Fiesole predates Florence by centuries, the Etruscan city of Faesulae occupied the hill 8 km northeast of the Arno valley floor from approximately the seventh century BC, commanding the confluence of the Arno and Mugnone rivers below and the routes through the Apennines to the north. The Roman colony established here in 80 BC (following Sulla's defeat of the Etruscan-allied forces in the Social War) built its theater, baths, and temples over the Etruscan city, preserving the Etruscan circuit walls that still partially encircle the hill. Florence (Roman Florentia) was founded in the valley below as a military colony in 59 BC. Fiesole was the older, more powerful city. Florence eventually grew larger, more commercially important, and by the medieval period completely dominant. The relationship between the two cities, the older hilltop original and the younger valley expansion, produced centuries of rivalry, several wars, and the specific dynamic of Florentine ambition that the city historians document from the earliest medieval chronicles.
How do you want to see it?
Lazio, ItalyCompare the same experience on GetYourGuide and Viator, save what you like to My Trip, share it, and book when you’re sure. Nearest to this page first.
The Fiesole Archaeological Zone
The Roman Theater
The Roman theater at Fiesole (capacity approximately 3,000, first century BC, substantially restored in the early twentieth century) has the most dramatic setting of any Roman theater near Florence, the stage backed by the Apennine hills, the cavea looking south toward the Arno valley with the Florentine skyline visible in clear conditions. The theater is still used for summer performances (the Estate Fiesolana festival of music, theater, and dance runs July-August in the venue, one of the oldest outdoor summer festivals in Tuscany, founded 1931). Open Tuesday-Sunday. Combined ticket with the baths and the Antiquarium approximately €12.
Fiesole Archaeological: tours & tickets
Compare guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips for Fiesole Archaeological.
See availability & prices →Compare tours on Viator →We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.The Etruscan Walls
The Etruscan circuit walls, built in the fifth-third centuries BC in large polygonal blocks of pietra serena without mortar, partially encircle the hill above the archaeological area. The most impressive section is visible on the northern slope above the Roman theater. The specific technique of fitting large irregular limestone blocks in tight contact without binding material, a characteristic Etruscan construction method, is at its most visible at Fiesole. Walking the wall section is free. The views north over the Apennine foothills while following the Etruscan perimeter are among the best in the Florentine hills.
Museo Bandini
The small but excellent Bandini Museum in Fiesole (adjacent to the cathedral, named for Canon Angelo Maria Bandini who assembled the collection in the eighteenth century) has exceptional della Robbia glazed terracotta works and a group of fourteenth-fifteenth century Florentine panel paintings that are of higher quality than their relative obscurity would suggest. Admission included in the combined archaeological ticket.
Q&A: Fiesole
How do I get to Fiesole from Florence?
Bus 7 from Piazza San Marco in Florence to Fiesole Piazza Mino (approximately 20 minutes, every 20-30 minutes, standard Florence public transport ticket). The bus ride itself is scenic, winding through the olive and villa-dotted hillside above Florence, with views improving as the altitude increases. The archaeological zone and cathedral are a 5-minute walk from Piazza Mino terminus. No car is necessary or particularly useful, as parking in Fiesole is limited.
Can I see Fiesole and the Florentine museums on the same day?
Yes. Fiesole requires 2-3 hours for the archaeological zone and Bandini Museum, best visited in the morning before the heat builds. An afternoon in a Florence museum (the Uffizi, the Accademia, the Bargello) completes a very full day. The combination is most rewarding as a sequence: Etruscan-Roman history in the morning at Fiesole, Renaissance art in the afternoon in Florence.
What Nobody Tells You About Fiesole
The view from Piazza Mino in Fiesole at sunset, the Arno valley below, the Brunelleschi dome visible above the roofline, the western hills catching the last light, is the finest elevated view of Florence available without a paid observation platform or a long uphill walk. Bus 7 deposits you 50 meters from the viewpoint. The Fiesole archaeological visit provides the historical context for what you are looking at when you see the city below.
Internal Links
- Etruscan Civilization: Fiesole in Context
- Florence Museums: The Bargello After Fiesole
- Florence Giotto: The Afternoon After the Etruscan Morning
- Florence Self-Guided: Including the Fiesole Route
- Estate Fiesolana: Summer Performances in the Roman Theater
- Florence Bus Network: Getting to Fiesole
- Florence Safety: Bus 7 to Fiesole Is Straightforward
