Getting to Know the Aretines

The chapter is part of a volume designed to assist study abroad students, and foreigners in general, in experiencing the province of Arezzo to its full potential. It opens with a survey of the descriptions of Arezzo and its culture offered by foreign writers who visited the city in the period of the Grand Tour and beyond. This is followed by highlights of a few of the major customs of the Aretines, and how these may be tackled by visitors who are planning to spend a prolonged amount of time in the city. Among these are the afternoon stroll on the Corso, the tendency to aggregate in groups among the young, the absence of residential universities, and the importance of “campanilismo”. In describing these cultural traits special emphasis is given to the local student population and young adults in general, so as to foster international comparisons and connections. Within this process issues of intercultural communication and cultural identity are discussed.