Boboli Gardens

What makes it special

The amphitheatre directly behind the palace is the heart of the garden, a bowl cut from an old quarry with an Egyptian obelisk from Luxor standing in it. The terraces and avenues around it follow the Medici plan begun in 1549 for Eleonora of Toledo, which became the model for Italian gardens at courts across Europe.

The Buontalenti Grotto is the set piece: an artificial cave of stalactites, shells and terracotta reliefs, its stonework shaped to look as if it is melting, with water running down it. The earlier Grotto of the Madama holds stone figures and animals.

Giambologna's Statue of Abundance stands above the whole garden, and the terraced upper slope holds the Kaffeehaus, a rare Rococo pavilion in Tuscany.

The Viottolone, a wide avenue lined with statues, runs down to the Isolotto, an oval island in a large basin. Giambologna's Ocean stands at its centre, with Perseus on horseback rising from the water. Some of the cypresses along the paths are over four hundred years old.

Visiting

Palazzo Pitti's courtyard is the entrance to use if you carry a bag, because the free cloakroom is there, on the right side of the Ammannati Courtyard. From there, walk out behind the palace into the amphitheatre.

From the amphitheatre, climb to the terrace for the view, then come down the Viottolone to the Isolotto. Drinking fountains are by the Garden of Madama, the Knight's Garden, the Grotto of Adam and Eve and the Meadow of the Column, so refill as you pass.

Any gate works as an exit, so you need not walk back to the palace. Snacks on the move are fine, but guards on patrol stop long picnics, ball games, tree climbing and jumping into the fountains. The Porcelain Museum is closed for refurbishment.

Guided or on your own

No official guided tour runs in the garden, so you can walk it on your own. Private tour companies sell guided walks of parts of it. Groups are capped at 28 including the guide, and loudspeakers and microphones are banned, so stay close to hear.

Tips

Carry a full bottle in summer and top it up at each fountain. Wear shoes with grip for the gravel and clay slopes, and bring a snack, since the Kaffeehaus café is often closed.

Leave bicycles, scooters and Nordic walking poles behind, as none is allowed in, and leave the dog at home unless it is a guide dog for the blind. Dress as you would for the city streets: swimsuits and revealing clothes are not permitted.