Teatro Romano Fiesole

[Polly Chen]If I had to choose, I would pick the Roman Theatre in Fiesole. What sets it apart from many of Florence’s other attractions is its tranquility and lack of crowds. It doesn’t have the vast collections and artwork of the Uffizi Gallery, the grandeur of David at the Accademia Gallery, or the picturesque river views of the Ponte Vecchio. Instead, its uniqueness lies in its quietness and solitude.

It’s not a heavily advertised or popular destination. When my dad and I visited, it was by chance during a walk. We bought tickets and went inside, where we found only about ten visitors scattered across the site. This emptiness and openness created a specific atmosphere. The scattered marble, moss-covered stones, and the countryside breeze (carrying earthy and grassy scents) told the story of this place. The ruins of this ancient Roman theatre seemed to whisper its own history to me.

It left the deepest impression on me, not just in Florence, but in all of Italy. There were no throngs of tourists, no selfie sticks, no merchants standing nearby, no endless streams of traffic, just the ruins themselves: quiet, solitary, and solemn.

My dad and I sat there quietly for nearly an hour, gazing at the distant mountains and the irregular little houses set on their slopes, seated amidst a field of marble. It felt so authentic, so true to history. I walked down to the lower levels and spoke softly, yet my father could still hear me because of the unique acoustic design: untouched by over-tourism.

It truly resonated with what I’ve read before about the allure of ruins. They provoke a sense of sorrow, a solemn reverence, for the passage of time. “It speaks to us of the beauty that once was and how it was swept away by the winds of time. Indeed, the key word here is ravages. The ruins speak to us of ancient empires and eclipsed powers.”