Hi everyone! I always enjoy catching the #7 up to Fiesole, but after admiring the view and enjoying the piazza a bit, I am kind of at a loss as to what to do next and just end up riding the bus back down to Florence. Does anyone have a good idea for a walking tour of Fiesole? Where do you usually walk to and what else is there to see? Does anyone have street by street suggestions like Rick sometimes provides in his books for self-guided walks? I am sure there are companies that provide such tours, but I would rather so it myself. Thanks!!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15158 posts
Archeological area. Walking distance from Piazza Mino da Fiesole. Roman theater and baths are there. There is also a Museo Civico with archeological artifacts. There is another museum nearby, called Museo Bandini (I don't remember if I have ever been there) In terms of churches, there is the cathedral in the Piazza and the San Francesco monastery, a short walk (uphill) from the piazza, with a basilica on top of the hill.
Down the hill from Fiesole there is San Domenico. There is a convent there and a short walk away, down to the right toward via Faentina, there is the Badia Fiesolana. That is where the European University Institute is. I spent many days at their library when I was preparing my graduation thesis.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32201 posts
Monique, There is a short section on Fiesole in the Italy Guidebook (starts on about page 516), which describes many of the same sights that Roberto mentioned. However, there's no suggested walking tour, probably because Fiesole is too small for that. Cheers!
Posted by
Centennial, CO, USA
1883 posts
Took the bus to Fiesole and saw everything in just a few hours. We wanted out of the crowds and heat in Florence. We walked first to the open air museum, but didn't feel like paying to go in to see yet another Roman ruin. We took off from the piazza and just walked around to find a good spot to enjoy all of Florence. We wandered along the "panoramic" road from one end of the town to the other...walked back along small alleyways. That was fun! We got back to the piazza when the bells were ringing and had a nice lunch from a cafe in the piazza while we waited for the next bus to arrive. Fiesole in my opinion isn't much of a town, and not a lot to see, but a good escape from the hustle and bustle of Florence below. The views of the Duomo and Arno are worth the quick trip to me.....but that's about it!