Help Please, things to do in and around Arezzo, Italy
Discussion
I’m hoping someone can help me here. I’m off to Arezzo in Italy on Saturday for 5 for for my brothers wedding, small fair, just the families.
We’ll be stopping in a villa and I’ve been given a hire car due to my inability to relax and exceptionally low boredom threshold. I’m not sitting about by the pool etc it drives me mad.
So, what is there to do? I see Maranello isn’t too far, 2.5hrs or so and Pisa is a short drive. But, once I see the leaning tower no doubt I’ll be bored of that.
Is Maranello worth the drive, I guess there is only the Ferrari museum but that seems a bit of a trek to look at a few cars.
I’m into cycling so that may be an option, as long as I can hire something decent.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Cheers,
Cramman.
We’ll be stopping in a villa and I’ve been given a hire car due to my inability to relax and exceptionally low boredom threshold. I’m not sitting about by the pool etc it drives me mad.
So, what is there to do? I see Maranello isn’t too far, 2.5hrs or so and Pisa is a short drive. But, once I see the leaning tower no doubt I’ll be bored of that.
Is Maranello worth the drive, I guess there is only the Ferrari museum but that seems a bit of a trek to look at a few cars.
I’m into cycling so that may be an option, as long as I can hire something decent.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Cheers,
Cramman.
Don't bother with Pisa, it's not worth it.
Florence is lovely - take the train though the traffic is a nightmare with tourists at this time of year and will get worse until September.
There's a Prada outlet in Montevarchi (not far)
Siena, San Gimignano and the chianti region are on your doorstep. Hope its a decent hire car for the roads in Chianti!!
Assisi isn't too far away either.
Depends what you want to do/see??
Florence is lovely - take the train though the traffic is a nightmare with tourists at this time of year and will get worse until September.
There's a Prada outlet in Montevarchi (not far)
Siena, San Gimignano and the chianti region are on your doorstep. Hope its a decent hire car for the roads in Chianti!!
Assisi isn't too far away either.
Depends what you want to do/see??
We often stay near Arezzo - lovely area.
If you like cultural stuff; art, art history, churches, sculpture etc. you are in luck. If it bores you, oh well, the treasures of Tuscany might not be your cup of tea. Sounds from your post that it might not be, if you reckon just seeing the tower in Pisa will surpass your 'exceptionally low boredom threshold'.
I wouldn't class Pisa as a 'short drive', even on the autostrade it's a good 1.5 - 2 hours. And then, as said, it's not worth it. Lucca is slightly closer than Pisa and a lot more interesting.
Maranello is too far for a day trip IMO, aside from the autostradas the road around there can be quite twisty, you never get where you are going as quickly as you think you will.
If you want to go to Florence and the main galleries, book tickets first.
Would also recommend if you are interested:
Siena - about 1 hour away in the car, awesome cathedral, piazza and some great churches. If the Palio is on, make sure you go for that.
Perugia - really interesting old city, a bit more rough and ready than the Tuscan towns and used to be a very violent and anarchic place.
Montepulciano, Pienza, Cortona are all nice smaller towns nearby.
Arezzo itself is ok, but you can do it in well under a day. Della Francesca's frescoes in the church are probably the best thing about it, but the festival they have with guys on horseback charging a massive effigy of a Saracen is pretty cool.
I'm sure you'd be able to hire a decent bike in Arezzo, it's a fair sized town. It's also at the foot of some rather large hills which would be quite a test for a pro cyclist in the Giro...
If you like cultural stuff; art, art history, churches, sculpture etc. you are in luck. If it bores you, oh well, the treasures of Tuscany might not be your cup of tea. Sounds from your post that it might not be, if you reckon just seeing the tower in Pisa will surpass your 'exceptionally low boredom threshold'.
I wouldn't class Pisa as a 'short drive', even on the autostrade it's a good 1.5 - 2 hours. And then, as said, it's not worth it. Lucca is slightly closer than Pisa and a lot more interesting.
Maranello is too far for a day trip IMO, aside from the autostradas the road around there can be quite twisty, you never get where you are going as quickly as you think you will.
If you want to go to Florence and the main galleries, book tickets first.
Would also recommend if you are interested:
Siena - about 1 hour away in the car, awesome cathedral, piazza and some great churches. If the Palio is on, make sure you go for that.
Perugia - really interesting old city, a bit more rough and ready than the Tuscan towns and used to be a very violent and anarchic place.
Montepulciano, Pienza, Cortona are all nice smaller towns nearby.
Arezzo itself is ok, but you can do it in well under a day. Della Francesca's frescoes in the church are probably the best thing about it, but the festival they have with guys on horseback charging a massive effigy of a Saracen is pretty cool.
I'm sure you'd be able to hire a decent bike in Arezzo, it's a fair sized town. It's also at the foot of some rather large hills which would be quite a test for a pro cyclist in the Giro...
Edited by Highway Star on Monday 16th May 17:56
Thanks for the replies, just the sort of stuff I was after, especially the comments about time it may take to get about. I was considering a drive to Bologna as it looks like a trip round the Ducati factory is possible, but again that may be a little far.
As for getting bored easily, its just that I'm not one for just sitting about.
I can, and no doubt will do some of the cultural stuff but its not really my cup of tea and don't fancy days of it.
As for getting bored easily, its just that I'm not one for just sitting about.
I can, and no doubt will do some of the cultural stuff but its not really my cup of tea and don't fancy days of it.
Edited by cramman on Monday 16th May 21:39
Between Bologna and Florence is a famous Mille Miglia section. Drive that at a good clip and later realise Sterling Moss was going double the speed 50 years ago.
Have you heard of Siena? That's not too far away.
You should have a good look at the maps on www.viamichelin.com and check the Tourism box. Green discs will appear on the map. Click them to get star-rated guide to tourist points of interest.
Have you heard of Siena? That's not too far away.
You should have a good look at the maps on www.viamichelin.com and check the Tourism box. Green discs will appear on the map. Click them to get star-rated guide to tourist points of interest.
I have family near there in Caprese Michelangelo, the SP208 road from the E45 at Pieve Santo Stefano is a cracker, its used for a yearly road rally.
My cousin is an ex US Postal rider and runs cycling tours out there, not near Arezzo but he may be able to help you out with contacts if you want to do somthing like that. Google Mpire Cycling Centre for details.
My cousin is an ex US Postal rider and runs cycling tours out there, not near Arezzo but he may be able to help you out with contacts if you want to do somthing like that. Google Mpire Cycling Centre for details.
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