Arezzo, that famous Etruscan town whose ancient culture still lives on in its famous goldsmith work and traditional Tuscan cuisine! Arezzo also preserves much of its charm and treasures from the Medieval and Renaissance periods, though it suffered heavily from bombardment during World War II. Below we have suggested an itinerary that will have you visiting the major sights while sampling some of the flavors of Arezzo, gluten-free!
If you visit Arezzo, the first place you must check out is, funnily enough, the last stop we made: La Bottega di Nonna Tina. This lovely little independent pastry shop and bakery near the Amphitheater is at the heart of gluten-free Arezzo. If you stop here in the morning, you will be delighted by an array of their tempting confections along with their bread, schiacciata, calzones, and mini pizzas, all freshly made. And yes, they even make coffee and simple sandwiches – it is quite literally, the dream come true! Looking for a themed cake for a special occasion? This is the place to go, as they gave us some sneak peeks at some made-to-order cakes that were the epitome of elegance in their decoration and sure to make a lasting impression. I was impressed with the consistency of the pastry crust in the chocolate tart with meringue decoration that I chose to take home. They also have one of the most extensive selections of gluten-free products and brands – shelves and shelves of flours, flour mixes, pastas, cookies, etc, including hard-to-find-in-Italy items, like certified gluten-free quinoa and amaranth. It was the first time in Tuscany that I was able to find gluten-free pane carasau, a typical Sardinian cracker-like flatbread. Aside from their culinary talent, the friendliness of the staff makes for the perfect introduction to Arezzo, as they will generously chat with you about the various gluten-free places to eat in town, depending on if you are looking for a sit-down meal or a pizza to-go. In fact, some of these gluten-free eateries are places that they furnish with their freshly prepared products, such as pizza crusts. This is welcome news, for it means that one is less likely to stumble across commercially-made frozen products while eating out here. In fact, we discovered that several places in Arezzo proudly make their own doughs and preparations.
One such place was the family-run restaurant Mivà, where we stopped for lunch. The name is a play on the expression that one uses when in the mood for something, and translates poorly to “it suits me,” in the sense of “I would like it.” After a morning spent walking up and down the hill of Arezzo, we were glad to linger over our lunch. Mivà offers a complete, separate gluten-free menu of typical Tuscan fare coupled with Neopolitan pizza. (The owners are Neopolitans transferred to Arezzo.) The restaurant is is a bit off the main drag, which means plenty of neighborhood Italians, a sure sign of good food at reasonable prices. The local traffic cops were munching away as we came in and were escorted to our table by the slightly formidable staff. I sampled their signature homemade gluten-free pizza, and was pleased to find a crunchy, well-cooked crust (gluten-free crusts can often remain soggy in the middle), without the after-taste that sometimes accompanies the use of certain mixes. The toppings were fresh and the combinations well-chosen, resulting in a pizza that, despite being a bit difficult to cut, makes you forget you are eating gluten-free. I also happily sampled their locally-made gluten-free sausage – a rarity to find on gluten-free menus. And then came the lovely surprise: a gluten-free cake of mascarpone cheese with crumb crust and berry topping. The recipe was the owner’s, and when I took the liberty of asking how it was that the restaurant had decided to create a gluten-free menu, I found out why there was a simple yet evident attention to each dish: the care of a mother whose own daughter eats gluten-free.
We spent the day touring all over Arezzo and came up with the following itinerary, based on what, in our mind, would be the ideal order to experience the delightful sights and tastes of Arezzo.
A Gluten-Free Itinerary for Touring Arezzo
*Before your trip, book your timed tickets to the Church of San Francesco to avoid lines. If you wish to go inside the ruins of the amphitheater, though not necessary, as it can be admired from the outside, you will have to make an appointment with the Archeology Museum.
1. Arrival in Arezzo: If you come by train, the station is right outside the old city walls, just across from the town’s main entrance. By car, your best bet is to park just outside the city walls, preferably at Parcheggio Eden for this itinerary.
2. Breakfast stop and the old Roman Amphitheater: Grab an Italian breakfast – pastry and coffee – at the lovely bakery shop, La Bottega di Nonna Tina and, if you do not wish to have a sit-down lunch because of timing, take a sandwich to go. Take a stroll around the perimeter of the Amphitheater and imagine what it would have been like to be a gladiator in Roman times at what remains of Arezzo’s miniature version of the Colosseum. Notice how the Italians will always recycle old architecture for new foundations, creating that lovely effect of layers of time in space?
3. Morning of window-shopping and Piero della Francesca: Head on over to the Church of San Francesco, meandering your way past the boutiques of Piazza Sant’Agostino and the famous Corso Italia. Spot evidence of someone clearing out their library? Stop at San Francesco to marvel at the famous fresco cycle of the Legend of the True Cross by Piero della Francesca, in the main altar chapel. Be sure to pick out all the beautiful costumes and the symmetry and geometry of the painted compositions. Don’t forget to browse and admire the earlier frescoes by Spinello Aretino in the rest of the church, and the fresco cycles in the chapel next door, with the unusual choice of Saint Egidio and Saint Michael.
4. An “I Want” lunch at Mivà: Continue down Via Cavour to check out the tower of the Badia. Continue up Via Garibaldi past the Church of Santissima Annunziata, with its fresco of the Annunciation, by Spinello Aretino. Notice the hidden, worn out architecture and the back terrace gardens of the large palazzi with what would seem to be old shop or carriage entrances below. Can you imagine how gorgeous they used to be when they had plenty of TLC? Check out some typical Tuscan flavors, stopping for lunch at the family-run restaurant Mivà. Or you may decide to continue on to the next stop and eat in the park behind the Duomo if you packed a lunch.
5. Afternoon stroll of architecture and over-looks, poking your head in where it suits your fancy: Head up towards the Duomo, detouring to Vasari’s house and the Church of San Domenico, if time permits. The Passeggiata del Prato behind the Duomo offers a beautiful overlook of the surrounding countryside. Head past Petrarch’s house, down Via dei Pileati and veer off to the Piazza Grande for an impressive urban space.
Return walking around the Pieve to admire its front façade and continue downhill on Corso Italia for a final farewell to this little town.
Have a favorite sight to visit in Arezzo? Let us know! Can you think of a great place to eat gluten-free in this town? Add a place an event for the next visitor by selecting our Gluten-Free Arezzo Page!