Fiesole Day Trip from Florence (and Where to Stay a Night)
Written and photographed by Jason GaNung. Updated October 2026.
Fiesole is the hill town that looks down on Florence, and it was here before the city itself. The Etruscans built walls on this ridge, the Romans added a theater that still hosts summer concerts, and today it is the easiest escape from the crowds in the center. Twenty five minutes on a city bus and you are in the countryside, with the whole of Florence spread out below you.
It is one of the stops in my guide to day trips from Florence, and the one I suggest when someone has only a half day to spare. Here is how I would plan it, with a lunch pick and a hotel for anyone who wants to stay the night. The photos here are my own, taken on a June day in Fiesole.
Quick plan
Best for: views over Florence, Etruscan and Roman history, a quiet half day away from the center, and couples who want a sunset dinner above the city.
Time to allow: half a day. Go late in the morning for lunch with a view, or in the late afternoon and stay for dinner.
Getting there: city bus 7 to Piazza Mino, about 25 minutes, or a short taxi ride.
Must sees: the Roman theater and archaeological area, the cathedral of San Romolo on Piazza Mino and the terrace by the convent of San Francesco.
Lunch pick: La Reggia degli Etruschi, on the climb to San Francesco.
Stay a night pick: Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel.
Wear: comfortable shoes. Every walk in Fiesole goes uphill.
Optional: olive oil tasting at Frantoio Buonamici in Montebeni (book ahead).
How to get to Fiesole from Florence
By bus
City bus 7, run by Autolinee Toscane, climbs from the Piazza San Marco and Piazza della Libertà area to Piazza Mino, the main square of Fiesole, in about 25 minutes. It is the end of the line, so you cannot miss your stop. Buy your ticket before you board and validate it on the bus. My guide to getting around Florence by tram, bus and train covers tickets and how the city network works. Check the current timetable on the Autolinee Toscane website on the day you go.
By taxi
A taxi from the center is quick and is the easiest way back after a late dinner. Ask your restaurant to call one for you when you are ready to leave.
On foot
The walk up is steep. The nicer plan is to ride the bus up and walk down the old road toward San Domenico, a small village halfway down the hill, then catch the bus back into Florence from there.
What to see in Fiesole
Piazza Mino and the cathedral
The bus drops you on Piazza Mino, a long, sunny square lined with cafes and the cathedral of San Romolo. It is a real small town square, and after the crowds of the center it feels like a different country. Have a coffee here before you start walking.
The Roman theater and archaeological area
Just behind the cathedral, the archaeological area holds the remains of Etruscan and Roman Fiesole. The Roman theater, built between the first century BC and the first century AD, still hosts concerts and plays in summer during the Estate Fiesolana festival. Around it are the Roman baths and an Etruscan and Roman temple, and the small archaeological museum on site holds finds from the Etruscan era through the early Middle Ages. The entrance and ticket office are at the corner of Via Giovanni Duprè and Via Portigiani, a few minutes on foot from Piazza Mino.
The climb to San Francesco
From the square, a steep lane climbs to the convent of San Francesco at the top of the hill. Stop at the terrace on the way up. From there the whole of Florence spreads below, with the dome in the middle and the hills behind it. This is the view most people come for, and it is best in the late afternoon.
The Bandini Museum
If you love early Florentine painting, the small Bandini Museum near the cathedral is worth half an hour. It keeps shorter days than the archaeological area and is usually open Friday to Sunday, so check before you plan around it.
Where to have lunch in Fiesole
My lunch pick: La Reggia degli Etruschi. Via San Francesco 18, on the climb to the convent. Set in a former monastery, it has a two level terrace and big windows looking straight over Florence and the dome, with modern Tuscan cooking and a serious wine list. Lunch is not served every day, so check the hours and book ahead for a table by the view.
Alternative near the square: Ristorante Fiesolano. Piazza Mino da Fiesole 9/R. A casual Tuscan grill (alla brace) spot right on the main piazza, with farm wines on the list. Open for lunch and dinner most days; check current hours before you go.
For something quick: the cafe at the entrance to the archaeological area, Il Caffè Teatro, has a view over the hills and serves a simple lunch menu, which is easy if you are visiting the theater anyway.
For a sunset dinner: Antesi at Villa San Michele has eight tables in a 16th century loggia with the whole city below, and Serrae at Villa Fiesole holds one Michelin star. I cover both in my most romantic restaurants in Florence and my guide to the best hotel restaurants and bars in Florence.
