Boboli Gardens
Florence
Piazza Pitti 1
www.firenzemusei.it/boboli
The enormous size of this garden is due to the joining of the “Pitti Garden” with the ample open space next to the palace, acquired in 1549 by Elenor of Toledo, wife of Duke Cosimo I of the Medici family.
The cypress road was built in the 17th century, and at the same time citrus and other flowering trees were placed around the Ocean fountain, an intense sculpture meant to underscore Florence’s new power over the port city of Livorno.
When the Great dukedom passed onto Asburgo-Lorena in the 18th century, restorations were made and further work was done, such as the creation of the Limonaia, the Palazzina della Meridiana, and the botanical graden.
This magical garden is crowned with sculptures referring to greek and roman mythology. The admirable feat of building the masterful amphitheater was done in the 17th century along with the stairs. The granite bath tub came from the Baths of Caracalla and the Egyptian obelisk is from Luxor (XVI century B.C.).
Villa Demidoff
Vaglia - Florence
Via Fiorentina, 276 - Tel. 055409427
Around the villa there is a both vast and grand English garden with sculptures of gods, animals, monsters and giants, caves and caverns.
The Colossus of the Apennines is impressive, a representation of the giant from up in the mountain range made hero by killing the dragon. Inside the cave there were once fountains and statues brought to life by the falling water. Make sure to visit the wonderful aviary with exotic birds and the della maschera fish pond used in the past both for raising fish and for bathing.
Villa Gamberaia
Settignano - Florence
Via del Rossellino, 72 - Tel. 055697205
Villa i Tatti
Fiesole - Florence
Via di Vincigliata, 26 - Tel. 055603251
Villa Nieuwenkamp-Riposo dei Vescovi
Fiesole - Florence
Via Vecchia Fiesolana, 62 - Tel. 055599223
Villa le Balze
Fiesole - Florence
Via Vecchia Fiesolana, 26 - Tel. 05559208
Villa Medici
Fiesole - Florence
Via Beato Angelico, 2/4 - Tel. 05559164
Villa Schifanoia
Fiesole - Florence
Via Boccaccio, 121 - Tel. 05546851
Villa Peyron Bosco di Fontelucente
Fiesole - Florence
Via di Vincigliata, 2 - Tel. 0552614579
www.bardinipeyron.it/ab
Villa built on top of Etruscan ruins. It owes its name to the lush forest from which the Italian garden emerges with a fountain from the sixth century, bringing water to the numerous fountains as well as the pond. The garden is famous for its terraces and statues.
Villa Poggio Torselli
San Casciano Val di Pesa - Florence
Via Scopeti 10
www.poggiotorselli.it
Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, the villa was built originally by Machiavelli in the 15th century. It is surrounded by a large Italian garden and by a park where you can find pygmy fruit trees, ancient roses and aromatic herbs.
Villa di Geggiano
Pianella - Siena
Via Geggiano 1
www.gardens-of-tuscany.net/geggiano-eng.htm
This fourteenth century villa has belonged to the Bandinelli family since 1527. The Villa and garden were both restored in the 18th century, making it a complex that is very rare both for its historical and for its aesthetic value.
The garden, rich with statues, is home to centuries old cypresses, sculptured box-wood hedges and ancient lemon trees. In additional to all this, both wine and olive oil are still made.
Villa Grabau
San Pancrazio di Lucca - Lucca
Via di Matraia 269
Tel. 0583406098
www.villagrabau.it/eng/index.php
Built in the 16th century, the villa is surrounded by a park and woods of holm-oak, hornbeams, oaks, and linden trees. There are also rare plants like the Michelia fig, banana bush, and Quercus Andleyensis. The Italian garden is also lovely with its tall hedges and marble statues. The Limonaia showcases plants in their original antique vases.
Villa Oliva-Buonvisi
San Pancrazio di Lucca - Lucca
Tel. 0583406462
www.villaoliva.it/Pages/e_la_villa.html
The park which surrounds the 16th century villa has three main areas. The first is a cypress lined road, the second is the waterfall, pool and terracotta statues, and the last is made up of a fishpond, Holm-oak wood, limonaia, and other ornamental plantings. In addition to various water features, one can find plants of both large and small dimension: Gingko biloba, Citrus triptera, cedar of Lebanon, pomegranate, and hawthorn.
Villa Reale di Marlia
Marlia - Lucca
www.lucca.info/villa_reale_di_marlia_it.htm
This aristocratic family home is nestled into a magnificent 18th century garden on the Viale delle Camelie. Later on in its history, when the villa was purchased by the Pecci-Blunt family, a larger wood was created, along with streams and a pond that completed the park.
