Cities of Art

Who like cities of art and history, and visit their places, monuments, museums, cultural events, could use the country houses like a confortable basis for organize some sightseeings and excursions in the surrounding centers. Florence (Firenze) and Arezzo are distant by car or train only one hour the first and ten minute the second, and also Siena, Assisi, Perugia, Cortona are enough near for a one-day visit. As Florence doesn't need any presentation, we can say something about Arezzo. It's a small town with a nice and ancient city centre at the top of a hill, that hosts historical/artistic places and masterpieces and a very large number of antique dealer shops and many goldsmiths (the city has a tradition in the gold manufacturing). There are some periodical events  and the historical game "Giostra del Saracino" where the teams of the different street compete three time for year in a horse-tournament in a small square of the city center. And going at Arezzo at evening for a walk is pleasantly frequent to found some spectacles, like jazz or symphonic music in the inner of a church or a theater performance. As cars cannot access to the inner center, if you arrive by car at the city from the direction of Capolona, a nice idea to park in the large area predisposed at the outside of the nord bastion (ramparts) and use the sliding scales hidden in the ramparts to be lifted up to the upper level of the city.