About Arezzo
Where is Arezzo?
Arezzo is a city and comune in Italy, and the capital of a province of the same name. It is about 50 miles away from Florence, nestled in the southeast corner of Tuscany. The population is about 100,000 residents.
The small size of the city, rich cultural history, and ease of access from Florence and Rome make it an ideal place to study abroad while bypassing the country's larger cities.
Photo credits top to bottom: Massimo di Gorga, Alexander Henke on Unsplash, lumenlearning.com, Earth Trekkers
Famous People from Arezzo
Known for gold and high fashion, Arezzo is home to numerous poets and artists including Giorgio Vasari, Petrarch, Michelangelo. Notable contemporary artists from Arezzo include Roberto Benigni–writer, director, and starring actor of the Oscar award-winning film La vita é bella (Life is Beautiful)–and famous Disney twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse.​
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Arezzo is also the hometown of Guido d’Arezzo–the father of modern Western musical notation.
How to Get to Arezzo
Arezzo is easily accessible by train or car. If arriving by car, Arezzo is on the A1 highway that connects Arezzo to Florence and Rome. By train, Arezzo is a 1-1.5 hour train ride from Florence, and a 2-3 hour train ride from Rome. There are trams, train lines, and taxis that connect the Florence and Rome airports to the main train stations.
For ease and on-time arrival, we highly recommend students opt-in to the Travel Assistance program, even if they have traveled internationally before.
Weather in Arezzo
Summer in Arezzo is hot and humid. Arezzo has a temperate climate with hot, sunny days and cool nights in summer, ranging as much as 60-100+ degrees (Fahrenheit). Humidity is usually high, around 55-70%. Staying hydrated is essential, and taking time when walking to and from rehearsals to avoid heat exhaustion is strongly recommended.
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The Opera Seme rehearsal facilities and housing have air conditioning.
Accessibility Notice
Much of our program occurs in the historic city center hill town of Arezzo, where daily activities involve walking on steep streets, uneven stone pathways, and stairs without elevators. Because of this, the program may present challenges for participants with mobility concerns. If you have questions about whether this program will be manageable for you, we encourage you to reach out—we’d be happy to talk through details.
Locations
Click the arrows to see where you'll go in Arezzo for housing, rehearsals, performances, and more.
Piazza Grande is Arezzo's largest Piazza. Photo by Erica Andreini Photo
Residence le Gagliarde provides comfortable accommodations in the city center of Arezzo.
A hilltop castle in Valenzano, a hamlet in Arezzo county that hosts an annual summer music festival, in which Opera Seme participated 2024-2025. Photo by Gianluca Bennati
Piazza Grande is Arezzo's largest Piazza. Photo by Erica Andreini Photo