How to Do a Florence to Arezzo Day Trip by Train (+ Map)

The Tuscan city of Arezzo is the best of Italy wrapped up in a compact package.

Medieval streets and squares. Churches laden with Renaissance art. There are even the remains of a Roman amphitheatre. Best of all, it’s an easy day trip from Florence.

Here’s how I did a Florence to Arezzo day trip by train. There’s information on getting there, the best things to see, a self-guided walking route, and a few notes if you’re starting from somewhere other than Florence.

Florence to Arezzo Day Trip at a Glance

How to Get from Florence to Arezzo by Train

Arezzo proves you can explore Tuscany without a car.

The best way to get there from Florence is by train. There is a bus too, but I’d skip it. It takes longer and costs the same as the fare.

Frequent direct trains leave Florence’s Santa Maria Novella station (Firenze S.M. Novella) bound for Arezzo. The faster services take around an hour, and in 2026 a one-way ticket cost just under €10.

You can check timetables on Trenitalia’s website, or download the app to book and store your ticket on your phone. This is a regional train, so there is no advantage to booking ahead.

Arezzo has three train stations. Make sure you get off at the one simply called “Arezzo”, which is its main station.

Santa Maria Novella station is a ten-minute walk from Florence’s Duomo. From Arezzo station, it is a 10 to 15-minute uphill walk to Piazza Grande in the centre of town.

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Day Trip to Arezzo from Elsewhere in Tuscany and Beyond

Florence is the easiest base for this trip, but it is far from the only one. Here is how the journey compares from a few other cities.

If you are staying in Cortona or passing through on the Rome to Florence line, Arezzo makes a very easy half-day add-on rather than a full day trip. From Siena, I would treat it as a longer day and plan your return train before you set off, since services thin out in the evening.

Is One Day in Arezzo Enough?

An Arezzo day trip is enough time to get a taste of the city’s culture and history and try the local cuisine. This is ample time to visit the city’s main attractions, including the Basilica of San Francesco.

Getting Around Arezzo

As a relatively small city, Arezzo is very walkable. Exploring it on foot is your best bet.

What to Do on Your Day Trip to Arezzo from Florence (Self-Guided Walking Tour + Map)

Here is a map of my favourite places to visit in Arezzo. For an interactive map or to save to Google Maps on your phone, simply click here or on the image itself.

If you find it helpful, you can use this as an Arezzo self-guided walking tour, which covers a distance of under two miles.

Best Things to See in Arezzo in One Day

San Francesco Church (Basilica di San Francesco)

For many visitors, Arezzo’s allure lies behind the solid doors of this barn-like Franciscan church. It was in this basilica’s Bacci Chapel that Piero della Francesca created one of the greatest Renaissance fresco cycles, The Legend of the True Cross (1447 – 1466).

Much like Giotto’s frescoes at Santa Croce in Florence, its theme is based on the Golden Legend, a popular 13th-century anthology of the lives of saints by Jacopo da Voragine. This mesmerising masterpiece traces the story of the cross on which Christ was crucified, from its origin as a tree’s seed placed in the mouth of the dying Adam to the cross’s eventual triumph as a major player in the salvation of man.

But it’s less about the story and more about the sheer beauty of della Francesca’s compositions and his mastery of atmospheric phenomena. Just look at his grimly lifelike rendering of battles.

In the words of Giorgio Vasari, these frescoes were “so well-executed that but for the gift of speech they seemed alive.”

Thanks to recent renovation and the installation of a new lighting system – no need to deposit a euro in a box in this church – you can enjoy the elegance and emotion of this fresco cycle in all of its glory.

Casa Vasari

Even if you only have a passing interest in Renaissance Art, you should make a beeline for the home of Arezzo’s favourite son. The artist, architect and historian Giorgio Vasari was born in the city, and you can visit his former home.

Vasari bought this house in 1541 and set to work decorating it with his paintings in 1542, which were completed in 1568 or thereabouts. It’s a wonderful example of artistic expression in 16th-century Italy.

