Has anyone ever used Fiesole as a base to travel into Florence and the surrounding area? If so, please recommend hotels and day trips.

I can't tell you from first hand experience, but it remains very much on my list of "to-do" plans, for a next trip to Florence - - to stay at Villa San Michele in Fiesole. Maybe when (and if) the NASDAQ sees 5000 again! <BR> <BR>By all accounts, this is one of those places that is worth all of the big bucks it takes to stay there (i.e., 1.69 to 3.3 million lire per night for a double in May, for example). <BR> <BR>See http://villasanmichele.orient-expres...nce/index.html (note: no "www") for more info. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex

Hi, Meg. <BR>Yes! Fiesole is t h e place to stay when visiting Florence. My wife and I stayed there for 9 days early june -98, we had a rented car and a fantastic time. <BR>The views from the Fiesole hills over Florence and tuscany and Arno river is fantastic, even to nature-spoiled mid-fifty Norwegians like us. Go for it! <BR>Sant-Michele is a very, very nice hotel. But also very, very expensive. Why not try something else, close by and with perfect rooms, perfect location, perfect service, perfect anything: Like Pensione Bencista. <BR> <BR>Pensione Bencista, <BR>Via Benedetto da Maiano 4,50014 Fiesole <BR>Tel/Fax. 055 59163 <BR> <BR>You'll find descriptions in Florence guides like Eyewitness, I think, and on the Internet. <BR> <BR>We can not praise the place too much. It was wonderful to get there after exhausted and airpulluted and noisy hours downtown Florence. Strolling around in Fiesole in the evenings also was very nice, with the park, the Roman theatre etc. The pensione also was very helpful regarding ticket reservations etc, so that we didn't have to waste time in lines when visiting the museums. <BR> <BR>Day trips? Pisa is a must. So is Siena. And there are lots more. Greve... you name it <BR> <BR>Bencista is also moderately priced. Rooms differ, in fact no one are alike. We stayed comfortably in a double with bathroom for 250.000 lire a night. That also included breakfast and either lunch or dinner for both of us. <BR> <BR>As soon as time allows, we'll go again. <BR> <BR>Happy new Year to you. You'll have a fantastic tour. <BR> <BR>Bjorn, Oslo-Norway

You can try these sites: <BR>http://www.comune.fiesole.fi.it/new_...ish/index.html <BR>and <BR>http://www.edreams.com/edreams/engli...076&COUNTRY=US <BR> <BR>You can copy all the long string of these sites and paste it on the address of the browser. <BR> <BR>Happy new Year

Meg, <BR>We stayed in Florence for a week in June 99. It was hot, noisy and crowded. We spent Saturday in Fiesole and promised ourselves to stay there and travel into Florence "next time." It is very easy to get the city bus from the plaza in Fiesole down into Florence. Fiesole was quiet and cool and I know why the Etruscans built there and not down in the river valley! You could easily do day trips to Siena (suggest bus) or Pisa. Do plan to visit the archaeological sites/outdoor museum in Fiesole. <BR> <BR>Bjorn, thank you for your recommendation of Pensione Becista. <BR> <BR>Pam