Freewheeling in Fiesole
(Amy and I on one of the terraces overlooking the panoramic views of the Tuscan countryside and distant Florence from Fiesole)
Compared to Florence, Fiesole (pronounced ‘Fee-ay-zo-lay’) appeared deserted. The bus dropped us off in the main square which was quite empty indeed. Deciding to make our way to the Tourist Information Center for maps, we took a narrow lane off the main piazza and were directed to make the steep climb up a cobbled hillside pathway called Via dei San Francesco to find sustenance in one of the restaurants on the summit. It was lunch time and our ramblings had rendered us ravenous. We were delighted to find that Café Reggia offered a panoramic view of the countryside of Tuscany all the way down to the city of Florence whose Duomo could be easily discerned in the distance.
Over a really amazing pasta lunch consisting of Spaghetti Pomodoro for Amy and Goat-cheese filled Ravioli in a Tomato-Orange Sauce for me, we had a meal to remember as well as a restaurant all to ourselves. It is impossible to describe the warming memories that such dining experiences have when one is in Italy, gazing upon olive groves and orange orchards as far as the eye can see and breathing in the softness of the mountain air. It was truly serene (left).
The neighboring 13th Church of San Francesco just cried out to be explored and we made our way inside to find some interesting oil paintings and gilded altarpieces as well as a truly charming cloistered courtyard as this is also a Franciscan friary (left) . I was enchanted by this space with its red-tiled roofs, terracotta pottery containing herbs like rosemary and thyme and the wooden pillars that held the roof in place and created quiet walkways for tranquil contemplation.
At the front of the church was a special retrospective on the contemporary Italian artist Cesare Rizzoli and we spent an interesting few minutes reviewing his life’s work. Then, as we made our way down the cobbled pathway to the main piazza, we beheld enchanting vistas of the town spread out before us with its piercing campanile, red roofs and yellow sided homes. Amy was unable to leave the serenity of this town behind and urged me to explore its far side which took us past some interesting stores along another winding mountain path. Had we more time and energy, we could easily have climbed higher, taking in the quaintness of our surroundings. But we needed to get back to Florence (a mere fifteen minute bus ride away) and we soon found ourselves back on the bus to the city.
To Follow Amy and Me back on the remainder of our sightseeing in Florence, plesae click on the link below:
Bon Voyage!