The Arezzo Valdichiana surprises us with its harmonious landscape, shaped over the centuries by human intervention and enriched by an extraordinary historical and artistic layering. Once a marshy area, it underwent significant reclamation works between the Middle Ages and the modern age, which transformed it into a fertile plain surrounded by gentle hills, today dotted with vineyards, olive groves, and cultivated fields.

In this context are charming villages such as Monte San Savino, where Renaissance elegance is expressed in palaces, loggias, and churches linked to the powerful Ciocchi Del Monte family, and where in 1467 Andrea Sansovino was born, a leading figure of Renaissance sculpture, also active in Rome and Florence, who contributed to the spread of a balanced artistic language inspired by classical harmony.

Not far away, Castiglion Fiorentino preserves an urban layout of Etruscan origin, with walls, towers, and a fortress that tell of centuries of disputes between the main cities of Tuscany and Umbria, while its churches safeguard artworks of great value. An interesting curiosity about Castiglion Fiorentino is linked to its Etruscan past: beneath the current town, important archaeological remains are found, including an ancient sanctuary discovered in the Cassero area. Cortona dominates the valley from above with its unmistakable profile, keeping alive traces of the Etruscan past in its massive walls and in the artifacts preserved in the museums. During the Renaissance, it was an important artistic center, also linked to the figure of Luca Signorelli, and it still represents a cultural reference point capable of attracting visitors from all over the world. Signorelli had a deep connection with his hometown, where he left numerous works, many of which are preserved in the Diocesan Museum, which houses most of the artist’s works present in the city, including the “Deposition,” the “Lamentation over the Dead Christ,” and the “Nativity.”

Foiano della Chiana, on the other hand, combines the historical dimension with that of popular tradition, thanks to its ancient Carnival, one of the longest-standing in Italy, dating back to 1539. Here, art is also expressed through the crafting of papier-mâché, used to create allegorical floats and “cantierate,” artistic constructions in papier-mâché, a living testimony of a craft knowledge passed down through time.

Completing this picture are the artisan activities widespread in the area, from woodwork and wrought iron to ceramics, along with a deeply rooted food and wine tradition, which enhances local products such as extra virgin olive oil, wine, and the famous Chianina beef, as well as a typical culinary specialty of Monte San Savino, the porchetta.

In this balance between landscape, history, art, and human labor, the Arezzo part of the Valdichiana preserves an authentic identity, capable of telling the truest and least artificial Tuscany.