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Giardino di Boboli

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Barb B
Barb B
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The Largest and Most Famous of Florence's Gardens

  • October 8, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by airynfaerie from St. Augustine, Florida
The Largest and Most Famous of Florence's Gardens

Florence's largest and most famous garden is unequivocally Il Giardino di Boboli (Boboli Garden). Created between 1550-1558, this landscape masterpiece was carried out by designer Niccolo Pericoli who was hired by the famous Florentine Medici family.

Adjoining the grand Pitti Palace, and situated in the "Oltrarno" area of the city (across river from the center), this expansive garden is a restful getaway from the bustling city streets and offers refuge amongst nature, fountains, sculptural art, and walkways. Be prepared to spend a bit of time exploring this garden as it expands 320,000 sq meters and never ceases to take a visitor's breath away with each turn.

Decorated walkways, small private paths covered with latticed arbors, sculptures galore hiding between trees and in pools, and even an amphitheater await you as you take a closer look into this gorgeous display of garden design. Don't miss visiting the famous Grotto ornamental stone building with various works of art inside, which is closer to the entrance on the southern end of the Palace. Plus, many photographer's favorite character to shoot is the funny Dwarf Morgant by sculptor Valerio Cigoli.

During the summers, the garden usually hosts a concert series on various stages and in the amphitheater, which is a very unique atmosphere to experience some of the best musical and theatrical performances in the world. Expect to spend a couple of hours here, and even more if you plan to visit the interior of the PItti Palace on the same visit.

Open November - February: 8:15 – 4:30
March: 8:15 – 5:30
April, May, September, October: 8:15 – 6:30
June, August: 8:15 – 7:30

Admission Fee: 6euro

From journal A Closer Look at the Gardens of Florence

Editor Pick

Giardino di Boboli

Giardino di Boboli

The Boboli Gardens is housed within Palazzo Pitti and are one of the most unique gardens in Italy. It was said to be originally designed for the great Medici family. The gardens span a great distance and it would be impossible to visit every nook and cranny. Palazzo Pitti/Boboli Gardens is a short 10-15 minutes walk from the train station and/or Ponte Vecchio. There are no buses that pass the Palace but Bus No. 8, 11, 36, and 37 can drop a visitor off nearby. Check with the bus schedules and map to ensure the drop-off points are close enough for you to proceed from there.

Opening hours of the Boboli Gardens vary according to season. For the high season, it is typically open daily from 8:15am to 6:30pm. It is closed on the last Monday of every month as well as holidays. General admission to Palazzo Pitti includes Boboli Gardens, the Porcelain Gallery, Costume Gallery and Bardini Gardens. Admission is €6 with reduced rates (50%) for EU citizens. Tickets can be reserved over the phone with Firenze Musei (+39 055294883) which incurs a small reservation fee per ticket (€3). However, it is not necessary because lines are smaller than that at Uffizi/Accademia as well as fast-moving. Admission is free during Culture Week (in which we took advantage of) so I always advise budget travellers to schedule their Italy trips during then.

Boboli Gardens is not for the elderly or weak of heart. There are many slopes and stairs - often steep and laborious. Flower fans will be disappointed to see that the Gardens consist mostly of lush greeneries and hedges that make up a maze within the Gardens. Nevertheless, it is worth coming to the Gardens to admire the beautiful Renaissance statues and fountains. At the very top of the Gardens, you'll walk upon steep slopes to reach the highest point of Palazza Pitti and enjoy a beautiful view of the palace below you as well as a view of Florence! There are also a few grottos in the Gardens and while they don't match the awe-inspiring grottos of Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli - they are certainly photogenic and something unique to look at.

While I was disappointed to find that there were hardly any flowers at Boboli Gardens (You would think that any place with the word "Gardens" in it would not be short of flowers!), I did enjoy my time by having a relaxing stroll around the place. I didn't feel up to visiting the residential museums so cannot offer any insight into them. It was certainly a nice change from the overload of museums I'd been experiencing and I would recommend this to anyone with plenty of strength to tackle the awful sloping paths!

From journal 3 Nights in Fabulous Florence

Boboli Gardens

  • December 27, 2004
  • Rated 5 of 5 by ShannonBrooke from Somerville, Massachusetts
It is said that the design of Boboli Gardens formed the basis for all other European gardens, including Versailles. Boboli Gardens, built by the fabulous palazzo of the Medici, is now a public garden to be enjoyed by all. Its cypress alleyways, statues, rose garden, and pools are lovely spots for photography, contemplation, or a romantic walk.

