The Gardens at Villa Poggio Torselli can be admired by one and all when you visit San Casciano Val di Pesa as they are situated on San Casciano hills. The Villa is a beautiful country house that was built during the fifteenth by the famous Machiavelli family. Its ownership passed through several noble families including that of Corsini, Capponi, and Antinori till it became the property of the Orlandini family.

In 1690 the Orlandini family renovated and transformed Villa Poggio Torselli and most probably its gardens. There is a long cypress lined avenue leading to the main villa. The gardens are beautiful and quite vast. In the northern side there is a park area. In the south you can find the Italian gardens with two stepped terraced areas.

After restoration works some parts of the original gardens including the oblong flower beds can be still admired. One distinguishing feature of the Gardens at Villa Poggio Torselli is the resourceful irrigation system which is one of the best preserved systems in the whole of Tuscany.

During 1925 the flower garden went through a restoration process by renewing the box hedges in the garden. The second restoration which followed included the restoration of some of the original flower beds. Vegetation typical of the late seventeenth century was also reintroduced adding more historical dimensions to the Gardens at Villa Poggio Torselli.

Some of the old and new plants in the Gardens at Villa Poggio Torselli include dwarf fruit trees, aromatic herbs, roses which were and will be an integral part of most gardens and many other annual, biennial and perennial plants and trees. They include narcissus, tulips, hyacinths, dahlia, sage, clematis, hibiscus etc. Hence whichever season you visit the gardens have a lot to offer you in terms of beauty and aroma. There is a fountain at the centre of the gardens.

If you visit the Gardens at Villa Poggio Torselli in summer you are in for a heady experience of flowers. You can look in awe at the centuries old potted citrus trees in the limonaia or lemon house. The villa is surrounded by olive groves, vineyards and cypress trees making the surrounding landscape enthralling. Spend some time in the calm splendour of these beautiful surroundings when you visit Tuscany.

Italy is famous for its gardens. Tuscany has many gardens which are part of famous villas. One such famous garden definitely worth a visit is the Villa Gamberaia Gardens.

Villa Gamberaia is situated in near the village of Settignano near Florence. The Villa Gamberaia Gardens are surely one of the most beautiful gardens near Florence. These gardens were designed by Zanobi Lapi around 1610 in the typical Tuscan style. In the sixteenth century, when the villa and gardens were bought by the Capponi family, they spent huge amounts to enhance and enlarge the gardens. They filled the gardens with beautiful fountains and marvelous sculptures.

Villa Gamberaia Gardens have a beautiful cypress alley, a bowling green, a lemon garden and the nymphaeum (grotto) with its carved stone reliefs. At the end of the nineteenth century a parterre divided into four rectangular pools of water was built and was lined with flower beds. This led to the cypress alley. There was also a lot of topiary art.

The garden was damaged during the Second World War. However the Villa Gamberaia Gardens have been restored to their former glory. After the restoration of the Villa Gamberaia gardens wisterias, borders of irises, yews, hollies, lavender and many varieties of roses have been reintroduced to the gardens. These add a lovely fragrance and a colourful profusion of flowering plants always add beauty to any garden.

The spectacular Villa Gamberaia Gardens are private and almost perfect gardens which overlook the scenic Arno valley. There is an entrance fee.

The Gardens at Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati are situated approximately six miles away from Florence in a small town called Sesto Fiorentino (sixth Roman mile from Florence).

The Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati Gardens were bought by Simone Jacope Corsi in 1502. The gardens underwent many transformations through the centuries. The gardens had many trees and flower beds. Through the seventeenth century the garden expanded and had water basins in addition to various plants and flower beds.

However the greatest changes at the Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati Gardens occurred in the eighteenth century. In 1738 Marquis Antonio Corsi developed these gardens according to the late renaissance style. This style has been maintained in restoration of Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati Gardens and can be seen to date. In the early eighteenth century many statues and sculptures were added to the gardens. The gardens were also developed further with the addition of many exotic plant species. Many flower beds were added. The lemon house was added to the gardens.

