organic, natural and gluten-free. The key to entering gelato heaven: ask for a dollop of thick whipped cream on top.

L'Hamburgheria di EatalyBURGERS€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 42 92 16; www.facebook.com/hamburgheriadieatalylucca; Via Fillungo 91a; burgers €9.80-13.80; h11am-midnight Mon, 8.30am-midnight Tue-Sat, 9.30am-midnight Sun; W)

A clever mix of fast and slow food, this modern Eataly eatery cooks up gourmet burgers crafted from Tuscany's signature Chianina beef alongside a tantalising mix of hot dogs, grilled meats and taglieri (wooden chopping boards) loaded with salami, cold meats and cheeses. Begin with a focaccia (€9.50 to €19.50) to share beneath red-brick vaults inside or among potted lemon trees in the courtyard.

Trattoria da LeoTRATTORIA€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 22 36; http://trattoriadaleo.it/; Via Tegrimi 1; meals €25; h12.30-2pm & 7.30-10.30pm Mon-Sat)

A much-loved veteran, Leo is famed for its friendly ambience and cheap food – ranging from plain-Jane acceptable to grandma delicious. Arrive in summer to snag one of 10 tables covered with chequered tablecloths and crammed beneath parasols on the narrow street outside. Otherwise, it's noisy dining inside among typically nondescript 1970s decor. No credit cards.

Da FelicePIZZA€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 49 86; www.pizzeriadafelice.it; Via Buia 12; focaccia €1-3, pizza slices €1.30; h11am-8.30pm Mon, 10am-8.30pm Tue-Sat)

This buzzing spot behind Piazza San Michele is where the locals come for wood-fired pizza, cecina (salted chickpea pizza) and castagnacci (chestnut cakes). Eat in or take away, castagnaccio comes wrapped in crisp white paper, and my, it's good married with a chilled bottle of Moretti beer.

oRistorante GiglioTUSCAN€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 40 58; www.ristorantegiglio.com; Piazza del Giglio 2; meals €40; hnoon-2.30pm & 7.30-10pm Thu-Mon, 7.30-10pm Wed)

Splendidly at home in the frescoed 18th-century Palazzo Arnolfini, Giglio is stunning. Dine at white-tableclothed tables, sip a complimentary prosecco, watch the fire crackle in the marble fireplace and savour traditional Tuscan with a modern twist: think fresh artichoke salad served in an edible parmesan-cheese wafer 'bowl', or risotto simmered in Chianti. End with Lucchese buccellato (sweet bread) filled with ice cream and berries.

Tasting menus (€40 and €60) are the best value.

DON'T MISS

A WALLTOP PICNIC

When in Lucca, picnicking atop its city walls – on grass or at a wooden picnic table – is as lovely (and typical) a Lucchesi lunch as any.

Buy fresh-from-the-oven pizza and focaccia with a choice of fillings and toppings from fabulous bakery Forno Amedeo Giusti ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 62 85; www.facebook.com/PanificioGiusti; Via Santa Lucia 20; pizzas & filled focaccias per kg €10-15; h7am-7.30pm Mon-Sat, 4-7.30pm Sun), then nip across the street for a bottle of Lucchesi wine and Garfagnese biscotti al farro (spelt biscuits) at La Bodega di Prospero ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Via Santa Lucia 13; h9am-7pm); look for the old-fashioned shop window stuffed with sacks of beans, lentils and other local pulses.

Complete the perfect picnic with a slice of buccellato, a traditional sweet bread loaf with sultanas and aniseed seeds, baked in Lucca since 1881. Devour the rest at home, with butter, dipped in egg and pan-fried, or dunked in sweet Vin Santo. Buy it at pastry shop Taddeucci ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 49 33; www.buccellatotaddeucci.com; Piazza San Michele 34; buccellato loaf per 300/600g €4.50/9; h8.30am-7.45pm, closed Thu winter). Or seduce taste buds with truffles, white-chocolate spread and other artisanal chocolate creations almost too beautiful to eat from Caniparoli ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.caniparolicioccolateria.it; Via San Paolino 96; h9.30am-1pm & 3.30-7.30pm), the finest chocolate shop in town.