From journal Fabulous Florence

Editor Pick

Touring the Bóboli Gardens - Part Two

  • August 8, 2004
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Tolik from Tampa, Florida
Touring the Bóboli Gardens - Part Two

On the 1st terrace behind the Amphitheater are three Roman statues. On the upper level is a large fishpond surrounded by terraces planted with trees. Here is the famous Neptune Fountain. A short detour to the left leads through romantic winding alley overshadowed by ilex trees and a cypress grove, to the rococo Kaffeehaus, built in 1776(unfortunately it was closed for restoration during our visit). In the garden in front (where we enjoyed fantastic view of Florence) is the Ganymmede Fountain. From the Neptune Fountain steps continue to the top of garden and a colossal statue of Abundance. From here another breathtaking view embraces the whole city, beyond the Pittti Palace and the tower of Santo Spirito. A short double flight of steps continues to the Glardino del Cavaliere, a secluded garden on a bastion constructed by Michelangelo in 1529. The fountain has three monkeys and a cupid. The view the terrace is awesome, embracing the outskirts of the city. On the left is the bastion of Forte di Belvedere, then, behind a group of cypresses, San Miniato with its tower. To the right is the residential area of Bobolino beside a splendid stretch of the city wails. Here, in the Casino Cavaliere, you will find the Museo delle Porcellane (Chinaware museum). Admission to the garden includes the museum as well. Do not miss the museum. The flight of steps brought us down between Muses to the Prato dell' Uccellare, with a grove of cedars of Lebanon. To the left the magnificent long Vittolone descends steeply through the gardens. The majestic cypress avenue is lined with marvelous statues. A path left ends at a colossal bust of Jupiter. Alfonso Parigi laid out Isolotto, the fountain island, in 1618. It is a circular moat with fine sculptural decorations and a copy of Giambologna's Fountain of Oceanus (original in the Bargello. In the niches in the surrounding hedge are restored 17 century statues. A path turns right and continues past more greenhouses to emerge by the charming 18th century Meridiana of Palazzo Pitti wing (with the Costume Museum, closed during our visit).

From journal The Treasures of Florence

Editor Pick

Touring the Bóboli Gardens - Part One

  • August 8, 2004
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Tolik from Tampa, Florida
Touring the Bóboli Gardens - Part One

We will tour this huge park clockwise, the trip will take 2 – 4 hours (you can escape earlier). Turn left from the entrance arch and you will find the so-called 'Fontana del Bacco', really an amusing statue of Pietro Barbino, the dwarf of Cosimo I, seated on a turtle, created by Valerie Cioli (1560). Here can be seen the last stretch of the Corridoio Vasariano from the Uffizi Palace. A path descends to the most popular place in the park - Grotta del Buontalenti, named after its architect (1583-93). The two statues of Apollo and Ceres in the niches on the façade (begun by Vasasi) are by Baccie Bandinelli, and the decoration above was added by Giovanni del Tadda. The walls of the 1st chamber are covered with weird figures and fake stalactites carved in the limestone by Piero Tommaso Mati (again, designed by Buontalenti). In the four corners are copies of Michelangelo's unfinished Slaves (the originals are in the Academia). The charmingly painted vault is by Bernardino Poccetti. Beyond an erotic group of Paris abducting Helen, by Vincenzo de’ Rossi, the innermost grotto contains a beautiful statue of Venus emerging from her bath (1565) by Giambologna, and pretty murals by Poccetti. From the Grotta del Buontalenti a narrow path leads up to the Grotticina di Madama , commissioned by Eleonora di Toledo, and the first grotto to be built in the gardens (1553-55), by Bandili and Giovanni Fancelli. It was locked during our visit but you can see the most of it from outside - stalactites and bizarre goats. Now return to terrace behind the Pitti Palace. The main path emerges on the terrace, overlooking the courtyard and Fontana del Carciofo (by Francesco Susini (1661). It replaced a fine fountain by Ammannati (now recomposed in the Bargello). From the terrace there is a magnificent view of the Duomo and Campanile behind Orsanmichele. Ammannati laid out the area around the Amphitheater, in imitation of a Roman circus. The first opera Dafni was performed here in 1597 (remember, I told you that Florentines invented opera). The vast amphitheater facing the palace courtyard was designed in 1630-35 Giulio and Alfonso Parigi for the spectacles held here by the Medici which culminated in the festivities for the marriage of Cosimo, son of Ferdinand II with Margaret Louise of Orleans in 1661. The earliest opera whose music survived in its entirety, is Euridice, premiered in the Pitti Palace on occasion of the proxy marriage Maria de’Medici to Henry IV, the King of France. The huge granite basin comes from the Bath of Caracalla. The genuine obelisk of Rameses II (1500 BC) was taken from Heliopolis (or from Luxor?) by Romans in 30 BC, and somehow found its way to the Villa Medici in Rome in the 17th C. The obelisk was brought here in 1790 from Rome.

From journal The Treasures of Florence

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