Roberto Benigni was born in Misericordia, a village in the province of Arezzo, on the 27th October 1952, still young, he moved to Vergaio, a village not far from his home in Prato.
Benigni is still attached to his beloved Tuscany and it shows by choosing it as the location of most of his masterpieces. The cult film 'Berlinguer I love you' is, in fact, shot entirely in Prato and 'Johnny Stecchino', the story of a mobster who tries in every way to escape the police, is located in this city, too and the city of Prato is represented with the warm colours of traditional Tuscany.
Roberto Benigni chose Arezzo for his most famous film 'Life is Beautiful' (1997), which won the David of Donatello and three Oscars. The city described in the film as a fable, the ideal city for the happy and funny Dora, the teacher who males Guido Orefice fall for her. The lively Piazza Grande, Piazza Duomo and the streets and squares of Arezzo dominate the play.
Visit Piazza del Duomo, which dominates with its mass Arezzo from the top of the hill, towering over all views of the city, here, where he plays the unforgettable scene when Guido stretches an endless red carpet for his 'princess' from the stairs in the rain for a perfect romantic night. Lose yourself in the narrow streets where Guido happily rides his bicycle, between old buildings, broad piazzas overlooked by churches and its large gardens.
Antique shops face on streets and alleys. Antiques is indeed a core activity here (as evidenced by the fair that is staged every first Sunday of the month) to which joins gold processing, packing clothes and shoes. The Bar is the meeting place; located in Piazza San Francesco, a bar called "Le Stanze" is the favourite place to have breakfast or an aperitif. Visiting Arezzo, you'll find places mentally seen in the film, with your particular viewpoint on a city full of charm and beauty.