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Tuscan countryside nearby

Fiesole is a brief city bus ride up the hills outside Firenze, but a world away in terms of atmosphere. Rich in religious and political history, and hosting a summer arts festival, and you can see that it is worth a visit or a longer stay.

For those visiting Florence without time or transportation to access the Tuscan countryside, Fiesole offers a nearby rural retreat. The number 7 bus connects the main Florence railway station and Fiesole half-hourly until midnight. The vertiginous trip up the narrow stone-walled roads reveals magnificent view of Firenze, and surrounding mountains.

My favorite memory of Fiesole is a dinner of pizza and steak, consumed under an arbor of vines. The pizza was distinctively slow-baked in an old-fashioned wood-fired oven. The enormous steak and had a distinctive texture; tender and flavorful all at once. To offset our indulgence, we had bitter greens (probably broccoli rapini and/or spinach) sautéed with garlic and local olive oil as well. Custom essays on the antioxidant properties of cold-pressed olive oil would be worth reading.

Visitors between June and September should take advantage of the Fiesole Festival. Held largely in the ancient Roman amphitheater, this includes presentations of contemporary music as well as opera, classical music, dance, and theatre. This relic of Rome’s empire would make a fine topic to order an essay writer service.

Fiesole seems a cost effective alternative to staying in downtown Florence. Quiet, cooler than the valley, and blessed with many intriguing sights itself, Fiesole is a lovely destination.