Arezzo: City of Antiques
If you want a good carbonara, you go to Rome, If you want to learn about the Italian Renaissance you go to Florence, but where do you go if you want an antique map of Italy or a pair of 19th century gold cufflinks? The answer: Arezzo.
Since 1968 Arezzo has played host to the largest antiques fair in Italy - Fiera Antiqauria di Arezzo - putting the city on the map for collectors, vendors, and dealers the world over. Inspired by the likes of Portobello Market in London and the famous Flea Market of Paris, the Arezzo antiquarian Ivan Bruschi was dedicated in his dream of making Arezzo the ultimate Italian destination for antique vendors and collectors alike.
His dream, now 56 years past fruition, lives on every first weekend of the month when vendors and buyers from across Italy flood into Arezzo’s Piazza Grande and spill into the surrounding streets of the historic center. An early morning stroll on such a weekend will unearth a colony of seasoned vendors quickly and carefully erecting booths and unpacking trucks loaded heavily with everything from oil paintings and door knockers to Italian comic books and lava lamps.
While Arezzo is certainly no shrinking violet - you’ll find it in every Italian travel guide and easily reached by train from Rome and Florence - a visit to the city as a tourist still feels like uncovering a great hidden gem. Outside of the fair weekend, the city is busy with activity without feeling rushed. Small shops co-mingle with franchise stores, local restaurants offer authentic dishes, and a collection of churches, museums, and art collections keep the curious traveler on the move without feeling over exerted. No matter the time of your visit, here you’re sure to find pleasant opportunities for exploration, good food, and a taste of a slower pace of life rarely savored in whirlwind tours of larger cities.
There is no doubt that should you find yourself planning to travel between Rome and Florence on your next visit, a stop in Arezzo would be a stop worth taking, If you’re lucky you may even find the perfect memento to commemorate your stay amidst the antiques of the weekend fair.
