For many people, shopping is an integral part of travel and getting to know a new place when you are on holidays. In particular, the unique finds, characters, excitement, and atmosphere of local fairs and markets are a brilliant part of getting to grips with a holiday destination and a perfect place to find the best mementos, souvenirs, and gifts. If you are one of these individuals and you have been considering our Tuscany villas while planning your next vacation, then this is your sign to book your villa in Tuscany today because few other places anywhere else can compete when it comes to volume, quality, and uniqueness of fairs and markets. Tuscany abounds with incredible markets that sell everything from local wine, to sun-ripened fresh fruit, to handmade crafts, to baked goods that smell utterly divine, to chic vintage finds, to works of art, to some of the best antiques in the globe. For the bargain-hunter or gem-finder who loves nothing more than to potter about, browsing bits, snacking, enjoying your surroundings, people-watching, and generally taking things slow and easy, then the endless list of local fairs and markets throughout Tuscany’s picturesque little towns and villages and famously lovely cities is sure to delight. One particularly note-worthy example if you are planning a vacation in Tuscany this summer and especially if you find a villa with swimming pool in Arezzo is the annual Fiera Antiquaria taking place on the 2nd and the 3rd of July and the 6th and the 7th of August 2022 (as well as on dates in September, October, November, and December – check out the website for more details).
Each year, this antiques fair, one of the largest and oldest in all of Italy, takes place over the course of every first Sunday of the month and the previous Saturday and turns Arezzo from a stunning medieval city into an absolute hot spot for those who like to purchase and own little slices of history themselves. Attracting over 200,000 visitors and 400 different exhibitors of goods each year, this fair is on a massive scale and takes over the historic centre of the city, specifically the central and lovely Piazza Grande, turning it into a vibrant, bustling, exciting place where treasures await their discovery and new homes. Now in its 53rd year, the fair was first established in 1968 and is now a well-oiled machine with great roots and tradition. For locals, it is an important fixture of the local life that is tied up with all sorts of memories and for visitors, it is simply one more great reason to plan a visit to the gorgeous city of Arezzo – as if you needed another one!
The Piazza Grande was once home to a different important fixture of local life, a weekly fruit and vegetable market on Saturdays. When this stopped taking place, it left a hole at the centre of the city and antiques dealer Ivan Bruschi had an idea how to fill it: with an open-air market like those famous and beloved examples he had seen in Portobello Road in London and the Flea Market in Paris. The first edition took place in June of 1968 and quickly became a great success and regular fixture in the city, much to the delight of Bruschi. Soon, the reputation of the fair, and that of the city along with it, grew more famous due to his tireless work building and promoting the event until it became the massive and important institution that people far and wide know and love today. After Bruschi, the city took over the running and enhancing of the fair and now actively support and invest in it each year as it remains one of the city’s biggest annual events.
Those planning on coming to the fair should keep a few things in mind. If you are driving into the city for the day, there are a few different parking lots nearby including the Parcheggio Sant’Agostino on via Pietro Aretino (this is the closest parking lot to the fair), the 24-hour parking at Parcheggio Eden on viale Luca Signorelli (leaving you time to enjoy the city and go for dinner at your leisure after you’re done at the fair), the Parcheggio Cardorna on via Porta Buia (also 24-hour), the Parcheggio Baldaccio on via Baldaccio D’Anghiari (also 24-hour), Parcheggio Pietri on via Giuseppe Pietri, Parcheggio Tarlati on via Giudo Tarlati, and Parcheggio Multipiano Mecenate on viale Mecenate. Those staying in the city or taking public transport can merely walk to the Piazza Grande, with those arriving into town via train having only a ten-minute walk ahead of them upon disembarking. The Arezzo station is along the Bologna-Rome railway line and is served by daily connections with both Intercity and Freccia Rossa trains from Florence, Rome, and the rest of Italy, making it easy to check out the Arezzo Antiques Fair even if you have found a luxury villa in Florence – make a real outing of it and plan a day-trip to Arezzo, visit the fair, wander the streets, soak up the unique atmosphere of the place, enjoy some delicious local food and wine, and then hop on a train back to Florence, full and sleepy, dozing as you make your way home.
So, if you love a good market and you love browsing through endless selections of antiques and vintage gems then be sure to check out the Arezzo Antiques Fair on your next vacation in Tuscany. Browse our amazing Tuscany villas and find the right one to make this trip happen this year!
Arezzo Antiques Fair
Piazza Grande,
52100 Arezzo
Tel: +39 0575 / 377 845
Tel: +39 0575 / 377 472
info@fieraantiquaria.org
