Arezzo - A little bit of Firenze and a little bit of Cortona?

As you know we are back from Italy but I haven't really said anything about the time spent there.  We have been going to Italy for some years and each time we go we try to see something new.  This year it was Arezzo which, somewhat surprisingly given its location between Firenze and Cortona, we have not visited before.
Situated overlooking the Val di Chiana Arezzo is, like Cortona, a hill town but a much larger and more important one.  In fact it is the regional seat.  The town consists of a new town and an upper old town.  Getting to Arezzo from Borgo di Vagli is best done by driving to Terontola and then getting the train.  I once tried to drive there a couple of years ago but it was hopeless.
The old town is quite charming with some wonderful architecture and churches including the Duomo:

and the Piazza Grande:

and the stunning Pieve di S. Maria, one of the most perfect Medieval churches in Tuscany:

You can see these and other pictures of Arezzo on Flickr 

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