In the nineteenth century the Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati Gardens underwent further changes with the building of an artificial lake and an ornamental stone bridge spanning it. At the moment the lemon house is used to as a theatre for avant garde productions.

The Gardens at Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati are opened for visitors on request. Please confirm with us before you wish to visit the gardens to avoid disappointment.

Cascine Park is a famous park, located on the right bank of the river Arno in the city of Florence. It is unique for its diverse activities. Cascine Park is one of the most visited parks by the locals who come here to play cricket, basket ball, volley ball, soccer, bike, jog, stroll, swim, just lounge around, to have a picnic or even to visit the largest open market. Every Tuesday many Florentines visit Cascine Park to pick up bargains at the open market held at Cascine Park. Some of the goodies available include fresh fruits and vegetables, groceries, antiques, shoes, household items, jewellry, scarves and bric a brac items.

Cascine Park is also a tourist attraction as its famous fountain that is called Fonte di Narciso. It has inscriptions referring to the legend of Narcissus who gazing at this own reflection supposedly fell passionately in love with his reflection and dove into a pool and died. In 1819, the famous poet P.B. Shelley wrote the popular poem ode to the West Wind when he visited this fountain. There is an inscription to this effect at the base of the fountain.

Cascine Park was originally a farm and the private property of Alessandro de Medici. It was gifted to the city of Florence by the Augsburg Lorrena family and thus was opened to the public. It was further renovated and extended in the nineteenth century. In the twentieth century many sporting activities including swimming and tennis became popular at Cascine Park. Horse racing and target shooting also are a part of the sporting activities at Cascine Park.

In the over one hundred and eighteen hectares of Cascine Park there are a large number of beautiful trees and plants including oaks, elms, pines, cedars and horse chestnuts. This diverse flora makes it the home of the Florence Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.

On Ascension Day the famous “Festival of the Cricket” is held annually at Cascine Park. It’s a lovely park and whether you are a tourist or a local you can enjoy some leisure time here.

The Park at Villa Il Ventaglio is a public park situated in Via Aldini in Florence. However it was originally a private park adjoining the Villa Il Ventaglio. The Villa Il Ventaglio now houses the International University of Arts. Hence it is not open to the public. Nonetheless you can visit the beautiful Park.

Between 1839 and 1856 Giuseppe Poggi designed this Park for Giuseppe Archinto, a Milanese Count. Poggi designed the park as a long winding path surrounded with large trees. There are also many large lawns which look like oasis of greenery. In 1862 Aristide Castelli bought the Park and Villa. In 1969 the Park at Villa Il Ventaglio came under government control. The Villa Il Ventaglio became the headquarters of the International University of Arts and the Park was open to the public.

Park at Villa Il Ventaglio is a nice park to take a quiet walk or sit on one of the very many park benches and enjoy the beauty of nature including a profusion of wild flowers. It is generally not crowded. You can spend some quality time away from the hustle and bustle of Florence and yet be within walking distance of the city’s attractions.

The gardens at Villa Stibbert were commissioned by Frederick Stibbert a Florentine art collector who was born in Florence and educated in England. In 1870 he undertook the enormous task of restoring the House and Gardens of Montughi.

The gardens were pretty and filled with flower beds, Stibbert commissioned Giuseppe Poggi to convert it to a romantic style English garden. An artificial lake was built in the centre of the gardens. A small Egyptian temple, whose reflection fell on the lake, was built to add a touch of antiquity. Beyond the stables and the lime trees there is a temple built in the Hellenistic style.

The Gardens at Villa Stibbert stretch for over three hectares. Antiques and ancient sculptures are placed throughout the garden. The driveway has a row of sculptures and famous busts reminiscent of Italian gardens. There are numerous Florentines statues spread throughout the park.

The garden is filled with pine, oak, horse chestnut and lime trees. There are also many cypresses some of them may be the original ones planted when Stibbert renovated the garden. It has an extensive collection of hydric (plants requiring a wet but not a flooded habitat) and Cycadeae.

