Giovanni Michelucci, who played a key role in the history and context of italian architecture of nineteenth hundreds, was one of the most important italian architects of the XX century, famous for his projects for the Santa Maria Novella Station, the Church on the Autostrada del Sole (Motorway), both in Florence, the “Incontri” (meeting) Garden at Sollicciano prison and the theatrical complex for the city of Olbia.

His last work, the Foundation which he so strongly desired, continues to actively live and work with the aim to contribute to studies and research in the field of town planning, modern and contemporary architecture with special emphasis on social facilities, hospitals, prisons and schools – as highly active study centre which  bears the signs of the architect’s way of thinking.

The terraces of Villa Il Roseto, seat of the Foundation and once the residence of Michelucci, offer one of the most beautiful  views over Florence and Arno Valley. In this place, still full of its strong domestic atmosphere , the Foundation houses the memories of the architect, his drawings, projects and scale models, the essentials of his library, furniture he designed himself as well as paintings by his wife, Eloisa Pacini, refined artist and poignant pianist, together with many works of art by his architect and artist friends.

Built to train the clergy in accordance with the precepts of the Council of Trent, it was inaugurated in 1637 by Bishop Lorenzo della Robbia and, two years later it was given its Costituzioni or disciplinary rules by Pope Urban VIII. It was added to in 1697 by Bishop Filippo Neri Altoviti and again by Bishop Luigi Maria Strozzi in 1726.

The building with its east-facing façade and regular squared layout stretching north to south closes in the “lawn” of the cathedral in piazza Mino, probably up to where the Roman forum ends below ground archaeological discoveries were made as works proceeded.

The seminary grew to become the most important training centre of the territory of Fiesole and as such it remained until the late twentieth Century. It gave an education not only to all the priests of the Diocese but also to many young people who were to follow a non-religious career.  In the nineteenth Century it acquired scientific equipment for educational purposes and then Angelo Maria Bandini bequeathed his precious library to it. Today in the Episcopal Seminary there are wonderful contemporary and ancient works

The villa is located almost opposite the Villa Medici and was built between 1911 and 1913. It was designed by Cecil Pinsent and Geoffry Scott for Charles Augustus Strong, a rich American fond of philosophy, who lived there until his death, in 1939.

The construction was erected on a steep field, named le Balze di Macciò.The garden arrangement began in 1914 and only Pinsent dealt with it as of 1917.Since the earthwork is long and narrow, open to the landscape, the space is optimised by creating long prospective axes in a succession of environments, from the orange garden, originally dedicated to citrus trees, to the winter garden, until one arrives at a small forest of holm oaks, at whose end bursts a cave with a mosaic-decorated fountain, coming up to a natural area of meadows and olive orchards.

Le Balze is especially rich in decorations such as mosaics, statues, plaster, all created by Pinsent himself.In 1979, Strong’s daughter, the Marchioness Margaret Rockefeller de Cuevas de Lorain, in order to observe her father’s last wish, that the location would remain a cultural centre, offered the villa to the Georgetown University of Washington D.C., which has since hosted there its students, during their stays in Italy.

FiesoleBike offers service of Bike Rental, Biking and Walking tours.
Thanks to his experience, athletic training and knowledge of the territory, organizes excursions of every difficulty and duration in the territory of Fiesole, Florence and surrounding areas.

SERVICES

• Tour leader and Excursionist guide: biking (road bike or MTB) and hiking
• Personal bike tour with departure/arriving from/at your accommodation and/or from/at different place
• MTB Rental:
  - 2 rental point in Fiesole (Piazza Mino da Fiesole open from 1th april to 31th october,  and Via dei Bosconi)
  - 1 delivery bike point in Florence (CicloCity, Via G. Orsini 4/a, Firenze)
• Delivery and pick up available on request
• Planning itineraries (one- or more day)

Built on top of a pre-existing 11^th Century building, Villa I Tatti is today the seat of the Harvard University Centre for Italian Renaissance studies. After changing hands several times, it was purchased by historian and art critic Bernard Berenson in 1906. In 1909 Berenson gave Cecil Pinsent and Geoffrey Scott the task of transforming the house and garden. He bequeathed the villa and its magnificent terraced garden and his collection of books, photographs and objets d’art, 14^th ,15^th 16^th Century, to Harvard University to establish a centre for the study of Italian Renaissance history and art.

Established in 1974 by Piero Farulli and a group of musicians and music enthusiasts, its objective is to spread, develop, uphold and enhance music as an integral, active part of culture.

