Fiesole, Roman Theater

One year, while visiting Florence, Campeggio Comunale, the campground located on Viale Michelangiolo with a fabulous overview of Florence, was filled to overflowing so we needed to find a different campsite. We were directed to Camping Panoramico in Fiesole, high on the hill to the north of the city. The four mile drive to Fiesole was narrow, twisty, steep — it’s hard to believe that we never left town. From the campsite we looked over the Arno River Valley with the domes and towers of Florence spread out below, especially the Campanile and the huge dome of Santa Maria del Fiore. We were at least a thousand feet above the city, with a magnificent view.

The town of Fiesole is intriguing in its own right. They have an archaeological site next to the market square, which includes a Roman theater that holds about 3,000 people, that was built around 80 BC. It’s well preserved, and plays are still performed there. The Romanesque Cathedral was founded in the 11th century, enlarged in the 13th and 14th, and restored in the late 1800s. A delightful town.