Olive oil tasting at Frantoio Buonamici
If you want one easy add on to a Fiesole day, book an olive oil tasting at Frantoio Buonamici in Montebeni, just outside the town center. I treat it as the calm half of the outing: after the Roman theater and the climb to San Francesco, you drop into the hills for green gold.
The Buonamici family has lived in Fiesole for more than 200 years. Cesare Buonamici founded Azienda Agricola Buonamici in 1991 and still runs the farm as founder and CEO. The company has farmed organically since 1995. Today it works about 250 hectares with some 30,000 olive trees on the ridge that looks toward Florence, and it sits inside the Organic District of Fiesole.
The organic frantoio is the heart of the farm, where olives come in and oil goes out. Next to it is a modern tasting room with floor to ceiling glass and a terrace over the groves. You sit with numbered cups on a Frantoio Buonamici mat and taste the lineup that made the place known: Grezzo, their unfiltered extra virgin; Biologico; monocultivar bottles of Frantoio, Itrana and Coratina; and Salutaris, a high polyphenol organic oil developed with the University of Florence. In the orchard the farm also grows classic Fiesole cultivars such as Leccino, Moraiolo and Leccio del Corno.
A tasting is a guided look at how the oils smell and taste, often with local bread or bruschetta, and a chance to see the mill. Book ahead. Email info@buonamici.it or call +39 055 654991, or use the oleoturismo contacts on their site for the current experiences. Do not show up unannounced for a full tasting. From Florence, take city bus 7 to Piazza Mino in Fiesole, then a short taxi to Via di Montebeni 11. Check details and reservations on their official site at buonamici.it.
Where to stay a night in Fiesole
My pick: Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel. Via Doccia 4, Fiesole. A former monastery high on the hill, with gardens and the whole of Florence below. It reopened on 28 April 2026 after an 18 month renovation, with 39 rooms and suites, its first spa, by Guerlain, and Antesi, the eight table restaurant in the loggia. It now stays open year round, and the hotel runs a shuttle to the center of Florence, so you can sightsee by day and come back to the quiet.
Who it suits: couples, honeymooners and anyone on a second or third trip to Florence who wants calm, space and the view more than a door that opens onto the Duomo. If this is your first visit and you want to walk everywhere, stay in the center and come up to Fiesole for an afternoon instead.
For the full picture, see my luxury guide to where to stay in Florence by neighborhood, and my tracker of new luxury hotel openings in Florence for what has just opened in the hills.
When to go
Fiesole is lovely all year, but the light is best from spring to early autumn, and late afternoon is the time for the view. In summer the Roman theater fills with concerts during the Estate Fiesolana festival. From November the sites keep shorter winter hours and the archaeological area closes on Tuesdays, so plan a morning visit. My Florence weather by month guide will help you pick your dates.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Florence to Fiesole?
Take city bus 7, run by Autolinee Toscane, from the Piazza San Marco and Piazza della Libertà area. It climbs to Piazza Mino, the main square of Fiesole, in about 25 minutes. A taxi is quicker and handy for coming back after dinner.
Is Fiesole worth a day trip from Florence?
Yes, especially if you have already seen the big sights in the center. In one easy outing you get Etruscan walls, a Roman theater, a real small town square and the best view of Florence from above.
How much time do I need in Fiesole?
A half day is enough for the archaeological area, the cathedral and the climb to San Francesco. Stay on for a sunset dinner if you can, because that is when the view is at its best.
Can I walk from Florence to Fiesole?
You can, but it is a steep climb through San Domenico. The easier plan is to take the bus up and walk down the old road through San Domenico, where you can pick up the bus back into Florence.
Where should I stay in Fiesole?
Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel, is the classic choice. The former monastery reopened on 28 April 2026 after an 18 month renovation, with 39 rooms and suites, a Guerlain spa and the restaurant Antesi, and it runs a shuttle to the center of Florence.
Is the Fiesole archaeological area open in winter?
Yes, with shorter hours. According to the Musei di Fiesole, from November to February the archaeological area and museum open from 10:00 to 15:00 and close on Tuesdays. In October they open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, and from April to September from 9:00 to 19:00. Check the official site before you go.
More day trips and ideas
If you have a full day, try my Siena day trip from Florence. For more of the city from above, see Florence in photos and the best things to do in Florence.
About the author
I'm Jason GaNung, and I write every guide on Florence Life. I have spent extensive time in Florence over many trips, and every photo in this guide is my own. More about me.
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