Not far outside of Florence, you'll find the charming little town of Fiesole. This has been a favourite holiday destination to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for the likes of the Medici in the past and continues to be a location for a spot of escapism for the rich and famous. However, it has not always, and not for everyone, been a place for rest and relaxation. While tourists might now visit for the Medici villas, churches, historic buildings and archaeological wonders, a very famous visitor once came to the town with a very special purpose in mind. This visitor was none other than Leonardo da Vinci, who, long before the Wright brothers, was there to test out a flying machine. If you want to visit this charming town for yourself, just find a holiday rental in Fiesole, and be sure to stop by the site of Da Vinci's airport.
If you make your way to the forest above Fiesole, you'll find the path to Monte Ceceri Hill. This area is popular among hikers and those who like to admire scenery as it offers great panoramic views of the surrounding landscape and Florence. However, an extra treat is that on the top of the hill, 2.5km from the town of Fiesole is the site where Leonardo experimented with one of his flying devices. In 1505, Leonardo and an assistant made their way to the spot and strapped wings to the back of the poor volunteer. The assistant then leaped off the hill.
Needless to say, the device failed to work but luckily, the young man managed to escape the ordeal alive but with a few broken bones. Legend has it that it was Zoroastro da Peretola (the illegitimate son of one of the Rucellai, a pupil of Leonardo in Milan and in Florence, during the period of the wall painting depicting the Battle of Anghiari) who was the young man that attempted to fly from Monte Ceceri, ending in the disastrous fall. This site of "Monte del Cigno" (Monte Ceceri) is noted by Leonardo on the inner cover of the "Codex on the Flight of Birds" which is now in the Royal Library of Turin and is also mentioned in drawing the contour of the hills around Florence on Folio 20v of Madrid Ms. II.
A small plaque marks the spot where they attempted the flight but is notoriously difficult to find. Either way, however, you'll enjoy your visit to this part of Fiesole as it is lush and beautiful. The area is a public park and always accessible. It is generally only crowded on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and the rest of the time it is a pleasant walk, calm and an easy day-trip from Florence for a respite from crowds and lines. Within the park, there are four unique and captivating paths: Leonardo’s Flight, A Terrace on Florence, The Stonecutters' Quarries, and Breathing the Forest.
A small plaque marks the spot where they attempted the flight but is notoriously difficult to find. Either way, however, you'll enjoy your visit to this part of Fiesole as it is lush and beautiful. The area is a public park and always accessible. It is generally only crowded on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and the rest of the time it is a pleasant walk, calm and an easy day-trip from Florence for a respite from crowds and lines. Within the park, there are four unique and captivating paths: Leonardo’s Flight, A Terrace on Florence, The Stonecutters' Quarries, and Breathing the Forest.
Photo credits
Picture 2: Nikater / CC BY-SA 3.0;
Picture 3: Alessandro Vecchi / CC BY-SA 3.0
Picture 2: Nikater / CC BY-SA 3.0;
Picture 3: Alessandro Vecchi / CC BY-SA 3.0
