When you want to break away from your exhaustive schedule of museums, churches, historical sites, 17-foot-tall naked men, and the long lines they attract, I recommend hopping on the number 7 bus, and spending a lazy afternoon in the quiet and removed town of Fiesole. It’s only five miles from Florence and you’ll be happy for the time as you sit down, and let the artwork of nature come to you.
While in the city you may not notice Florence’s incredible location, which is in the heart of the region known as Tuscany. Home to the classical Italian landscapes, and medieval towns that we’re so familiar with, Fiesole is one of those towns perched on top of a rolling Tuscan hill. One thousand years ago Fiesole overshadowed its rival because of its advantageous location in the hills, but in 1125 it was conquered and destroyed by the Florentines, and you can see many of the ruins that still stand here.