For history and art buffs, the museum also displays Vasari’s correspondence with Michelangelo and Cosimo I de’Medici.

Only 25 people are admitted to Casa Vasari at set timeslots. It is closed on Tuesdays.

Arezzo Cathedral (Cattedrale dei Santi Pietro e Donato)

Built from bits and bobs over the centuries, Arezzo’s Gothic Duomo is worth a look inside for its 16th-century stained glass windows by a French master called Guillaume de Marcillat. The tomb of Bishop Guido Tarlati in the cathedral’s north aisle, thought to have been designed by Giotto, has sixteen relief panels recounting his heroic life.

There is also a fresco by Piero della Francesca, Vasari’s Baptism of Christ and terracottas by Andrea della Robbia. The cathedral’s pointy 19th-century campanile is the symbol of Arezzo.

Medicea Park & Fortress

Behind the cathedral is the French-style Medicea Park. From its lofty viewpoint, there are fine views towards the Casentino Valley and the surrounding vineyards and olive groves.  

The Medici Fortress is located at the southern edge of the park. Cosimo I de’Medici built this pentagonal fortress from stones quarried from the city’s Roman amphitheatre to beef up Florentine dominance in the city.

Piazza Grande

The clue is in the name. Piazza Grande is Arezzo’s enormous main square. Thought to be built on what was the Roman Forum, it is home to a monthly antique market and the biannual Giostra del Saracino (Joust of the Saracen) festival.

A magnificent loggia with a series of graceful arches, designed by Vasari, occupies its northern edge. You don’t need to examine it too closely to see similarities between this and Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, also the work of Vasari.

The square is lined by several medieval buildings, notably the Palazzo della Fraternità dei Laici, Palazzo del Tribunale and Pieve di Santa Maria, and has a public fountain dating from the 1500s.

But one of the most striking things about Piazza Grande is its pronounced slope, designed to funnel off the water when it rains. This was doing a good job on the day of my visit.

For one of the best views in town, climb the clock tower of Palazzo della Fraternità dei Laici. As tower climbs go, it’s not tough and you can capture some terrific panoramas.

The Oscar-winning movie Life is Beautiful by director and actor Roberto Benigni was filmed in Piazza Grande.

Santa Maria della Pieve

With its back turned on Piazza Grande, Santa Maria della Pieve is Arezzo’s finest church.

Built in the 11^th century, this is a magnificent example of the Romanesque style of Pisa and Lucca. With its distinctive, irregular bell tower and early medieval reliefs under the arch at the front portal, it’s a must-see in Arezzo.

Step inside to take a look at the gilded polyptych of The Virgin and Child flanked by saints by Pietro Lorenzetti (1280 – 1348) in the upper chancel. In the 16^th century, Giorgio Vasari demoted it to an altar at the back of the church in favour of his family altarpiece, where it remained until the late 19^th century.

Roman Amphitheatre of Arezzo

As its stones were effectively recycled, it’s not a surprise that little remains of Arezzo’s Roman Amphitheatre. Built under the reign of Hadrian in the 2^nd century AD, only part of its grandstand and aisles are visible today.

Occupying a former medieval monastery, the Arezzo Archaeological Museum (Gaio Cilnio Maecenas National Archaeological Museum) is adjacent to the amphitheatre. Although I didn’t have time to visit it, it is home to a sizeable collection of Etruscan and Roman artefacts.

Is Arezzo Worth Visiting?

Rustic Arezzo is a rewarding day trip from Florence. This is a Tuscan city that is off the main tourist trail and is all the better for it.

The birthplace of the artist and historian Giorgio Vasari, it has a strong artistic and cultural legacy and is home to one of the greatest fresco cycles of the Renaissance. Today’s Arezzo has reinvented itself as a centre for the antiques industry and has been the picturesque setting for many movies, including Under the Tuscan Sun and Stealing Beauty.

By Bridget

Bridget Coleman is an award-winning travel blogger who is an incurable Italy addict and has travelled its length & breadth on multiple occasions. Find out more here.

To get in touch, email her at hello@flashpackingitaly.com