"Intra Tevero et Arno” is the motto which appears on the coat-of-arms of the Province of Arezzo, as a reminder that its territory unfolds between the two rivers which were so important to the development of Italian history and art.

We would like to take you along the roads that were sketched by Leonardo da Vinci on the Valdechiana map using the ‘bird-flight’ technique (now located in Windsor Palace).
We would like you to discover the areas that form the actual background of so many famous Italian Renaissance paintings.
Anghiari, Monterchi and Sansepolcro in the Tuscan Alta Valtiberina are, like any borderland, a melting pot of traditions and flavours. Anghiari is a medieval hamlet situated on an embankment dominating the Tiber and Sovara river valleys.
It is made up of an ancient historical centre, surrounded by a ring of impressive, well preserved thirteenth-century walls, and a more recent part which clusters around the 18th century theatre. The ancient hamlet spreads itself on the hill along narrow lanes, stairways and small squares that offer unexpectedly enchanting, panoramic views and beautiful perspectives of the valley below. Not to be missed are Palazzo Pretorio, Palazzo Taglieschi, residence of the Museo Statale, and Torre dell’Orologio (the Clock Tower).
A visit to the archives in Palazzo Marzocco is worthwhile. They contain the documentation of the “Battle of Anghiari. This battle was immortalized in the famous painting by Leonardo.
Just outside Anghiari, on the route to the crossing of La Scheggia, stand the fortified villas of Barbolana (16th century), Galbino (10th century), and the Romanesque parish church of Sovara dating back to the 9th and 11th centuries.
Further along at the crossing stands the 12th century Castle of Montauto that once hosted Saint Francis. It is built on the top of a hill where the Etruscans mined copper. Our destination is now Sansepolcro, a typical Renaissance town that stands beyond the Tiber, in a wide amphitheatre at the foot of the Alpe della Luna. The visit to the Town Museum will allow you to admire some of the major masterpieces by Piero della Francesca: the Misericordia polyptych with Crucifixion, St. Julian and the Resurrection. The light and beauty of the area landscapes inspired the Master, as can be seen in the contour of the hill of Montauto, visible behind the resurrected Christ. Still today, the house of the artist overlooks Piazza di San Francesco. The Roman-Gothic complex of the cathedral is located in the central square. Another site worthy of attention is the Museo delle Erbe of the Aboca firm.
An alternative itinerary could include Montecasale at only 7 kilometres from Anghiari. Montecasale, a small jewel of Francisan “arte povera” (literally poor art), of the 12th century, is immersed in the greenery of the woods. If you wish instead to fully appreciate the beauty of the local sites, it is advisable to follow the panoramic route SS258, which leads to the Pass of Via Maggio. From there you can enjoy a spellbinding view of the Tiber Valley, the crown of the surrounding mountains and the lake of Montedoglio. You can reach the top of the pass on an unpaved road in good condition. The road leads to the hermitage of Cerbaiolo (7th century), constructed in the rock. It is filled with an intense spirituality. Our weekend finishes in Monterchi, which hosts one of the greatest masterpieces by Piero della Francesca, la Madonna del Parto.