Fiesole

Roman Theater
Fiesole Duomo Bell Tower
Roman Aquaduct
View of Florence (Duomo in the distance)

When you come to visit. I will take you to Fiesole.

Fiesole is a small village about 5 miles north of Florence. You can get there for 1 euro by bus. Will and I took a day trip while he was here and it took me by surprise! It is so beautiful and the views are unbelievable. I was surprised at how nice it was to see the countryside! I had not realized what a long time it had been. Living in Florence is like any city in some ways. There is a lot of concrete and not much green! The Tuscan countryside in the spring was awe inspiring!
The bus ride up was very crowded. There was a mix of locals and tourists, although when we actually got to Fiesole, there were not a lot of tourists there, so others must have gotten off at stops along the way. It was Good Friday when we went, so many locals had been into town for Mass at the Duomo.

Immediately after you get out of the city limits of Florence, you head straight up into the hills. The road is windy and curvy and the views become beautiful right away. There are so many idyllic Tuscan villages, just the kind you imagine would be there and wonder who lives in them. They are beautiful colors with red tiled roofs and lovely gardens with wisteria, cypress, and palm trees.

The bus lets you out at the main Piazza in Fiesole. Fiesole was founded in the 4th century B.C. and has Roman and Etruscan ruins dating back to 1 B.C. They were not excavated until 1870, and are in great condition. There is a Teatro (Roman theater) there on the hillside, which is gorgeous! I hope to go back this summer when they do live theater. Hopefully by then, I will be able to better understand the language, but if I can’t, I will amuse myself with the view.
There is an archeological park which we spent about an hour and a half in, along with a museum of Etruscan and Roman artifacts that have been found on the site. We had lunch at a small café of the piazza called BluBar, with an incredible view of Florence. It was so hazy that day! I don’t know if that is usual or not. It could be pollution from the city, but given the few number of vehicles and no industry, that would surprise me.

Up on the hillside, there is a nice little wine garden where you can sit in the shade, and have wine cheese, or a sandwich. Heaven!

Enjoy the photos. They say more about what’s there than I ever could.