Its institutional aims are to make musical education available to every level of the population and to promote every initiative that can provide and strengthen an adequately high musical qualification in young people. The school’s organisation is three-fold, basic courses for children, adults and amateurs, specialised courses held yearly for young graduates embarking on a musical career and as a national centre for orchestral training.

The European University Institute is an intergovernmental body set up by the Member States of the European Community. Its objective is to contribute to enhancing European cultural heritage by means of the highest level of teaching and research.

Its first academic year was 1976/77. The Institute has four departments, History and Civilisation, Economics, Law and Political-Social Sciences. A Ph.D. from the E.U.I. is a top academic qualification considering that the department of Political Science is fifth on the London School of Economics list of merit and, in the USA, the department of Economics is considered to be among the very best in Europe.

In 1985, the European University Institute was appointed administrator of the historical archives of the European Union, made public after thirty years.

Hiking Tour Leader since 1998 in Italy. I work with the major American tour operators specialized in Italy, taking care of various aspects of tours: creation and design of hiking itineraries, tour logistics, on-site group guiding, both short / long distances, in Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Puglia, Sicily, Dolomites.
I organize daily/ weekly walking tours to explore the territory and its differing aspects: cultural, botanical, gastronomic, wine.
Whenever it is possible, I include in every walk a light lunch or snacks at a farm, to taste local products such as cheese, olive oil , wine, honey, organic vegetables, etc.
I design wine tours and tailor-made itineraries for families and individuals.
Lately I have been studying the historical walking pathways, including the Way of St. Francis, the Via Francigena and its variants and the Etruscan's Way.
The areas in which I have the most experience: Florentine Hills , Chianti, Portofino, Cinque Terre, Etruscan Tuscan Coast, Val d' Orcia , Via Francigena, The Way of St. Francis.
I'm one of the co-editors of the blog http://www.italianfootprints.com, where I post my experiences, as a hiking tour leader with groups in the different regions of Italy. Other topics are: Italian cuisine, art crafts, art history, traditions and history. Follow me on the web, step by step.

Environmental Guide approved by the Region of Tuscany from 2009
Technical and Cartographer of Florence Orienteering, part of the Scientific Committee ANPIL the shelf.

I'll be your tour guide for the Tour of small doors of the wine in Florence, Orienteering in the historic center of Florence and in the parks and gardens specially mapped. Activities of O-Trekking (Trekking with integrated orientation activities).

Guided Florence Tours is a group of guides and together with them you will discover what you can do on a holiday in Florence and Tuscany.

We do not do guided tours but we offer an experience.

We do not give explanations but we offer different and unexpected ways to observe, taste and see.

Your time with us will be unique and unforgettable.

Only those who know and love their land will let you live with authenticity the city of Florence and our region Tuscany, as you imagined you could do.

The Tourist Information Desk is open during the following days and times: 

MARCH
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
From 10:00 to 13:00 and 13:30 to 15:30

APRIL and MAY
Everyday
From 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:00

JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER
Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday
From 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 16:00

OCTOBER
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
From 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 16:00

YYOUTOOSCANY is a portal devoted to anyone who wants to live an unforgettable experience on the hills of Fiesole and Florence.

We want to promote a model of experiential, emotional, interactive touristic offer, designed with the involvement of local companies and travellers who become active protagonists for us.

The idea stems from a research project promoted by the Inter-University Research Centre in Tourism (Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sul Turismo – CIRT) of the dell’Università degli Studi di Firenze and supported by five local companies:La Fattoria di Maiano S.r.l, Holidays Village S.r.l, Seravalli S.r.l, Fiesole Hotels S.a.s., Casale Giuncarelli degli Anceschi.

The “aquatic” history of the founding members of Aquaterra begins 25 years ago when, with crafts adequate only to a bathing establishment, they begun to descent rivers and wandering along the Tuscan coasts for pure spirit of adventure!

Later, at the end of the 90ties, with new kayaks worthy of this name they begun to cover old and new routes looking for new discoveries and adventures.

The enthusiasm brought quickly the two members to know new persons and to do new experiences in Italy and abroad... The passion for the rivers was so strong that they became the main subject of their job and finally leaded to the foundation of Aquaterra Associates, an office of environmental consulting especially inclined towards freshwater ecology and river hydraulics.

Finally the idea to put all these experiences together: knowledge of the territory and of the aquatic environment, the love for adventure and for the adrenaline of the whitewater. The mix of these ingredients brought to the birth of T-Rafting, the rafting company and kayak and SUP school of Aquaterra.