Besides an impressive number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and stunning Natural Reserves, Tuscany is also home to some of the most spellbinding gardens. Coming to complement the dazzling charms of the scenic countryside with the cascading hills, cypress trees, olive tree patches, vineyards, thriving lakes, and verdant pastures, Tuscany’s gardens give romance a new dimension. Here are four of them that deliver on their promise for a soul-filling journey to peacefulness and fantasy. 

The Boboli Garden

Apart from its historic centre, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Florence is also home to the idyllic 16th century Boboli Garden. Owing its existence to a famous Italian family, the Medici, it provides serene getaways from the bustling city. Welcoming visitors with a stunning range of statues of various periods and styles, a pond, fountains, and spots to enjoy superb views, Boboli Garden that adorns Pitti Palace became accessible to the public in 1766. Also noteworthy is the fact that Boboli Garden served as an inspiration for a large number of European courts, being the first significant example of the Italian-style garden. 

Tip: With the ticket you’ll get to enter Boboli Garden, you may also visit the Bardini Gardens that will please you just as much as the Boboli Garden. 

The Tarot Garden

This is a very whimsical and quirky type of garden in south Tuscany, near the Maremma coast, which hosts gigantic statues representing Tarot cards! The construction of this unusual garden began in the late 1970s when two famous French artists were assigned the structure of the esoteric garden. The original idea was to create a place within the Garavicchio estate that had influences from the infamous Barcelona Gaudi Guell park. Apparently, they have nailed it. 

The colourful, anti-seismic sculptures that adorn the garden are iron-made and between 12 and 15 metres high. Apart from the tarot statues, though, you can also come across things like ceramic benches, iron chairs, impressive frescos, and many exciting compartments of varying themes. 

Villa Garzoni Garden

If you are into 17th-century gardens masterfully blending the best of Baroque and Renaissance geometry and accents, then Garzoni Garden is not to be missed. Greeting visitors in the region between picturesque Montecatini Terme and scenic Lucca, it offers tree-lined paths, alleyways with beautiful statues, imposing arches, fountains, terraces offering staggering views and a majestic facade embellishing the gorgeous Villa Garzoni that sits atop a hill. Among others, expect bamboo forests, sculptures of mythological creatures, a tropical garden, a butterfly house, flower beds, baths, peacocks, and two staircases exuding ultimate grandeur. It may have taken more than 170 years to complete this marvel, but it was definitely worth it. 

Tip: Speaking of historic villa gardens, the area around Lucca hosts several more breathtaking ones, including Villa Torrigiani, which impresses with its extensive waterworks and grotesque statues. You may also want to visit Villa Reale and Villa Olivia in Marlia for the same reason. 

La Foce Garden

The Iris Origo estate in the captivating Val d’Orcia valley is known for its spectacular gardens. La Foce, occupying an area near Montepulciano, is an inviting mix of the English and Italian garden styles created in the early 1900s. Extremely well-kept to date, La Foce estate and gardens spread over 3,500 acres of farmland and offer heart-stopping views of the enchanting landscape. And, yes, you will notice resemblances with other Florentine gardens in regards to symmetry and style. Green enclosures, wildflower meadows, meticulously manicured lawns, native flower species, cypress walks, and many perennials and square-shaped beds comprise an Instagram-perfect backdrop, indeed. 

Although not all gardens are open to the public (some can be seen exclusively on a guided tour at specific times and days), adding at least one of them to your itinerary will compensate you with tranquil experiences and dreamy lands only seen in fairy tales.

If you need help deciding which villa or mansion best suits your requirements for proximity to such local attractions, please do not hesitate to ask for our assistance.

Welcome to Tuscany!