We’ll take you in one of our deluxe vehicles to show you the best of eastern Tuscany. This full-day tour begins with a drive to the medieval city of Arezzo. In the 11th century the commune of Arezzo became an independent city-state and remained so until it yielded to Florentine domination in 1384. This was the birthplace of the painter and architect Vasari, who is credited with the realization of the Loggia of Palazzo degli Uffizi in Florence. It was also the birthplace of the poet Petrarch and Guido of Arezzo - the inventor of modern musical notation. Arezzo has often been chosen as a movie location. "Life is Beautiful" is one of the popular movies that was filmed here. Among the many notable highlights of Arezzo is the late medieval Basilica of San Francesco, dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. It features frescos by Piero della Francesca, one of the greatest painters of the Renaissance. We continue driving through the Tuscan countryside to visit the hill towns of Cortona, with its well preserved medieval structure, as well as Etruscan ruins dating from the 2nd century B.C.