Introducing Fiesole

After muggy old Florence this bijou village perched in hills 9km northeast of Florence revitalises. Its cooler air, olive groves, scattering of Renaissance-styled villas and spectacular views of the plain below have seduced for centuries (victims include Boccaccio, Marcel Proust, Gertrude Stein and Frank Lloyd Wright) – and still do.

Founded in the 7th century BC by the Etruscans, Fiesole was the most important city in northern Etruria and makes a delightful foray for a few hours out of Florence.

The tourist office (055 597 83 73; www.comune.fiesole.fi.it in Italian; Via Portigiani 3; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-1pm & 2-6pm Sun Mar-Oct, 9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun Nov-Feb) is just off central Piazza Mine da Fiesole, the village heart.