I have e-mailed Google Customer Service (but have not gotten a response) that what they have labeled as Fiesole, is another town outside Firenze. Anybody else notice this?

Anybody ever use google earth to preview where they are going? Is there another site like it?

I am confused. Fiesole IS a town outside of Firenze. Get there from Firenze by taking the #8 city bus. It sits on a hill, overlooking Florence, with a monastery, an archaeology site, a large church, a hotel or two, and sidewalk cafes.

Err...that may be the #7 bus.

On google earth they say Fiesole is NNW of Florence. And, what they have marked as Fiesole, is not Fiesole but some other town.

Maybe they've fixed it now? I just tried, and it shows the same town NE of Florence, same as the one shown on ViaMichelin.

rkkwan - I will have to check ViaMichelin, but I did locate it on msn maps and they show it to the NNE of Florence. Also, at this site,
http://server-nt.provincia.fi.it/mus...es/infobig.jpg
they show the center of the town that is different from the one that google earth shows. Check it out. In my preview, I notice that it is giving two addresses and you will have to choose the second one, but it should get you to the center of Fiesole. Then, go to msn maps, and look to the NNE and you can find the town with a center that matches.

I can tell you, that at the google earth site, they are not showing Fiesole!

Woops, I didn't mean to post that yet!
Go to msn maps and check Fiesole to compare. Go to google earth and go to the NNE of Florence to see where Fiesole should be labeled, and you will see a town with the same center as that one shown at the museiminori site

On the other hand, if they have fixed it, I am going to have to figure out how to update my google earth!

I see what you're saying now.

On the map itself, "Fiesole" is shown as NNW of center of Florence.

But if I put "Fiesole" in the "Fly To" search box, it comes to a place NE of center Florence. It's just SW of that Musei Minori map you linked to. When I zoomed out a little, I saw that church, the square, etc a little to the NE.

I have no idea why Google Earth labels that spot to the NNW of Florence.

But to answer your question in your second post, yes, I did preview some of the Italian places I was going prior to my trip last Christmas, particularly location of the hotels.

Okay, I updated my google earth, and they still show Fiesole to the NNW of the historic center of Florence. Is there anyone that has been to Fiesole that can verify that Fiesole is actually to the NNE of the historic center of Florence? According to my reckoning, I am correct.

Thanks rk, we have been having fun with the satelite pictures and are planning to use them on our trip. Did you print any to take with? And, if you did, did they help?

If I use Florence as my target, it puts Fiesole to the NNW. If I use Fiesole as my target, it puts Fiesole below what I believe are Santa Domenica and San Dominico, but nearer to the true Fiesole. Correct?

I think I will start a post to ask if anyone has used satellite photos on their trips.

Yup. That's what I saw as well.

To answer your question, no, I didn't print out anything. A regular map is fine with me when actually traveling. But I do want to see what my hotels look like, and how its location relates to the attractions, train stations, and so on.

But I usually find it more fun to look at places AFTER I've been there.

rk, I can't wait! We don't leave for Italy and Switzerland until June! I am looking before, but now I will look forward to looking afterwards! I bet it will be better!!!

Thanks for the good thought.