Swill down the picnic with your pick of Italian craft beers at microbrewery De Cervesia ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 30 81; www.decervesia.it; Via Fillungo 90; h10.30am-1pm & 3.30-7.30pm Tue-Sat), which has a small shop on Lucca's main shopping street and a tap room for serious tasting (open 5pm to 10pm Tuesday to Sunday) a few blocks away at Via Michele Rosi 20. Should a shot of something stronger be required to aid digestion, nip into historic pharmacy Antica Farmacia Massagli ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 60 67; Piazza San Michele 36; h9am-7.30pm Mon-Sat) for a bottle of China elixir, a heady liqueur of aromatic spices and herbs first concocted in 1855 as a preventive measure against the plague. Lucchese typically drink the natural alcoholic drink (no colouring or preservatives) at the end of a meal.

6Drinking & Nightlife

oBistrot Undici UndiciCAFE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 189 27 01; www.facebook.com/und1c1und1c1; Piazza Antelminelli 2; h10am-8pm Tue-Thu, to 1am Fri-Sun)

With one huge cream-coloured parasol providing shade and a tinkling fountain providing an atmospheric soundtrack, cafe terraces don't get much better than this. And then there is the view at this bucolic cafe (the only cafe) on Piazza San Miniato of the almighty facade of Lucca's lovely cathedral. Live music sets the place rocking after dark.

8Information

Tourist Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 58 31 50; www.turismo.lucca.it; Piazzale Verdi; h9am-7pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Mar-Oct) Free hotel reservations, left-luggage service (two bags €1.50/4.50/7 per hour/half-day/day) and guided city tours in English departing at 2pm daily in summer and on Saturdays and Sundays in winter. The two-hour tour is €10/free per adult/child under 15 years.

8Getting There & Away

Bus

From the bus stops ( GOOGLE MAP ) around Piazzale Verdi, Vaibus Lucca (www.lucca.cttnord.it) runs services throughout the region, including to the following destinations:

Bagni di Lucca (€3.40, 50 minutes, eight daily)

Castelnuovo di Garfagnana (€4.20, 1½ hours, eight daily)

Pisa airport (€3.40, 45 minutes to one hour, 30 daily)

Train

The train station is south of the city walls: take the path across the moat and through the (dank and grungy) tunnel under Baluardo San Colombano. Regional train services:

Florence (€7.50 to €9.60, 1¼ to 1¾ hours, hourly)

Pietrasanta (€4.40 to €6.10, 50 minutes, hourly)

Pisa (€3.50, 30 minutes, half-hourly)

Pistoia (€5.50, 45 minutes to one hour, half-hourly)

Viareggio (€3.50, 25 minutes, hourly)

8Getting Around

Bicycle

Rent wheels (ID required) to pedal the 4.2km circumference of Lucca's romantic city walls:

Biciclette Poli ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 37 87; www.biciclettepoli.com; Piazza Santa Maria 42; per hr/day €3/15; h9am-7pm summer) Just across from the city walls, this seasonal bike-rental outfit has regular city bikes as well as mountain bikes (€4/20 per hour/day), racing bikes (€7/35 per hour/day) and tandems (€6.50/32.50 per hour/day). Kids' bikes too.

Cicli Bizzarri ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0583 49 66 82; www.ciclibizzarri.net; Piazza Santa Maria 32; per hr/day €3/15; h8.30am-7.30pm summer, to 12.30pm & 2-7.30pm winter) Every type of bike imaginable for rent – tandems and e-bikes included.

Tourist Center Lucca ( GOOGLE MAP ; %338 821 39 52 0583 49 44 01; www.touristcenterlucca.com; Piazzale Ricasoli 203; bike per 3hr/day €8/12; h9am-7pm) Exit the train station and bear left to find this handy bike-rental outlet, with kids' bikes, tandems, trailers and various other gadgets. It also has left-luggage facilities (€3/5 per bag up to three hours/day).

Car & Motorcycle

In Lucca it's easiest to park at Parcheggio Carducci, just outside Porta Sant'Anna. Within the walls, most car parks are for residents only, indicated by yellow lines. Blue lines indicate where anyone, including tourists, can park (€2 per hour). If you are staying within the city walls, contact your hotel ahead of your arrival and enquire about the possibility of getting a temporary resident permit during your stay.

