Gardens of Florence
If you want to relax a little and discover the city's green spaces, Florence offers the opportunity to visit stunning and evocative historic gardens. The city villas not only offer green parks and lawns, but also host true open-air museums, with fountains and monuments from different eras.
This article lists the most beautiful gardens to visit in Florence, in the city centre and beyond.
Boboli Gardens
If your Florentine escape is all too brief, make sure the Boboli Gardens, one of Florence's largest parks, are on your list of things to see. With their dreamy atmosphere and harmony of colours, the Gardens, an integral part of Palazzo Pitti, can be called an open-air museum thanks to works of art such as the Fountain of Neptune and the Ocean. The large park is an example of an Italian garden and owes its creation to the De Medici family. Remember to visit the Kaffeehaus, dating back to the late 1700s and built to a design by Zanobi del Rosso by order of Pietro Leopoldo, who would go there for coffee, as dictated by the fashion of the time. Don't forget to visit the other incredible buildings to be found there, first and foremost the Limonaia, with approximately 500 citrus pots!
Where to find it: Piazza de' Pitti 1, Florence
Villa Bardini
These gardens are you looking for a breathtaking view of Florence? Then head to Villa Bardini, in the heart of the historic centre! When you visit the park, you can stroll across lawns and little pathways that cross three different areas, distinguished by style: the Italian garden, the English park and the agricultural park. Our advice? Remember you can get in through a second entrance, in Via de Bardi 1 rosso, right in the centre. Do not miss the wisteria flowering that fills the garden of the Villa with the romantic shades of purple from the end of April until mid-May and will allow you to experience the most awaited moment from visitors from all over the world.
Where to find it: Costa San Giorgio 2, Florence.
Iris Garden
Did you know that Florence's lily is actually an iris? It's precisely the flower's bond with the city that made the creation of the Iris Garden possible. Inside this romantic garden, you can discover numerous varieties of iris as well as some new ones presented every year. Remember that the best time to visit is in May, when the flowers bloom and an explosion of colour fills the whole area. Not forgetting the excellent location, Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence's most famous viewpoint.
Info and tickets: Free admission
Rose Garden
Fancy a romantic walk in a green oasis? The Rose Garden is organised according to the French garden model and inside lets you admire over 400 varieties of roses and many other botanical rarities. Here you can also take pictures of works of art, as well as a typical Japanese "Shorai" garden. And how about the wonderful panoramic view of the city? Don’t miss it!
Where to find it: Viale Giuseppe Poggi 2, Florence
Info and tickets: Free admission
Giardino dei Semplici (Garden of Simples)
This botanical garden, dating back to 1545 and commissioned by Cosimo I, was called the Giardino dei Semplici because it housed medicinal plants, at that time known as "simple". The plant collection was enriched in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries thanks to the addition of botanical rarities from all over the world. If you want to know more, you can make an appointment and take a guided tour inside the garden!
Where to find it: Via Pier Antonio Micheli 3, Florence
Torrigiani Garden
This is the largest private garden in Europe and its seven hectares strictly respect the model of an English garden. Walking in the park, you'll have the opportunity to admire symbols connected to Freemasonry, with which both the Marquis Pietro Torrigiani and the architect who designed the garden were affiliated. Don't miss the famous "torrino", a neo-Gothic tower perfectly situated in an atmosphere of romance and mystery.
Where to find it: Via dei Serragli 144, Florence
Horticultural Garden
Open from May to September, this garden was created with the intention of combining some Florentine nobles' joint passions of gardening and art. It can be accessed through three entrances: Via Vittorio Emanuele, Via Trento and Via Bolognese. What will you find inside the garden? Avenues full of flowers, a library, a dragon-shaped fountain and a striking nineteenth-century glass and steel greenhouse. In summer, you'll find events to suit all tastes: theatre, music, art exhibitions and markets selling handmade items.
Where to find it: Via Vittorio Emanuele II, Florence
Info and tickets: Free admission
Pratolino
The Pratolino Medici Park is a monumental complex which has been a UNESCO heritage site since 2013. If you want to be revitalised by nature or you're a keen walker, Villa Pratolino is the place for you! The garden houses important works including the Apennine Colossus by Giambologna, a Chapel, Cupid's Grotto and fascinating old structures like the Stables and Villa Paggeria.
Where to find it: Via Fiorentina 276, Florence
Info and tickets: Free admission
"Enzo Pazzagli" Art Park
Just outside the city centre and reachable by a short bus ride, the "Enzo Pazzagli" Art Park is a beautiful garden with over 200 sculptures by the Master of Art, Enzo Pazzagli. In summer it comes alive with events like treasure hunts for children, art workshops and the outdoor cinema. During the rest of the year, it's possible to visit and schedule a guided tour.
Where to find it: Via Sant'Andrea a Rovezzano 5, Florence.
