Piero della Francesca Tour

The charm and art of Monterchi, Sansepolcro and Arezzo

This tour will show you places that exhibit masterworks of Italian painting. We suggest that you start the itinerary in Monterchi, a small village perched on a hilltop, world renowned to preserve the “Madonna del Parto”, famous fresco by Piero della Francesca.
Nearby Monterchi, you can then reach the picturesque city of Sansepolcro, the greatest town in this area. Surrounded by medieval town walls, that are one of the best preserved examples of this type of fortification, the old town center is characterized by its many of fine medieval and renaissance palaces and churches, full of frescoes. The Civic Museum exhibits artworks of priceless value, such as the “Resurrection” and the “Polyptych of the Misericordia” by Piero della Francesca; for those who are interested in this subject, the museum also preserves documents that illustrate how Piero della Francesca used to obtain part of the pigments, that he then used in his paintings, from the wildflowers that grew along the Tiber banks. Sansepolcro is also the recommended place to have lunch in one of its typical restaurants.

Arezzo

On the way back, another city, very interesting from both an architectural and historic point of view, is Arezzo, an ancient Etruscan settlement that, in the Middle Ages, became one of the most important medieval city-states in Italy. Here you can visit the cathedral and the church of San Francesco, that preserves the famous cycle of frescoes depicting the "Legend of the True Cross", a masterpiece by Piero della Francesca. You can also pleasantly walk along the main streets of the old town center, going shopping in the Italian high fashion boutiques.

Duration of the itinerary: 8 hours.