The morning call., 1890-05-27
NOTES FROM ITALY.
A Visit to Fiesole, a Summer
Resort Near Florence.

FLORENCE Qtaly), May 10, 1904 por-
ton of our party walked, but | only walked
to the city gate and took steam tram-car,
which carried me to the San Dominican
Monastery, about half mile from the top
of the hill, where l sat down and waited for
the others to arrive, when we all walked on
TO Fiesole by the shortest way that
went straight up the hill. There are
high walls on either side, SO that
you can only occasionally see over them,
to take view of the valley below. Fiesole
Is built on the very top of the hill, and
when there you find large, open square,
with the cathedral, museum containing
the relics OF former greatness. also some
modern stores and buildings. On the very
highest point is q franciscan monastery,
now suppressed. but the monks still
live there. This monastery is in
most lovely spot, and on one side of the
trees and the sOughing of the wind among
the boughs made us think of the sound of
the wind described in a book we used to
read TO the children we called the Heidi
book. III front you can look down on the
Valley oil the ATno and see where it cuts
Florence into two parts, and all the build
ings below show to good advantage from
here, and the olive orchards, which lie every
where between the city and the hills, glisten
like silver. The leaves are dark green on one
Y,
poplars, which seem always uppermOst,
and the sun shone on them in such way
that they looked as though they were COW
cred with snow. The hill slope Is covered
with beautiful villas, which command most
charming views One fine race was for
merly the residence of the Medci family.
Walter Savage Lander had villa here,
which Is in one Of the finest locations. On
the opposite side OF the hill from Florence
are the remains of an old Roman amphi-
NNnb a
years ago. 1t is very interesting place.
One side has crumbled, but tho other side
has in 1t rows of stone seats, semi-circular
in form, one above the other. and the steps
are in perfect condition. There is long
piece of Etruscan wall, built without cement
fectly, aud this and the amphithe-
alter are as old, at least, as the
Christian era. There was discovered
here an underground cavern, containing
many chambers, called the dens of the
fairies. All about this place were growing
those lovely little daisies, such as we buy
from greenhouses in the winter. brought
home root, and have it in a plate sur
rounded with moss, and it keeps on bios
somIng delightfully."-. Browning has i'm
poem called Old Pictures in Florence"
We look forward to an occasional day
spent at FiesOle, with books, and
a lunch, in the grove of the old
Monastery, when the weather is suitable.
This is famous place for straw-plaiting,
and the women and children came after US
with their pretty little things made of
straw and tempting us to buy. We came
down by the new road, which winds around
the hill and is about three times as
far and commands delightful views
all the way, having a wall on one
side. We passed beautiful villas, OCCASION
ally one to let On top of the walls, and
provokingly just too high to reach, was an
almost continuous hedge of beautiful pink
roses, and one could hardly imagine how
cold it was in Florence, when coming down
this sunny slope OF FIesOle. | understand
It is delightfully."- cool in summer, and many
Florentines spend their summers there.