The art of the garden

The artistic bent of the Florentines extends well beyond painting and sculpture. In addition to the overall beauty of the city with incredible statuary everywhere, the gardens of Florence are a sight to behold. Spread throughout the city, within easy walking distance of virtually any holiday apartment in Florence you will find a stunning garden. That a city as small as Florence boasts as many gardens as it does is a marvel.

• Boboli Gardens are the hallmark of gardens for the city. Over 45,000 square meters of arbors, pathways and artistically laid out grounds that over some lovely vantage points of the city. Boboli is also known for its amphitheatre and for the plays and shows that are put on every summer in the garden.


• The Iris Gardens at the Piazzale Michelangelo are an homage to the flower that has represented Florence since 1251, the iris. Over 2500 varieties of the signature flower are cultivated here, from pure white to intensely deep purple. It is definitely worth setting aside a little time for this when you go to Piazzale Michelangelo.


• If your lodging in Florence is near the centre of the city, a welcome trip to the Giardino dei Semplici is a wonderful way to temporarily escape the concrete and paving stones. It is the third oldest garden in the world, dating back to 1545 and roughly half the size of Boboli.


• The Horticulture Gardens in the northern portion of the city are stunning. If you have children traveling with you this is the garden they will probably enjoy the most. In addition to having a huge variety of plants that the kids can learn about there is also a special play area for children.