The Prato of Arezzo

The most beautiful park in the city sits upon the highest point in Arezzo along with the Medici Fortress. This spot affords breathtaking views of the towers of Arezzo on one side and of the Casentino valley on the other.  

Like an emerald nestled between the Cathedral of Arezzo (locally known as the “Duomo”) and the Medici Fortress, the Prato Park of Arezzo is the oldest park in the city. The vast green space of this park has an elliptical shape and is crowned by very old maritime pine trees. It was first used during the reign of the Medici’s as a place where nobility could go out for a stroll. In 1928, a large Monument to Francesco Petrarca was erected by King Vittorio Emanuele II in the middle of the park to commemorate Arezzo’s most revered poet from the 1300’s. Today the park is known as ‘lover’s lane’ and is the setting for the Antique Fair in September, for festivals, for live music performances and for nature lovers. It’s the perfect place to relax with family, to play sports and to immerse yourself in history. Going through the Prato Park, you can get to the very beautiful Medici Fortress in Arezzo. In the spring and summer, the Fortress houses important exhibitions of contemporary art. There is a constant dialogue between the past and the present, from Etruscan and Roman excavations to modern day creations.