We all know that Florence is beautiful. But if you have already visited the Duomo or the Uffizi Gallery, why not to try to go… Uphill! You can reach the beautiful town of Fiesole just using the bus or a taxi.
Fiesole: a little Etruscan, Roman, Medieval jewel in the Florence area
Even older than Florence: Fiesole was an important city state of the Etruscan confederacy, founded in 9th or 8th BC Century.
The Roman expansion incorporated the Etruscan cities and the first historical record of the town is related to the conquest of the city by the Romans in 283 BC.
The Etruscan walls are almost completely lost, but the Roman remains worth the visit.
The archaeological area shows a beautiful Roman theatre, a Roman thermal baths complex and an Etruscan – Roman temple. The Archaeological Museum has been built between 1912 and 1914 and it houses Etruscan and Romans finds, but the Costantini Collection of Greek pottery as well.
In the Middle Ages Fiesole wasn’t less important than Florence: the two cities competed for years, but in 1125 Florence conquered Fiesole. The main medieval buildings are the Cathedral (Fiesole was a bishopric due to its importance) and the church of Primerana.
In the XIV Century the most important families of Florence started to build villas in the “posh” hilly area: The (of course) Villa Medici, the Villa Schifanoia with its beautiful garden, or the completely reconstructed Vincigliata Castle.
For the view…
So, while Fiesole has so many strings to its touristic bow, it offers a beautiful view of Florence: the gentle hills of Tuscany and the Renaissance Florence building in a red sunset are a breathtaking view, even better for the foretasting of the amazing Tuscan food in a local restaurant…