For centuries, the city of Fiesole has been an escape for the elites of Florence, and it is readily apparent why. Careful, travelers. Don’t get seduced only by its gorgeous views and sumptuous villas. This town is steeped in history, as far back as the 8th century B.C. Once a member of the Etruscan Confederacy, this town has used its location on hills overlooking Florence to its advantage for nearly three millennia. Outlasting the fall of the empire, the town was actually a key rival of Florence throughout the Middle Ages, until the growing metropole in the valley finally conquered Fiesole in 1125. In the following centuries, the most powerful families of the surrounding areas took up residence here. This image of wealth was only reinforced by Boccaccio’s Decameron in the 1300’s, which show nobility telling stories in comfort to pass the time while barricading themselves within their country estates to escape the Black Death. In all likelihood, this probably happened here in Fiesole, though in a more general sense. The area has only grown wealthier since that time up to present, currently being the wealthiest of Florence’s suburbs.
While you are there, take the time to see the sights, which are surprisingly numerous for what seems at the surface to be a small town. Because of its long history, there is plenty to see and do whilst wandering this hilltop town. You can find the massive stones of ancient walls that predate the Roman Empire, carved by the hands Etruscan masons thousands of years ago. You can wander Roman baths and explore an amphitheater that once entertained the ancients. If the ancients are not your thing, there is always the medieval and Renaissance sites. One can stand where Da Vinci sought the mysteries of flight or wander the halls of the villas that the Medici used to escape the stresses of Florentine life.
Only a short bus ride away from the Florentine city center, I heartily recommend the experience, and the views alone justify the three euros you will spend on bus tickets there and back. While studying here in Florence, I have spent untold hours in this place. I had the pleasure of getting to know the Badia Fiesolana quiet well in my time here, and the trek up the mountainside was always worth it. The Badia is the beating heart of the European University Institute, complete with a reasonably priced café, cafeteria, a world class library and some of the best academic lectures you could ask for. Housed in a medieval monastery on the slopes of Fiesole, this place has so much to offer.
Comentários