At the confluence of four valleys – the Valtiberina itself, the Valdarno, the Casentino and the Valdichiana, the town of Arezzo is the ideal starting point from which to immerse oneself in the quiet atmosphere of this area. A crossroads for different cultures and civilisations, Arezzo reached its cultural peak in the 14th century, when it passed under the control of Florence and gained a curious position as the birthplace of artists of note: Petraca and Vasari, and also Francesco Redi and Guido d'Arezzo. But it was Piero della Francesca who left some of the most important works in renaissance painting in the gothic temple of San Francesco. This is where the visit begins, right in the centre of town at Piazza della Chiesa. In the church is preserved the fresco cycle of the Leggenda della Croce., which Piero della Francesca painted between 1453 and 1464, inspired by the Leggenda Aurea by Jacopo da Varagine. Even today, one is still struck by his revolutionary concept of perspective and by the beauty of the colour. After leaving the church of San Francesco, proceed to Piazza Grande, crossing Corso Italia and passing the parish church of Santa Maria. Having arrived in Piazza Grande, we are in the heart of the city. This is where the famous Saracino Joust is held at the end of August, and where the very well known antiques fair takes place every month.

The old Trattoria Da Guido offers dishes in the best Arezzo tradition, accompanied by local wines. The local cuisine too represents a happy meeting of Tuscan, Romagna and Umbrian traditions. Dishes of the peasant tradition, from crostini al tartufo (toasted bread with truffles) to umbricelli al sugo (an Umbrian type of egg pasta, in a tomato sauce) will delight the palate, before you go on to the second part of the itinerary on foot. Continuing along Corso Italia we find what is thought to be the house of Petrarch, which is home today to the Accademia di Lettere Arti e Scienze. The institution pays homage to the outstanding poet who, raised in these verdant fields, elegised their ”Clear, fresh, sweet waters“. Following the Prato promenade, you arrive at the Duomo of Arezzo, and inside is another work by Piero della Francesca, the Maddalena. This area is rich in works of art, and as soon as you leave the splendid medieval temple you will be only a few steps from the church of San Domenico, overlooking at square with trees. The church houses an important Crucifix by Cimabue. Another prominent artistic figure of Arezzo is Vasari, who lived in this neighbourhood in la casa which he designed himself.

To end the day with a fine spread, you can go back to the area near San Francesco and have dinner at the Saraceno . The cooking is strongly local, and you are assured a generous helping of delicious Umbrian sausages as an appetiser. The evening is the best time for a meal like this, as this way you can try the numerous wines in their extremely well-stocked cellar, with a good selection of the best local wines and wines from all over Italy.

You set off early in the morning to discover Monterchi, which appears to the traveller as an acropolis in the middle of the valley, and is reached by a winding road. The imposing fortification that makes up the town is more than a thousand years old and along the characteristic streets of the centre you can see the buildings from its most splendid period, the 14th and 15th centuries. The most important work within the walls of Monterchi is the Madonna of the Birth by Piero della Francesca. The picture was painted between 1460 and 1464 and is in a Museum specially dedicated to it. The parish church of San Simeone, completely reconstructed in the 19th century, but still possessing some important works of art such as a late gothic altar, a della Robbia terracotta and a 16th century wooden crucifix.

Continuing towards the Upper Valtiberina you arrive at Sansepolcro, at the foot of the last part of the Tuscan Appenines, at a point where there is a natural amphitheatre surrounding the fast-flowing waters of the Tiber. This was the birthplace of Piero della Francesca, and here in the Museo Civico, are some of his most important works: The Resurrectione, the Polyptic of the Madonna della Misericordia, San Giuliano, San Lodovico. In what used to be the artist's house a centre for renaissance studies has been established. It is open to all enthusiasts and students of that distant period to which Italian art owes a great deal of its heritage. The memory of the painter also lives on in the Crossbow Tournament, which takes place on the second Sunday in September in the main square. This is when the famous flag bearers perform, dressed in costumes inspired Piero della Francesca and ready for supreme feats of acrobatics, always a stunning sight.

The historic centre of Sansepolcro can be considered one of the most fascinating examples of the artistic civilisation of the renaissance, with its stupendous Medici Fortress by Giuliano da Sangallo, the walls with cannon embrasures, by Bernardo Buontalenti, the Romanesque cathedral and the gothic church of San Francesco. The colours of sunset make for a pleasant walk among the old walls of this little town before setting out on the journey back to Arezzo. Just outside the town the Villa San Cornelio is an ideal place for a dinner of local cuisine, in the freshness of the Valtiberina.

From the valley we push on into hilly country, densely wooded and with many springs, and linked with the name of one of the greatest Italian sculptors, Caprese Michelangelo. The town's most characteristic buildings are bound up with the life of the artist: the tiny church of San Giovanni and the casa del Podestà where he was born and which now houses the Museum of Sculpture with the designs of Michelangelo's works and sculptures by contemporary artists. In recent years the town council has organised seminars on fresco techniques. You can stop for lunch at Lorenzino's,, just after you leave the town. It is an agriturismo in the hamlet of Lama, where you can restore your energy before going back on the road.

About ten kilometres from Michelangelo's birthplace is the charming medieval hamlet of Pieve Santo Stefano, which takes its name from a parish on which today's Collegiate Church of Santo Stefano was built. Inside is the Assumption by Andrea della Robbia, yet another artist among many who came from this inspirational area. Today Pieve is a quiet little town with a slow pace, but a particularly active cultural life. One aspect of this is the National Diary Archive, the only one in Italy, in which much biographical material from all over the country is stored. Another curiosity is the sanctuary of the Madonna dei Lumi, with its belfry of four bells.

Before the sun goes down, it's worth hurrying along the road dominated by the evocative Alpe della Luna (Alp of the Moon), which leads to Badia Tedalda. This town, part of the Valtiberina Comunity, preserves intact what makes mountain hamlets so attractive. A charming itinerary on foot leads to the church of San Michele, on the remains of the Monastero di Sant'Angelo (9th century). Inside is a collection of terracottas in the della Robbia style of the 16th century, which lends an artesan touch to the end of this our artistic itinerary. In the unsullied countryside around the town is the agriturismo Cadindrea, which offers local delicacies. You can stop here for supper between its 19th century walls and taste the house specialities, gnocchi con crema di cinghiale tagliato a punta di coltello (gnocchi with wild boar). On the way back you will encounter a series of churches spread over the surrounding area, a timeless landscape in this corner of Tuscany.