A Beautiful discover – Top 5 Gardens in Florence
For garden-lovers and all those who enjoy the views of the classic Tuscan parks, here is a list of beautiful gardens to visit in and near Florence.
Gardens in Florence: Boboli Gardens
The Boboli Gardens (Giardini di Boboli) are one of the most important parks in Italy and an awesome open-air museum. The Boboli Gardens were created to provide fun and entertainment to those who walk along their tree-lined streets and to please both the eyes and the mind. Designed and built by Florentine architects Bernardo Buontalenti and Bartolomeo Ammannati, the Boboli Gardens are actually the backyard of the Pitti Palace, with a series of sculptures and fountains.
Today, some of the main highlights include Viale dei Cipressi, also known as the Viottolone, the Neptune’s Fountain, Buontalenti’s Grotto, which reproduces the natural elements of a cave, and the Isolotto, built in the 17th century by architect Alfonso Parigi. The Fountain of Bacchus is a grotesque-style fountain that depicts Braccio di Bartolo, the court dwarf, riding on a turtle.
The Bardini Gardens in Florence,Italy.
Gardens in Florence: Bardini Gardens
Located between the mediaeval wall, Montecuccoli Hill and the left bank of the River Arno, the Bardini Gardens offer breath-taking views of Florence. The ticket you purchase for the Boboli Gardens also gets you admission to the Bardini Gardens.
In the 18th century, Giulio Mozzi brought some transformations and embellishment in baroque style and decorated the property with a long fountain wall with a mosaic at the bottom. The baroque garden was further enlarged with the acquisition of the adjacent Anglo-Chinese garden of Villa Manadora in the 19th century. The whole property was later purchased by the Carolath Benten family and enriched with Victorian details. At the beginning of the 20th century, the famous antiquarian Stefano Bardini acquired the whole complex.
The Rose Garden in Florence, Italy.
Gardens in Florence: Rose Garden
The Rose Garden (Giardino delle Rose) is another gorgeous treasure in the Oltrarno area of Florence. The Rose Garden is along the path that takes you up to Piazzale Michelangelo, the most famous panoramic viewpoint of Florence. The terraced rose garden was designed by Giuseppe Poggi in 1865 and recently restored. The garden contains many types of plants, including lemon trees, waterlilies, a Japanese garden and 350 varieties of roses. If you go in May, you will be treated to all of the rose bushes in bloom which is really a lovely site to see. Regardless of the season, the Rose Garden is one of the most peaceful places in Florence, with stunning views of the city. This is a public garden, so entrance is free every day from about 9:00 a.m. until sunset.
Gardens in Florence: Stibbert Garden
The Stibbert Museum contains over 36,000 artifacts. Frederick Stibbert inherited enough money in his early twenties that he never had to work for the rest of his life. His mission became a labor of love devoted to turning his villa into a museum. Today, you can admire rare plants here, as well as an Egyptian temple, a Greek temple, a pond and a lemon house. The Stibbert Garden is out of the city center on Via Federigo Stibbert 26 on the hill of Montughi.
Villa La Foce
Two hours south of Florence, Villa La Foce lies on the hills overlooking the Orcia Valley. The manor house was built in the 15th century as a shelter for pilgrims and merchants. A combination of woods, cultivated fields and olive groves, Villa la Foce is a perfect fusion between the landscape and 20th century architecture, blending both Italian and English taste.
