Florence peripheral attractions

The Etruscan village next-door, a Tuscan hilltown just a city bus ride from downtown. Most of what people come to Fiesole to do is simply wander the streets for a break from the big city sights and a taste of small town Italy. But, as you stroll, do take the time to pop into a few of the the town's (admittedly modest) sights... » more

The forgotten hill of Florence, rising above the Oltrarno and offering more intimate views across the city than the famous ones from Fiesole ... » more

Incredible private collection that includes the largest display of Japanese arms and armour known to Europe. The museum was partially rearranged in past decades to try and make some sense out of 57 rooms stuffed with over 50,000 items. More recently, however, the city has come to appreciate this rare example of a private 19th-century museum and is busily setting it all back the way Stibbert originally intended. ...
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This country church on the road to Fiesole was where the future master Fra' Angelic first put on monk's robes and picked up paintbrushes. It retains several Angelico masterpieces as well as works by Lorenzo di Credi...
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Beautiful public park that reaches just outside the Centro of Florence. Originally a wild delta of land where the Arno and Mugnone rivers met, the area later became a Medici hunting reserve and eventually a pasture for the grand duke's milk cows. Today, the Cascine is home to tennis courts, pools, a horse racetrack, and some odd late-18th- and early-19th-century features like an incongruous pyramid and funky neoclassical fountains... » more