Vincigliata stands on a wooded spur east of Fiesole, its crenellated tower visible through the trees as you approach along the Via Vincigliata. The original medieval stronghold dated from the 10th century but fell to ruin over centuries; what you see today is largely a 19th-century restoration undertaken by the English banker John Temple Leader, who bought the property in 1855 and spent decades rebuilding it as a neo-medieval fantasy complete with armour, tapestries, and period furniture. The result is eccentric and atmospheric.
The castle and its wooded park are occasionally open to visitors and can be reached on foot from Fiesole in about forty minutes through the valley behind the town, or by road from the Via Settignanese. The walk through the olive groves and cypresses is the best reason to come this way regardless of whether the castle itself is open. The area around Vincigliata is among the most beautiful of the Florentine hills — quiet, well-wooded, and almost entirely free of tourists.