There’s something magical about the region of Tuscany in Italy. People from all over the world flock here almost throughout the entire year to get a glimpse of what life is like in what many consider the closest thing to utopia on the planet. I had spent a small amount of time in Tuscany in the past, but not nearly enough, so when I recently stumbled upon an opportunity to visit the city of Arezzo, I jumped at it. I had never seen Arezzo, but I had always heard good things and I was always intrigued by the pictures that I had found online. That opportunity that came about also came with a catch, in that I needed to find a hotel room in Arezzo in a matter of minutes or I would not have been able to go. I wasn’t sure how to get that done, but once again it seems I stumbled into something great.
I grabbed my phone and started searching for apps that help people find last-minute hotel rooms. I found something called HotelTonight, and after a quick download I was in business. I opened it and searched for Arezzo hotels, and I was quite impressed with the options available. I also liked the quality of those options. I chose a hotel that looked right for me and decided to try to book it. I was ready for a hassle, as that had been my experience in the past, but that was not at all how things played out. Instead, I had my room booked and confirmed within a minute or so. I was all set, and all that remained for me to do was a bit of research on the city itself, where to go, what to see and what to do during my one-day adventure in Arezzo.
Arezzo overall is quite small, as it’s home to approximately 100,000 people. That makes it the perfect size for someone to explore in a day and to get around on foot. When you walk around Old Town, you immediately get a feel that’s almost German for some reason, given the architectural style. Regardless, this is an area of town that dates back centuries, and it’s also one where people seem to be quite festive and happy. I took quite a few photos and talked to a few locals about what i should do for the rest of the day, and everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful. This is a town where people really enjoy life.
The next place where I spent some time was definitely worth the trip all by itself. The Piazza Grande is in the heart of Arezzo, and it dates back to the 13th Century in its original form. It was updated in the 16th Century but has pretty much stayed as-is since that time. I think I walked every inch of it, thinking about all that had happened here over the past handful of centuries. I also found a nice cafe that served cappuccino right on the sidewalk in comfortable chairs, so I sat and watched the people mill about and enjoy themselves here.
One thing about Arezzo is that it’s situated on top of a very steep hill, so it is a bit of work to get around on foot, but very much worth it. One place that requires a bit of work to find is the Roman Amphitheatre, which sits in the southern part of the city. This site is so old that it dates back to the first and second centuries. The Amphitheatre has taken its lumps during all of this time with all of the different rulers, conquerors and empires that have spent time governing this part of Italy, but it’s both stunning and humbling to see a place such as this still standing in one form or another.
After all of that walking and seeing things, I was starving and ready for a nice dinner. I found a place that had clearly been in place for a long time, and it served local fare. I really enjoyed that aspect of the dinner, and the food itself was fantastic. My meal along with a fine glass of wine gave me some time to reflect on all that I had experienced that day. I had made something happen that I never would have thought possible just a couple of days earlier.
I had finagled a one-day journey to a city in Tuscany that I had always wanted to see. I had done so largely with the help of my new favorite app, HotelTonight. I had found a hotel room in Arezzo in a matter of minutes, and that included the quick download. I had booked a room in seconds and was able to focus on my experience as opposed to where I was going to stay. I would definitely travel with HotelTonight in the future.
