Florence and Fiesole: the journey of Boccaccio

Curiosities, art and flavours

There is a city that everyone knows for its Renaissance spirit but we want to see it how it once was before, in the 1300s, when Giovanni Boccaccio wrote his most famous work, The Decameron, a collection of one hundred short stories. The book represents one of the first works written in prose, in “vulgar” Italian.
Let’s take a look at the places where the stories of book are set.

Anfiteatro Romano di Fiesole — Roman theatre in Fiesole - Credit: Carlos Affonso

In the historical center, there are at least three places you must visit: the Roman theatre, the convent and missionary museum of San Francesco, and the Duomo (Cattedrale di San Romolo), which are all located right off the main piazza of Fiesole.

Arriving in Piazza Mino, taking the first street on the left which runs alongside the Duomo, you arrive at the archeological site, a place outside of time that documents the ancient Etruscan origins and Roman settlement. You can admire the remains of the theatre, the baths, and the temple. You can also visit the archeology museum that contains a precious collection of ancient Greek vases, Langobardic tombs entirely reconstructed, bronze from the Etruscan age, and marble decorations from the Roman theatre. On the opposite side, instead, you can find another pearl along your journey, the convent of San Francesco.

Before you arrive at the Cathedral of San Romolo, you’ll find on the left a steep slope that leads you to one of the best panoramas in the Fiesole hills. From this point, seated on the ancient wall, you reign over the city of Florence. You should also see the entire complex of the Basilica of Sant’Alessandro, the church with the convent, and the missionary museum of San Francesco.

You can’t finish your visit without tasting the best local products and dishes. There are lots of restaurants, trattorie, and wine-cellars where you can go to get typical plates in the Florentine tradition, which includes Florentine steak - obviously - accompanied by a good glass of local red wine.