Pietrasanta

Pop 24,000

Often overlooked by Tuscan travellers, this refined art town sports a bijou historic heart (originally walled) peppered with tiny art galleries, workshops and fashion boutiques – perfect for a day's amble broken only by lunch.

Founded in 1255 by Guiscardo da Pietrasanta, the podestà (governing magistrate) of Lucca, Pietrasanta was seen as a prize by Genoa, Lucca, Pisa and Florence, all of which jostled for possession of its marble quarries and bronze foundries. Florence won out and Leo X (Giovanni de' Medici) took control in 1513, putting the town's quarries at the disposal of Michelangelo, who came here in 1518 to source marble for the facade of Florence's San Lorenzo. Artists continue to work here, including internationally lauded Colombian-born sculptor Fernando Botero (b 1932), whose work can be seen here.

Pietrasanta is a great base for exploring the Apuane Alps and a lovely day trip from Pisa or Viareggio.

1Sights & Activities

From Pietrasanta train station on Piazza della Stazione head straight across Piazza Carducci, through the Old City gate and onto Piazza del Duomo, the main square, which doubles as an outdoor gallery for sculptures and other large works of art.

Duomo di San MartinoCATHEDRAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza del Duomo; hhours vary)

It is impossible to miss Pietrasanta's attractive cathedral, dating from 1256, on the central square. Its distinctive 36m-tall, red-brick bell tower is actually unfinished; the red brick was meant to have a marble cladding.

Via GaribaldiSTREET

( GOOGLE MAP )

This quaint pedestrian strip is peppered with chic fashion boutiques and stylish art galleries. Highlights guaranteed to tempt include fashion designer Paolo Milani ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0584 79 07 29; Via Garibaldi 11; hhours vary), whose studio is a riot of bold vibrant prints and a wild mix of textures covering the whole sombre-to-sequin spectrum; multibrand fashion queen and trendsetter Zoe ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0424 52 21 25; www.zoecompany.eu; Via Garibaldi 29-33 & 44-46; h10am-1pm & 4-8pm); vintage furniture design boutique Lei; and concept store Dada ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0584 7 04 37; www.dadaconcept.it; Via Garibaldi 39; h10am-1pm & 3.30-7.30pm Tue-Sun).

5Eating & Drinking

oFilippo Mud BarTUSCAN€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0584 7 00 10; www.facebook.com/filippomud; Via Barsanti 45; 3-/5-course menu €35/55; h12.30-2.15pm & 7pm-1am Wed-Sun, 7pm-1am Tue)

Completely on trend, this chic open-plan space is part lounge, part cocktail bar (stunning paprika roasted almonds) and part formal restaurant with a sensational industrial-meets-lime-green-velour interior. Its menu, an ode to fusion cuisine, is equally fabulous: order a three- or five-course menu, or try the 'sensual experience for provocative souls' (€25) – aka a cocktail perfectly paired with a surprise dish. Reservations essential.

La Brigata di FilippoTUSCAN€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0584 7 00 10; http://ristorantefilippo.com; Via Stagio Stagi 22; meals €40; h12.30-2.30pm & 7.30pm-2am, closed Mon winter)S

This exceptional foodie address never disappoints. From the homemade bread and focaccia brought warm to your table throughout the course of your meal to the contemporary fabric on the walls, to giant wicker lampshades and modern open kitchen, this bistro is chic. Cuisine is seasonal modern Tuscan and is perfect for a lazy lunch (two-/three-/four-course menus €25/35/45) inside or out.

oL'Enoteca MarcucciWINE BAR

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0584 79 19 62; www.enotecamarcucci.it; Via Garibaldi 40; h10am-1pm & 5pm-1am Tue-Sun)

Taste fine Tuscan wine on bar stools at high wooden tables or beneath big parasols on the street outside. Whichever you pick, the distinctly funky, artsy spirit of Pietrasanta's best-loved enoteca enthrals.

