About the Arezzo Antique Market

Arezzo, Italy, is a small town located in the eastern part of Tuscany. Surrounded by medieval walls and lined with breathtakingly beautiful historic buildings, it may be easy to imagine the city being the setting for Roberto Benigni's film "Life is Beautiful." With a historical background in arts and crafts, it is a region where the essence of Italian craftsmanship lives on. Known as a city that prospered in the goldsmithing and textile industries, the tradition of craftsmanship remains strong even today. One event where you can feel the respect for history and the pride of the craftsmen is the Arezzo Antiques Market. It is one of the largest flea markets in Italy, held on the first Sunday of every month and the day before, and the stalls lined up from Piazza Grande in the center of the town to all the surrounding alleys look like a giant maze.

An overwhelming amount and variety!

There is already a line of people waiting at the street stalls at the entrance to the old town, and even if you don't intend to buy anything, the unique atmosphere will make your heart flutter. In any case, everything is on sale, from furniture and tableware to clothes, watches, sculptures, faucets, irons, paintings, books, and more, with a wide variety of ages and quality. Many of the shopkeepers are antique experts and professional connoisseurs, and if you ask them, they may reveal unexpected historical backgrounds or the careers of the artists, making you want to buy them regardless of their authenticity. In particular, when you come across an item that looks adorable but also shows the passion and solid craftsmanship of the creator, you may feel that you will never come across it again. When that happens, take a break at a cafe to calm your mind. There are many things to see, such as Piero della Francesca's fresco "Legend of the Holy Cross" and the huge loggia palace based on the design of architect Giorgio Vasari, who designed the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

From Kentaro Iida

The origins of this flea market actually date back to 1968. At that time in Italy, the wave of modernization was rapidly affecting traditional crafts and lifestyles, and the younger generation was moving to the cities, causing old furniture, antiques, and handicrafts to lose their value. This market was born as a social movement to save and re-evaluate cultural heritage that was being lost. In Tuscany, known as a treasure trove of traditional crafts such as leatherwork, pottery, woodwork, metalwork, and glasswork, this event also conveys the spirit of the "bottega (studios)" that have been passed down through generations. Walking through the antique market that stretches from one end of the city to the other, you feel as if you are touching the living history of the craftsmen. Expanding your imagination from the conversations of the shopkeepers and examining each once-in-a-lifetime encounter with your own aesthetic sense and intuition was the ultimate travel experience that allowed you to learn about the Italian philosophy of life and experience the aesthetics of life. / Iida