Fiesole Reviews (Florence, Italy)

Fiesole

Seattle, Washington

November 22, 2000

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This Etruscan hill town overlooking Firenze and the surrounding area is another world from the buzzing city below. Ruins of the Roman amphitheater are fun to explore and give one a sense of how much time this small village has existed. Yet the ...Read more

From journal Italy: Living in Firenze

Hillside Town Above Florence

by airynfaerie

St. Augustine, Florida

November 19, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo A great getaway from the busy city of Florence is the lovely hillside town of Fiesole. Just a short bus ride up the hill, one can reach this city which has been used as a vacation retreat for the wealthy of Florence. Although overshadowed now by the ...Read more A great getaway from the busy city of Florence is the lovely hillside town of Fiesole. Just a short bus ride up the hill, one can reach this city which has been used as a vacation retreat for the wealthy of Florence. Although overshadowed now by the capital city, Fiesole used to be the prominent town in the area.

Founded as far back as the 9th century BC, Fiesole has roots deep in the Etruscan history. One of the main sites in town is the Etruscan and Roman ruins which include the old city walls, baths, and an outdoor theatre. Just off the main square is the Cathedral of Fiesole which is worth taking a peek into. Plus, there's also a civic museum with a small admission fee where you can see artifacts and other significant works from the area. (With this ticket price you can walk around the ruins as well).

One of the big draws to visit this town is the striking views it offers over the city of Florence and the surrounding countryside. There are a few well known walking paths through the city and hill slopes which offer great lookout points as well as a pass by several interesting churches and villas. The Villa Medici is one of the better known homes up here that was used by the famous Florentine Medici family as a vacation retreat. The walk we liked to take took us down the hill a bit more to the neighborhood of San Domenico. Here there is a church of the same name which was built in the 1400s and is a nice place to stop in before catching the bus outside the church back down to Florence.

To reach Fiesole from Florence, the easiest is to catch the n.7 bus from San Marco square up the 5 mile, hilly ride to the main square in Fiesole, Piazza Mino. This bus runs quite regularly throughout the day. There are a couple noteable restuarants in Fiesole. One is the famous Villa Aurora restaurant which has some of the best views in the city and offers dining al-fresco in the warmer months. A little pricey, but not too bad, especially for a nice night out. The other place where we loved to go is the Indian restaurant (aptly named "India") just off Via Gramsci, a short walk from the main plaza. The staff is very friendly and it was a nice variety from the standard Italian food.

• http://www.comune.fiesole.fi.it/
• Region: Tuscany; Provence: Florence Close

From journal Day Trips to Cities Near Florence

Fiesole

by MarkR37

Madison, Wisconsin

May 10, 2001

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Best of IgoUgo Fiesole make the perfect half day retreat from the crowds and heat of Florence. Located in the hills overlooking Florence Fiesole is easily reached via the #7 bus and takes approximately one half an hour to reach the town square from downtown ...Read more

From journal Florence, Italy

Fiesole

by A. Stevenson

Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France

August 16, 2000

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A delightful village in its own right, we drove to Fiesole only for its view of Florence. As you arrive from Florence, there is a small parking area in the center of the village, and a cobblestone path to the left. If you climb this path, you will ...Read more

From journal Firenze in a Weekend

#3 Best View in Florence

by airynfaerie

St. Augustine, Florida

October 6, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo After the views from San Miniato and Giotto's Belltower, the next best view over Florence, Italy is that from the beautiful neighboring hillside town of Fiesole.Located just 5 miles north of the city center of Florence, and an easy trip up on Bus #7 ...Read more

From journal Best Lookouts and Views Around Florence

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