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.
One of the highlights of Fiesole is the Roman amphitheater, dating back from the 1st century b.c. Every summer this amphitheater, which is now called Estate Fiesolana, stages concerts, ballets, and operas. What an incredible place to see an opera!
It is said that every noble home in Florence was constructed from the rock found in the granite quarry in the Fiesole hills. Italian quarry men had big appetites, and had many mid-day meals at the Trattoria known as “Le Cave di Maiano.” It’s still where the locals go to enjoy the simple pleasures of Tuscan food. Fiesole is a very special place that people go to for a relaxing time, good food, and cool fresh air in the Spring and Summer.