8Getting There & Away

Regional train services:

Pisa (€4.40, 30 minutes, every 30 minutes)

Viareggio (€2.60, 10 minutes, every 10 minutes)

Lucca (with change of train in Pisa or Viareggio; €6.10, one hour, every 30 minutes)

Eastern Tuscany

The eastern edge of Tuscany is beloved by film directors who’ve immortalised its landscape and medieval hilltop towns in several critically acclaimed and visually splendid films. Yet the region remains refreshingly bereft of tourist crowds and offers uncrowded trails for those savvy enough to explore here.

Arezzo

Pop 99,540

Arezzo may not be a Tuscan centrefold, but those parts of its historic centre that survived merciless WWII bombings are as compelling as any destination in the region – the city's central square is as beautiful as it appears in Roberto Benigni's classic film La vita è bella (Life is Beautiful).

Once an important Etruscan trading post, Arezzo was later absorbed into the Roman Empire. A free republic as early as the 10th century, it supported the Ghibelline cause in the violent battles between pope and emperor and was eventually subjugated by Florence in 1384.

Today, the city is known for its churches, museums and fabulously sloping Piazza Grande ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), across which a huge antiques fair spills each month. Come dusk, Arentini (locals of Arezzo) spill along the length of shop-clad Corso Italia for the ritual late-afternoon passeggiata (stroll).

Arezzo

1Top Sights

1Cappella BacciB3

2Chiesa di Santa Maria della PieveC2

3Museo Archeologico Nazionale 'Gaio Cilnio Mecenate'B4

1Sights

4Duomo di ArezzoC2

5Museo di Casa VasariB1

6Palazzo della Fraternità dei LaiciC2

7Piazza GrandeC3

2Activities, Courses & Tours

Fiera Antiquaria di ArezzoC3

Giostra del SaracinoC3

4Sleeping

8Graziella Patio HotelC3

5Eating

9Antica Osteria AganiaC3

10CremìC3

11La Bottega di GniccheC3

12Le Chiavi d'OroB3

1Sights

A combined ticket (adult/reduced €15/12) covers admission to Cappella Bacci, Museo Archeologico Nazionale and Museo di Casa Vasari.

oCappella BacciCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 35 27 27; www.pierodellafrancesca.it; Piazza San Francesco; adult/reduced €8/5; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 5.30pm Sat, 1-5.30pm Sun)

This chapel, in the apse of 14th-century Basilica di San Francesco, safeguards one of Italian art's greatest works: Piero della Francesca's fresco cycle of the Legend of the True Cross. Painted between 1452 and 1466, it relates the story of the cross on which Christ was crucified. Only 25 people are allowed in every half hour, making advance booking (by telephone or email) essential in high season. The ticket office is down the stairs by the basilica's entrance.

oChiesa di Santa Maria della PieveCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Corso Italia 7; h8am-12.30pm & 3-6.30pm)F

This 12th-century church – Arezzo's oldest – has an exotic Romanesque arcaded facade adorned with carved columns, each uniquely decorated. Above the central doorway are 13th-century carved reliefs called Cyclo dei Mesi representing each month of the year. The plain interior's highlight – removed for restoration work at the time of writing – is Pietro Lorenzetti's polyptych Madonna and Saints (1320–24), beneath the semidome of the apse. Below the altar is a 14th-century silver bust reliquary of the city's patron saint, San Donato.

oMuseo Archeologico Nazionale 'Gaio Cilnio Mecenate'MUSEUM

(Gaius Cilnius Maecenas Archeological Museum; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 2 08 82; www.facebook.com/archeologicoarezzo; Via Margaritone 10; adult/reduced €6/3, 1st Sunday each month free; h8.30am-7.30pm, to 1.30pm Nov)

Overlooking the remains of a Roman amphitheatre that once seated up to 10,000 spectators, this museum – named after Gaius Maecenas (68–8 BC), a patron of the arts and trusted advisor to Roman Emperor Augustus – exhibits Etruscan and Roman artefacts in a 14th-century convent building. The highlight is the Cratere di Euphronios, a 6th-century-BC Etruscan vase decorated with vivid scenes showing Hercules in battle.

