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Gardens in Florence

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Gardens in Florence
Gardens in Florence

Florence is much more than museums, churches, and historic buildings—it’s a city meant to be experienced outdoors. Its gardens offer breathtaking views and peaceful escapes from the bustling streets.

If you’re planning a trip to Florence and you love nature, exploring the city’s gardens is an experience you shouldn’t miss.

This article introduces you to Florence’s green spaces, which tell a different side of the city’s story. These gardens whisper more intimate tales, deeply rooted in the Tuscan landscape and the Florentine soul.

Whether you’re looking to relax, capture nature through your lens, or admire extraordinary views of the city from above, here you’ll find inspiration for designing a itinerary for your urban trek in Florence.

Why should gardens of Florence be part of your city tour?

Adding one or more gardens to your Florence itinerary is a simple yet enriching way to take a break from the fast-paced city center.

Strolling through a Florentine garden lets you step away from the crowds, breathe deeply, and see the city from a new perspective. Many of these gardens are nestled on the hills surrounding the center, offering spectacular views over Florence’s rooftops.

Gardens in Florence: which ones can you visit during your personalized tour?

Florence boasts a variety of historic and scenic gardens that can enhance your visit. Below are some of the most remarkable:

  • Boboli Gardens: Located behind Palazzo Pitti, the Boboli Gardens are one of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance landscaping. Designed by Niccolò Tribolo for Eleonora di Toledo in 1549, the garden spans about 45,000 square meters and features a vast collection of sculptures, from Roman antiquities to 20th-century works. Highlights include the Buontalenti Grotto, the Fountain of Neptune, and the Rococo-style Kaffeehaus, which offers a sweeping view of the city.
  • Bardini Garden: Situated in the Oltrarno district, this hillside garden offers stunning vistas over Florence. It combines Baroque elements—such as a grand staircase adorned with fountains and mosaics—with an Anglo-Chinese garden in the upper section.
  • Rose Garden: Just below Piazzale Michelangelo, the Rose Garden was created in 1865 by Attilio Pucci, a gardener carrying on the legacy of the grand ducal botanical tradition. Home to around 400 varieties of roses, it also offers one of the best panoramic views of the city. Since 2011, it has featured ten bronze sculptures by Belgian artist Jean-Michel Folon, beautifully integrated into the natural setting.

How to choose the gardens in Florence to include in your custom itinerary?

Each garden in Florence has its own unique character and can be strategically included in your personalized tour based on the season, the time you have available, and the kind of experience you’re looking for:

  • Boboli Gardens are ideal to combine with a visit to Palazzo Pitti, as they are part of the same historic complex. After exploring the grand halls and galleries of the palace, it’s a natural continuation to step into the lush terraces of the Boboli Gardens—wandering among fountains, statues, and panoramic viewpoints.
  • Bardini Garden is at its most spectacular in April, when the wisteria is in full bloom, forming a fragrant, picture-perfect tunnel that frames the view of Florence. If you’re passionate about photography, this stop is a must!

  • The Rose Garden is perfect for those planning to visit Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence’s most iconic panoramic terrace. The uphill walk becomes a charming stroll through blooming flowers and contemporary sculptures—with a view of the city that rewards every step.

Gardens in Florence: the most iconic ones to add to your urban trekking tour

Some gardens in Florence offer such unforgettable experiences that they become essential stops on any custom itinerary:

  • Giardino Bardini stands out for its graceful Baroque staircase—a panoramic garden suspended between art and nature. Beyond its sweeping views, it preserves a rare architectural heritage: fountains, sculptures, vegetable patches, and vine-covered pergolas that tell centuries of Florentine history in one breathtaking glance.
  • Giardino degli Iris is a lesser-known gem, entirely dedicated to the iris, the symbol of Florence. It hosts one of the most important botanical collections in Europe—a hidden treasure of biodiversity, with quiet paths and stunning vistas over the city.

How much time should you dedicate to visiting Florence gardens on your personalized tour?

Exploring Florence’s gardens is more than just a pleasant outdoor walk—it’s a chance to slow down, discover new perspectives, admire unexpected details in the landscape and architecture, and immerse yourself in natural beauty.

