Fiesole, evening in the tuscan hillside above Florence

As an option during our free day, or any evening really, in Tuscany we can take a bus to Fiesole to watch the sunset over Tuscany. Fiesole can be reached by car or bus, and also on foot along narrow walled roads past numerous villas and the area where Leonardo DaVinci conducted his flying experiments.

Reaching Fiesole by bus

The ATAF Florence city bus to Fiesole is Number 7 which runs about every half an hour until almost midnight from the Santa Maria Novella train station. This 25 minute ride arrives and departs from the town square Piazza Mino de Fiesole. The late bus scheduled makes it possible to stay in Fiesole for sunset and dinner. The bus line starts at the SMN main railway station in Florence.

Piazza Mino de Fiesole

Fiesole, A Brief History 
per http://fiesole.com/

Fiesole is of Etruscan origin, and was probably founded in the 9 C BC and was then conquered by the Romans in 283 BC. Under Roman rule, it became the seat of a famous school of augurs, and every year twelve young men were sent here from Rome to study the art of divination.

During the Gothic War (536-53) Fiesole was besieged several times and in 539 Justinus, the Byzantine general, captured it and razed its fortifications. In the early Middle Ages, Fiesole was more powerful than Florence in the valley below, and many wars arose between them. In 1010 and 1025 Fiesole was sacked by the Florentines, and its leading families obliged to take up their residence in Florence.

View of Tusany from Fiesole