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Fiesole, with its wealth of archaeological finds from its ancient Etruscan and then Roman past, lies in the luxuriant hills which dominate the Florentine skyline. Here,where time seems to stand still amongst the centuries-old cypress trees and ancient ruins, stands the hotel Villa Aurora, once a theatre entertaining the British nobility built by Sir W. B. Spence.
After the performances, the wealthy English lord would entertain his guests and the members of the ‘Walking Men’s Club’...the many British citizens who would arrive on foot from their nearby villas - inviting them to refreshments at the ‘Hosteria’.
This old tavern was already a landmark on the city maps of the period, but it was around that time that it became known as ‘Aurora’, taking the name from the great fresco “L’Aurora” by Guido Reni which adorned the façade of the theatre.
At the end of the 1800s, the theatre was transformed into a splendid villa where some of the most important figures of the European nobility of the time spent unforgettable days… Guests to have sojourned here include Queen Victoria of Britain, Empress of India, the Queens Emma and Williamina of Holland, Queen Margherita di Savoia of the Kingdom of Italy and the King of Belgium, amongst others.
The breathtaking views enjoyed from the terraces of Hotel Villa Aurora and which extend over Florence and the Arno Valley inspired painters, poets and musicians including G. D’Annunzio, G. Carducci and Toselli. Still today, this prestigious past is alive, and although the hotel has been internally renovated and enhanced with every modern comfort, Hotel Villa Aurora continues to offer its guests that same welcoming but refined atmosphere for which it became famous.
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