Fiesole sits on a hill above Florence, and it has looked down on the city for much longer than Florence has existed. The Etruscans founded a settlement here, and the Romans built a theatre, baths and a temple that are still visible. When the Medici came to power in the fifteenth century they chose the slope below Fiesole for a country villa, and Giovanni de' Medici, the younger son of Cosimo, commissioned Michelozzo to design one around 1450. The result, Villa Medici, is built on terraces cut into the hillside, with a loggia that opens out over a sweeping view of the Arno valley and the dome of Florence cathedral.
The villa became a gathering place for scholars, artists and poets, among them Lorenzo the Magnificent's circle and the philosopher Pico della Mirandola. It was a place of conversation and leisure, a deliberate break from the business of banking and politics, and the terraced gardens with their lemon pots and cypress trees were part of the design. The villa is now private and not open to the general public, but its gardens can be glimpsed from the road, and the view from the terrace of the town itself shows much the same scene.
The ride up from Florence is short and charming. The Via Fiesolana and the old Via Vecchia Fiesolana climb in tight bends between stone walls, olive groves and villas, and the road is narrow, with room for only one vehicle at some corners. Buses and tourists make the main road busy, so go early. The surface is mixed and dappled shade can hide patches of damp. Florence itself has a large restricted traffic zone, and cameras fine unauthorised vehicles, so plan your route.
Fiesole is small but has a few cafes and gelaterie around its main square, and fuel stations are on the way up from the city. Florence has everything. Spring and autumn give clear light on the hills, and the early evening, when the city below turns gold.