Duomo di ArezzoCATHEDRAL

(Cattedrale di SS Donato e Pietro; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza del Duomo; h7am-12.30pm & 3.30-6.30pm)F

Construction started in the 13th century but Arezzo's cathedral wasn't completed until the 15th century. In the northeast corner, next to the vestry door left of the intricately carved main altar, is Piero della Francesca's exquisite fresco, Mary Magdalene (c 1459), unfortunately dwarfed somewhat by the 13m-tall cenotaph of Arezzo bishop Guido Tarlati (moved to its current spot in 1783). Also notable are five glazed terracottas by Andrea della Robbia and his studio in the Cappella della Madonna del Conforto.

Palazzo della Fraternità dei LaiciPALACE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 2 46 94; www.fraternitadeilaici.it; Piazza Grande; adult/child €3/free; h10am-6pm Thu-Mon, 11.30am-5.30pm Tue & Wed)

This palazzo, with its churchlike facade, was started in 1375 in the Gothic style and finished in the late 1550s after the onset of the Renaissance. Delve into its small museum to admire portraits of grand dukes and benefactors of the Fraternità dei Laici, a fraternity set up in 1262 to help the poor, and artworks collected by local sculptor Ranieri Bartolini (1794–1856). Don't leave without scaling the staircase to the rooftop astronomical clock (1552).

Museo di Casa VasariMUSEUM

(Vasari House Museum; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 29 90 71; www.museistataliarezzo.it/museo-casa-vasari; Via XX Settembre 55; adult/reduced €4/2; h8.30am-7.30pm Mon & Wed-Sat, to 1.30pm Sun)

Built and sumptuously decorated by Arezzo-born painter, architect and art historian Giorgio Vasari (1511–74), this museum is where Vasari lived and worked, and where the original manuscript of his Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects (1550) – still in print under the title The Lives of the Artists – is kept. End on the bijou, Renaissance-style roof garden with flower beds, box hedges and a fountain in its centre. To access the museum, ring the bell.

zFestivals & Events

Giostra del SaracinoCULTURAL

(Joust of the Saracino; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.giostradelsaracinoarezzo.it; hJun & Sep)

This medieval jousting competition, held on Piazza Grande on the third Saturday of June and first Sunday of September, sees each of the city's four quartieri (quarters) put forward a team of 'knights'.

Fiera Antiquaria di ArezzoFAIR

(Arezzo Antique Fair; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.fieraantiquaria.org)

Tuscany's most famous antiques fair is held in Piazza Grande on the first Sunday and preceding Saturday of every month.

4Sleeping

Casa VolpiHOTEL€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 35 43 64; www.casavolpi.it; Via Simone Martini 29; s/d/tr €75/90/120; piW)

This 18th-century manor is an easy, scenic 4km bicycle ride away from the cobbled streets of downtown Arezzo (the hotel lends guests wheels). Its 15 rooms are decorated in a classical style, with plenty of charming original features – beamed ceilings, red-brick flooring, parquet. Family run, the hotel restaurant expands its seating into the pretty garden in summer.

Graziella Patio HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 40 19 62; www.hotelpatio.it; Via Cavour 23; s/d from €120/150; aiW)

A delightful mix of ancient (15th-century cellars) and contemporary design, this 10-room hotel has themed rooms inspired by Bruce Chatwin's travel books – with decor to match. Pink-kissed Arkady is the 'Australia room', Fillide exudes a distinctly Moroccan air and Cobra Verde is a green Amazon-inspired loft. Every room has a Macbook for guests to go online and service is first class.

5Eating

oCremìGELATO€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %333 976 63 36; www.facebook.com/gelateriaartigianalecremi; Corso Italia 100; cones & tubs €1.80-5; h10am-7.30pm Tue-Sun)

Follow the locals to this bright, modern gelateria artigianale (artisan gelato shop) on Arezzo's main passeggiata (late afternoon-strolling) strip. Enticing seasonal flavours include pear and vanilla, strawberry cheesecake, peanut, and walnut and fig. Or opt for the luscious and wildly popular house speciality – mousse di nutella (a creamy, light-as-air chocolate- and hazelnut-flavoured mousse-like ice cream).

La Bottega di GniccheSANDWICHES€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 182 29 26; www.bottegadignicche.com; Piazza Grande 4; panini €3.50-7; h11am-8pm Thu-Tue)

Choose from a delectable array of artisan meats and cheeses to stuff in a panino at this old-fashioned alimentari (grocery store) on Arezzo's main piazza. Check the day's handwritten menu for hot dishes too, such as ribollita (traditional Tuscan veg-and-bread soup). Eat inside, between shelves of canary-yellow bags of Martelli pasta, or on the wooden terrace with a sweeping piazza view.

