Well, it's time to move out of the city centre for a short break from history and into the sun drenched hills of Tuscany. This is our journey to Fiesole, a town that lies just west of Florence beyond Oltrarno, the other side of the Arno. While still in close proximity to Florence and actually only five kilometers away, Fiesole seems like a world away from the historic city centre. You climb high in hills under the Tuscan sun along narrow winding roads framed by the Cyprus trees that have come to define Tuscany and where scenic vistas beckon you forward into this Tuscan way of life. Whether you're bypassing olive groves, expansive vineyards that seem to stretch to the horizon or those classic Italian villas that sprout from the hilltops, every view is a landscape painting waiting for the artist to capture on canvas. Just take a look at this!
This is our story of our "Tastes of Tuscany" tour. Sounds yummy, doesn't it. I simply couldn't refuse when I found it on Italy Tours and it was very reasonable. The half-day tour includes a guided walk through Villa di Maiano, a Renaissance estate once owned by the Pazzi family and it just so happens that this is where "A Room With a View" and "Tea With Mussolini" were both filmed. However, the real highlight of this half-day excursion is the delicious Italian lunch that is served villa-side and includes a variety of antipasto, three delectable pasta dishes, breads, wine of course, and a spectacular view overlooking the hills of Tuscany! And if you're worried about all of those calories, don't, because after lunch, it's time to burn them off; for the tour concludes with a vigorous walk down the Tuscan hills past those scenic landscapes until you reach the town of Fiesole. Upon arrival, you embark on transportation back to Florence. 
Before we embark, I really should provide a brief history of Villa di Maiano for all you who may not have visited this place. Originally built in the 1400's and once known as "Palagio degli Alessandri", the villa was completely destroyed by a hurricane in 1467 which forced the owner at the time, Bartolomeo degli Alessandri, to sell his family homestead to fund reconstruction. Then, in the early 16th century, the house was occupied by the Sforza family, then the Buonagrazia family and finally in 1546, the Pazzi family bought the estate. You may recall the Pazzi family for their notoriously planned conspiracy to murder Lorenzo de Medici (Lorenzo the Magnificent) and his brother, Guiliano, as they were leaving high mass from the Duomo in Florence. Only part of their plan succeeded, Lorenzo's brother, Guiliano, was indeed murdered and the Pazzi family paid dearly for their mistakes.
Nearly 300 years later, the Tolomei family, wealthy merchants from Siena purchased the villa. Then, it was Sir John Temple Leader from England who occupied the palace and because he wanted to add medieval architectural elements to the estate, he enclosed a central courtyard and constructed the tower you see today that rises through the center of the villa. Take a look.
Finally, in 1903, a surgeon from Florence, Teodora Stori and his wife Elisabetta Corsini, purchased the villa. It is said that Elisabetta had such a passion for the historical building that she devoted much of her time and energy on maintainng the place. Presently, her neice, Countess Lucrezia Miara Fulcis dei Principi Corsini, who inherited the estate upon Elisabetta's death, continues to manage the property to this day. If you want to read more and see some spectacular images of the interior rooms, visit Villa di Maiano. 
Ok, enough about history and back to the details of the tour. At 10:00am, we met our tour guide, Alice, originally from Australia, at via Sasseti in Florence on the other side of the Duomo from where we were staying at the Monna Lisa. From there, we boarded vans and headed high into the Tuscan hills where we arrived at the magnificent Villa di Maiano and proceeded on our tour of the estate and gardens. We saw rooms of such grandeur and opulence and yes, the famous piano from "A Room With a View" is located just inside the front door. Outside we strolled into the gardens and eventually were lead to a verandah at the edge of the property where we were seated at a large table with all of the other folks who were on tour with us. We were completely surrounded by the most scenic views of the Tuscan hills that seemed to roll on forever. It was simply breathtaking. 
Alice, as we found out, was not only an amazing tour guide, she was quite the hostess and wine connoisseur. She introduced us to a variety of Italian wines of which we tasted of course while other servers brought in various bruschettas with prosciutto, tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and more. 
We all toasted to an amazing day and to the dining experience in which we were all to partake. After the breads, it was on to the antipasto replete with salamis, cheeses, olives, peppers and other delicious Italian fare. Gee are you hungry yet because my mouth is watering just typing all of this. How amazing is this? Here we are, in a 15th century villa high in the hills, eating a fabulous Italian feast and taking in the surrounding beauty of the Tuscan landscape. The sun is warm, the breeze is mild and it's an absolutely perfect day!! Now this is paradise!! But wait, there's more. After the first courses, came three types of pastas dishes with alfredo, marinara and an olive oil sauces, some with chicken, some with prosciutto, and all came with the fresh aroma of garlic wafting in the air. How wonderful. These Italians really know how to cook. We dined and dined until we could eat no more and then wrapped up with espressos and Italian pastries.
After lunch, as I mentioned earlier, we traversed the hills down to the Fiesole town centre where we caught our transportation back to the Duomo.
We said our good-byes, offered a tip to our Alice, and then boarded the bus back to Florence. All transportation, admission, food and wine are included in the price. I really enjoyed this tour for its little bit of history, the tour of the scenic countryside outside Florence and mostly for the delectable lunch. It was perfect in length because by the time we arrived back at the Duomo, it was still early enough in the day to tour the Florence Duomo or Santa Maria del Fiore….my next posting. If you find yourself seeking a brief departure from the historic sights and landmarks, I strongly urge you to indulge in the mouthwatering Tastes of Tuscany!
Arrivederci from Fiesole!
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