Fiesole

Fiesole was an Etruscan city and later a Roman one while Florence below was still a veterans' settlement, and it stayed independent until Florence destroyed it in 1125. The archaeological area holds a Roman theatre of about three thousand seats, Roman baths, an Etruscan temple and a long stretch of Etruscan city wall in massive blocks; the theatre is still used for the Estate Fiesolana concert season in summer. The terrace by San Francesco gives the standard view over Florence in its basin. Frank Lloyd Wright lived here in 1910, and the hill has drawn foreign residents since the nineteenth century.

What you actually see

• The Roman theatre - three thousand seats, still used for summer concerts.
• The Etruscan walls - massive block walls older than Florence itself.
• The San Francesco terrace - the classic view down over the city.
• The archaeological museum - Etruscan and Roman finds from the hill.

When to go

April to October; the Estate Fiesolana concerts run in June and July in the Roman theatre. Summer days are cooler here than in Florence.

Honest expectations

The bus up is slow and crowded. The walk to San Francesco is steep. The archaeological area is compact and can feel thin for the ticket price.

Nearby

Florence lies below; the Mugello valley runs north.