Antica Osteria AganiaTUSCAN€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 29 53 81; www.agania.com; Via G Mazzini 10; meals €20; hnoon-3pm & 6-10.30pm Tue-Sun)

Agania has been around for years and her fare is die-hard traditional; the tripe and grifi con polenta (lambs' cheeks with polenta) are sensational. Indeed it's timeless, welcoming restaurants like this, potted herbs on the doorstep, that remain the cornerstone of Tuscan dining. Begin with antipasto misto (mixed appetisers), then choose your primo (first course) from the six pasta types and eight sauces on offer.

Agania's pici (fat spaghetti) with wild boar sauce is legendary. Arrive by 1pm to beat the crowd of regulars, or join the crowd waiting outside.

oLe Chiavi d'OroITALIAN€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 40 33 13; www.ristorantelechiavidoro.it; Piazza San Francesco 7; meals €45; h12.30-2.30pm & 7.30-10.30pm Tue-Sun)

Contemporary Italian cooking is on offer at this game-changing restaurant in central Arezzo. Design lovers are wooed by the minimalist interior with part-resin, part-parquet floor and stylish 1960s Danish chairs, while foodies are quickly won over by the simplistic menu that reads something like a shopping list of ingredients. Bream with artichokes, saffron, breadcrumbs and lime anyone?

8Information

Tourist Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 40 19 45; Piazza della Libertà; h2-4pm) Find another branch of the tourist office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 2 68 50; Piazza della Repubblica 22-23; h10.30am-12.30pm) to the right as you exit the train station.

Una Vetrina per Arezzo e Le Sue Vallate ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 182 27 70; www.arezzoturismo.it; Emiciclo Giovanni Paolo II, Scale Mobili di Arezzo; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 7pm Sat & Sun) Private tourist office on the scala mobile (escalator) leading up to Piazza del Duomo; it has toilet facilities (€0.50).

8Getting There & Away

Bus

Buses operated by Siena Mobilità (www.sienamobilita.it) serve Siena (€7, 1½ hours, seven daily). Etruria Mobilità (www.etruriamobilita.it) buses serve Sansepolcro (€4.40, one hour, hourly) and Cortona (€3.50, one hour, frequent). Buy tickets from the ticket point ( GOOGLE MAP ; Via Piero della Francesca 1; h6.10am-8pm Mon-Sat year-round, 6.30am-noon Sun summer, 8am-12.30pm Sun winter) to the left as you exit the train station; buses leave from the bus bay ( GOOGLE MAP ; Via Piero della Francesca) opposite.

Train

Arezzo is on the Florence–Rome train line, and there are frequent services to Florence (Regionale €8.50, one to 1½ hours) and Rome (Intercity €27.50, 2¼ hours; Regionale €14.50, 2¾ hours). There are twice-hourly regional trains to Camucia–Cortona (€3.50, 20 minutes).

Cortona

Pop 22,450

Rooms with a view are the rule rather than the exception in this spectacularly sited hilltop town. In the late 14th century Fra' Angelico lived and worked here, and fellow artists Luca Signorelli and Pietro da Cortona were both born within the walls – all three are represented in the Museo Diocesano's small but sensational collection. Large chunks of Under the Tuscan Sun, the soap-in-the-sun film of the book by Frances Mayes, were shot here.

1Sights

oMuseo dell'Accademia Etrusca e della Città di CortonaMUSEUM

(MAEC; GOOGLE MAP ; www.cortonamaec.org; Piazza Signorelli 9; adult/reduced €10/7; h10am-7pm Apr-Oct, to 5pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar)

In the 13th-century Palazzo Casali, this fascinating museum displays substantial local Etruscan and Roman finds, Renaissance globes, 18th-century decorative arts and contemporary paintings. The Etruscan collection is the highlight, particularly those objects excavated from the tombs at Sodo, just outside town. The palazzo's plain facade was added in the 17th century.

oMuseo DiocesanoMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza del Duomo 1; adult/reduced €5/3; h10am-7pm Apr-Oct, to 5pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar)

Little is left of the original Romanesque character of Cortona's cathedral ( GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza del Duomo; hvariable), rebuilt several times in a less-than-felicitous fashion. Fortunately, its wonderful artworks have been saved and displayed in this museum. Highlights include a moving Crucifixion (1320) by Pietro Lorenzetti and two beautiful works by Fra' Angelico: Annunciation (1436) and Madonna with Child and Saints (1436–37). Room 1 features a remarkable Roman sarcophagus decorated with a frenzied battle scene between Dionysus and the Amazons.

