Fiesole Tuscany Italy

Fiesole is the Florentine "hill station", the location to which the Florentine aristocracy retired when Florence became insufferably hot in mid-summer. Not surprisingly, the Etruscans built their city at Fiesole and not down in the humid river valley below, and the Romans followed them - the remains of their baths and theatre are still to be visited. Fiesole became and remains the episcopal see of a large diocese. Unusually, the town and cathedral of San Romulo are located in an exclave (isola) within the archbishopric of Florence.

Modern day visitors to Florence should devote at least a day to Fiesole, not only to enjoy should cooler air but also for the town itself, the magnificent views out over Florence and the many beautiful villas in the surrounding hills. These latter range from the first true Renaissance villa, Villa Medici, to Bernard Berenson's I Tatti, created from a farmhouse between the wars and endowed, like Villa Medici, with a beautiful giardino all'italiana.

Fiesole is easily reached from Florence by public transport. The ATAF Florence city bus to Fiesole is Number 7 which runs about every half an hour until almost midnight so that it is possible to remain in Fiesole for dinner. The bus line starts at Via La Pira (on the side very close to Piazza San Marco) in Florence. Those who plan to drive should realise that some of the roads in the area are basically one car wide and run between high stone walls.

• History of Fiesole

• Things to see in Fiesole

• The life of Fra Angelico