Each garden has its own atmosphere, and a truly enriching visit requires time and attention. I recommend setting aside at least 90 minutes for each garden. This allows you to enjoy the experience fully—pausing where you like, taking photos, and absorbing the stories and views without rushing.

If you’d like to include more than one garden in your custom tour, we can design an itinerary together that balances nature, art, and history, with the right pacing for each stop.

Tickets and reservations for including a visit to the gardens in Florence in your personalized itinerary

Guided tours with Guide me Florenceare tailored for groups of various sizes, offering a personalized and engaging experience designed around your interests and pace.

Rates vary depending on group size:

  • 1–5 partecipants: 100 € gross per hour
  • 6–10 partecipants: 140 € gross per hour
  • 11–15 partecipants: 180 € gross per hour
All prices include taxes and legally required contributions. Please note that entrance tickets to the gardens are not included and must be purchased separately.

Why personalize your tour with a visit to the gardens in Florence with us?

Every garden in Florence tells a different chapter of the city’s story. But your experience doesn’t have to focus solely on green spaces.

If you’d like to alternate art and nature, and balance visits to churches, basilicas, and museums with time outdoors, Florence’s gardens offer the perfect opportunity to slow down, breathe, and see the city from a fresh perspective.

Interested in a tailor-made experience? Fill out the form below and let me know:

  • What you’d like to do
  • How much time you have
  • What type of experience you’re dreaming of
contact me from here
You’ll receive a personal reply by email with a custom itinerary—designed to help you explore Florence’s most beautiful gardens, alongside other highlights that match your interests.

Gardens in Florence: tips and ideas for a tailor-made itinerary

Visiting Florence’s gardens is an experience that changes with the seasons—each one offering a different atmosphere, color palette, and light.

A tip from a local guide:

  • Avoid July and August, when high temperatures can make walking and uphill climbs less enjoyable.

  • Instead, plan your garden tour in spring or autumn—especially April and May—when blooms are at their peak and the weather is ideal.

A Sample Itinerary: Art + Nature

If you’d like to balance history with greenery, a perfect combo could be:

  • Morning: Visit the Basilica of Santa Croce, discovering its rich art and history
  • Afternoon: Cross over to the Oltrarno and wander through Bardini Garden, soaking in panoramic views and blooming wisteria

Gardens in Florence: a unique experience to enjoy in every season

Each season brings new beauty to Florence’s gardens, especially during bloom periods.

If you’re planning an urban trek with a touch of countryside charm, don’t miss these two unforgettable spots:

  • Giardino Bardini in Spring In April, the garden’s iconic wisteria pergola transforms into a fragrant purple tunnel that frames one of the most picturesque views of Florence. A photographer’s paradise and a timeless sensory experience.
  • Giardino dell’Iris (Iris Garden) Open only for a limited period, from late April to the end of May, this garden next to Piazzale Michelangelo is entirely dedicated to the iris, Florence’s symbolic flower. When in bloom, the landscape is painted in shades of violet, white, and blue—a fleeting, poetic spectacle you’ll never forget.

Why Choose Guide me Florence for Your florence gardens Tour?

Because with Guide me Florence, gardens aren’t just postcard-perfect locations—they are story-rich landscapes, revealing hidden layers of Florence’s identity that many traditional tours overlook.

Walking together, we might explore:

  • The symbolic power encoded in the design of the Boboli Gardens, where every avenue and fountain reflects the Medici vision of Renaissance order and grandeur

  • The Rose Garden, home to rare botanical varieties introduced between the 18th and 19th centuries—witnesses of Florence’s enduring love for ornamental biodiversity

  • The transformation of private hillside estates into public gardens in the 19th century, during Florence’s brief time as Italy’s capital—a period of urban renewal and openness to the world


All of this is presented through a storytelling-based approach—where history, art, and nature are woven into a narrative that’s both accessible and meaningful.
No dry lists of dates or names. Just authentic stories, thoughtful connections, and memorable details that will stay with you long after your visit.

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