©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd # Eastern Tuscany Why Go? Arezzo.........................253 The eastern edge of Tuscany is beloved by local and interna- Sansepolcro...............259 tional film directors, who have immortalised its landscape, medieval hilltop towns and laid-back locals in a range of The.Casentino............263 critically acclaimed and visually splendid films. Despite this, Poppi..........................263 the region is strangely bereft of foreign tourists (Cortona is Parco.Nazionale.delle. a notable exception) and so offers uncrowded trails to those Foreste.Casentinesi,. visitors who decide to devote a week or so to exploration Monte.Falterona.e. here. The attractions are many and varied: spectacular Campigna...................265 mountain scenery and walks in the Casentino; magnificent Val.di.Chiana............... 267 art and architecture in the medieval cities of Arezzo, Sanse- Castiglion. polcro and Cortona; one of Italy’s most significant Catholic Fiorentino................... 267 pilgrimage sites; and Tuscany’s best bistecca alla fiorentina Cortona...................... 267 (chargrilled T-bone steak) in the Val di Chiana. Your travels may be solitary but they’ll always be rewarding – a particu- larly unusual and felicitous combination. Best Places to Eat ¨¨Il Tirabusciò (p266) Road Distances ¨¨LAB Pasticceria (p258) ¨¨Ristorante Da Ventura Arezzo 94 (p262) Cortona 65 29 ¨¨Ristorante La Nena (p259) ¨¨Trattoria del Leone (p258) Sansepolcro 76 38 52 Poppi 132 36 62 71 Best Places to Stay ¨¨Borgo Corsignano (p265) ¨¨Casa Chilenne (p269) ¨¨Relais Palazzo Magi (p262) Assisi Arezzo Cortona Sansepolcro ¨¨Villa Fontelunga (p258) ¨¨Villa Marsili (p269) 252 DON’T¨MISS Getting Around Close to the Umbrian Arezzo is on the Florence–Rome train line, as is Camucia, border and well off the a 15-minute shuttle-bus ride from Cortona’s historic centre. well-trodden tourist Regional rail lines link Arezzo with the Casentino, and San- trail, the city of San- sepolcro with Perugia. Buses in this part of Tuscany are few East sepolcro is known for and far between – you can travel from Arezzo to Sansepol- its handmade lace, cro via Anghiari, or from Arezzo to Cortona via Castiglion E its preponderance Fiorentino, but that’s about it. To explore the Casentino and rn of neighbourhood Val di Chiana, you’ll need a car. t churches and its won- uscany derful Museo Civico. THREE¨PERFECT¨DAYS Day¨1:¨Arezzo Are. z zo Best Museums Two major films are set in Eastern Tuscany’s major city, Arezzo. Spend the day exploring the historic streets and ¨¨Museo Civico, piazzas where Roberto Benigni filmed scenes of La vita Sansepolcro (p259) Home è bella (Life is Beautiful). On your wanders, pop into to three magnificent both the duomo and the Pieve di Santa Maria and be paintings by Piero della sure to pay homage to Piero della Francesca’s genius by Francesca. viewing his frescoes in the Basilica di San Francesco’s ¨¨Museo Diocesano, Capella Bacci, where Anthony Minghella shot the most Cortona (p268) Has a small memorable scene of The English Patient. but sensational collection of religious art. Day¨2:¨Della¨Robbia¨Trail This famous family of sculptors took ceramics way be- ¨¨Casa Museo di Ivan yond teacups in the 15th century, creating magnificent Bruschi, Arezzo (p257) devotional sculptures for churches throughout Tuscany. Showcases an antique Visit the medieval monasteries at Camaldoli and La dealer’s eclectic personal Verna in the Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, collection. Monte Falterona e Campigna to admire masterpieces in glazed terracotta by the most famous member of the family, Andrea (1435–1525). Medieval Pageants Day¨3:¨Val¨di¨Chiana Home to apple orchards, olive groves and lush pastures ¨ ¨Giostra del Saracino where porcelain-white Chianina cattle graze, the huge (p257), Arezzo Val di Chiana is worth exploring when travelling be- ¨¨Palio della Ballestra tween Arezzo and Cortona, or from either town to cen- (p262), Sansepolcro tral Tuscany. Make your way off the beaten track to visit ¨¨Giostra dell’Archidado hilltop towns such as Castiglion Fiorentino, Foiano della (p269), Cortona Chiana and Lucignano. Resources Off the Beaten Track ¨ ¨Arezzo¨&¨surrounds ¨¨History buffs will love the unspoiled medieval hilltop town (www.benvenutiadarezzo.it) of Anghiari, near Sansepolcro, where the famous battle of ¨¨The¨Casentino (www. the same name occurred in 1440. casentino.net) ¨¨To visit a typical Casentinesi hill town, head to unassuming ¨¨Parco¨Nazionale¨delle¨ Bibbiena, between Poppi and Arezzo. Foreste¨Casentinesi,¨ ¨¨The town of Stia, in the Casentino, has a pretty setting Monte¨Falterona¨ on the Arno and is known for its fascinating wool-making e¨Campigna (www. heritage. parcoforestecasentinesi.it) .