Fortezza del GirifalcoLANDMARK

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 164 53 07; www.fortezzadelgirifalco.it; Via di Fortezza; adult/reduced €5/3; h10am-8pm mid-Jun–Aug, to 7pm mid-Apr–mid-Jun & Sep, to 6pm Oct, Nov & Mar–mid-Apr, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun Dec-Feb)

Lap up the stupendous view over the Val di Chiana to Lago Trasimeno in Umbria from the remains of this Medici fortress, atop the highest point in town – count on a good 15 minutes for the steep hike up. Check the website for its fabulous season of events including yoga workshops, falconry shows, theatre performances, collective picnics, dinner concerts, DJ sets and dancing after dark.

4Sleeping & Eating

oLa Corte di AmbraB&B€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 178 82 66; www.cortonaluxuryrooms.com; Via Benedetti 23; d €150-300; aiW)

Tucked away in Palazzo Fierli-Petrella, this contemporary guesthouse has five luxurious rooms with whitewashed beamed ceilings, chandelier lighting and beautiful linens in mellow neutral tones. Ensuite bathrooms are up to the minute and – unusually for a Renaissance Tuscan palace – the B&B has a lift; one room is genuinely wheelchair friendly.

Villa MarsiliHOTEL€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 60 52 52; www.villamarsili.net; Viale Cesare Battisti 13; s/d from €85/115; aiW)

Service is the hallmark at this attractive four-star villa, wedged against the city walls and a short walk downhill from Cortona centre. Guests rave about the helpful staff, lavish breakfast buffet and early-evening aperitivo served in the garden. Pricier suites have Jacuzzis and wonderful views across the Val di Chiana to Lago Trasimeno. The cheapest rates are nonrefundable online.

oBeerbone ArtburgerBURGERS€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 60 17 90; www.facebook.com/cortonaburger; Via Nazionale 55; burgers €9-14; h11am-midnight Mon & Thu-Sun, 9am-5pm & 6pm-midnight Wed; W)

The feisty burgers cooked up at this contemporary restaurant on Cortona's main pedestrian drag are no ordinary burgers. Select your Tuscan meat – Chianina beef or cinta senese pork, smoked over applewood – and choose between lavish toppings: truffles with truffle cream, fried egg and lettuce perhaps, or pecorino cheese with homemade syrah mayonnaise. Craft beer completes the tasty ensemble.

oLa BucacciaTUSCAN€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 60 60 39; www.labucaccia.it; Via Ghibellina 17; meals €35; h12.45-3pm & 7-10.30pm Tue-Sun)

Cortona's finest address, this gourmet gem resides in the medieval stable of a Renaissance palazzo. Cuisine is Tuscan and Cortonese – much meat and handmade pasta (chestnut ravioli!) – and the cheese course is superb, thanks to owner Romano Magi who ripens his own. Dedicated gourmets won't be able to resist the six pecorino types with fruit sauces, homemade salsas and honeys. Reservations essential.

Cooking classes and cheese-making workshops are offered too.

8Information

Tourist office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0575 63 72 21; www.comunedicortona.it; Piazza Signorelli 9; h9am-1pm & 2-6pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-1pm Sat)

8Getting There & Away

The nearest train station is 6km southwest in Camucia, accessible via bus (€1.40, 15 minutes, hourly). Camucia train station has no ticket office, only machines. If you need assistance purchasing tickets, go to the station at Terontola, 6.7km south of Camucia, instead. Destinations include:

Arezzo (€3.50, 25 minutes, hourly)

Florence (€10.70, 1¾ hours, hourly)

Rome (€11.55, 2¾ hours, eight daily)