The Medici Villas: far from the madding crowd｜Italy

For the first time in Florence, a tour to discover the residences of the Medici family.

This rich family took possession of 22 villas, apart from the well-known Pitti Palace, Medici Palace  and Palazzo Vecchio, that are situated in the centre of Florence. The villas were cultural poles and helped the development of art and science thanks to the patronage of the Medici.

Our first stop will be Villa La Petraia, which was the favorite residence of the Medici family. It is well known for its majestic garden full of fruit trees, dwarf plants, flower beds and large areas of citrus. In this garden we admire the statues of Giambologna, a pupil of Michelangelo, along with other extraordinary works of art

After we will visit the gardens of Villa Castello, that represents the best preserved example of "Italian garden" according to the canons and descriptions of Leon Battista Alberti. Some elements can be traced back to the fifteenth century, such as the compact and geometric shape, but numerous and of great value are also the additions of the following century, such as the Grotta degli Animali, the rustic figures and the presence of water, more typical of mannerism.