The gardens along with Villa Stibbert which has been converted to a museum are open to the public. Villa Stibbert is situated on Via Stibbert in Florence. There is an entrance fee.

Il Giardino dell’Orticultura is a charming garden which is situated in a quiet location between Via Bolognese and Viale Vittorio Emmanuelle. Initially in 1859 the Tuscan Society for Horticulture rented these gardens. In 1876 they bought the land. Many beautiful plants including ornamental plants, trees and some rare and exotic species were planted in the gardens.

In 1880 a National Flower Show was held in Il Giardino dell’Orticultura. In 1880 a tepidarium, made of glass and finely wrought iron, the first of its kind in Florence was built by Giocomo Roster to add to the importance of the garden.

In 1911, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Italy’s unification, the gardens added a Bondi Loggia. In 1930 the Municipal Authorities of Florence bought the gardens and thus provided an excellent recreational and beautiful spot for both the locals and tourists alike.

The Flower Show held in Spring and Autumn is a lovely treat. You can admire all the beautiful flowers and plants and even pick up some plants and seeds to take back home if you wish.

This oasis of peace away from the hustle and bustle of the city of Florence is a place where you can spend some leisure times and enjoy watching the local children playing ball. You can sit on a park bench and leisurely watch joggers pass by or even take a stroll yourself admiring the bounties of nature.

The Garden of Pamoso, situated on a hill, through a pedestrian crossing can be accessed from Il Giardino dell’Orticultura. Here you can find a fountain with a snake or dragon like structure winding down next to a flight of stairs.

Il Giardino dell’Orticultura is open from 8 am to 8 pm.

This palace was originally built by the Medici family and later bought by the Riccardi family. The Garden at Palazzo Medici- Riccardi is quadrangular in shape. It is enclosed by high walls and opens out into Via Ginori.

There is a wall fountain of Hercules. There is a central path which has four statues and potted citrus plants. Near the northern side there are four flower beds arranged systematically. This renaissance style garden has been restored in the twentieth century. When you visit the famous Medici Riccardi Palace it is worthwhile to visit the gardens as well.

The Botanical Gardens founded in 1545, situated in Via Micheli, are owned by the University of Florence. Spend some time here exploring 2.3 hectares of greenery containing over 9000 varieties of plants. This square shaped garden has a lovely fountain in the centre.

Established in 1545 by Grand Duke Cosimo 1 the Botanical Gardens are the third oldest garden in Europe. A few ancient trees especially a Taxus Baccata dating back to 1720 and a Quercus Suber dating back to 1805 can still be seen at the gardens.

The Botanical Gardens in Florence are also known as Orto Botanico di Firenze or Giardino dei Semplici. There are a great number of medicinal plants and many other plants are also grown here for research purposes. The gardens are open every morning to noon on weekdays. There is an admission fee.

The beautiful garden at Villa Medici at Castello (also known as Villa Reale) is of the gardens designed by the sculptor, Niccolo Tribolo. Cosimo I, the Grand Duke of the Medicis commissioned Tribolo to design the gardens.

The gardens have been designed in the renaissance style with large terraces and a central axis. In the main axis, there is a grotto set in the garden wall. It depicts Cosimo’s love for hunting. Tribolo uses an iconographical theme borrowed from Ovid’s Metamorphosis. The entire garden is enclosed by walls. There is a fountain of Hercules and a bronze work of the Apennine by Bartolomeo Ammannati.

There is an entrance fee and it is definitely worth a visit as restoration plans are literally bearing fruit as one of the major attractions of the garden is its collection of citrus fruits. You can admire one of the best collections of potted citrus fruit trees, including rare varieties cultivated by the House of Medici. You can lose yourself amidst a beautiful collection of jasmine plants and inhale that heady aroma which can transport you to a fragrant world. There are many other rare plants which are carefully cultivated here which are worth a look.