The Boboli garden

Palazzo Pitti
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The 'Giardino dei Boboli' is located behind the 'Palazzo Pitti' and it is said to be the most beautiful garden of Tuscany.  I love to come here for a stoll together with my kids , being  fortunate residents of Florence we have free entrance to this beautiful garden (not indicated for strollers as there are some steep paths).

Amfitheater
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Do not miss the Boboli garden if you're in Florence. This wonderful and hilly oasis of peace is filled with statues, and designed in the typical Italian style. You can enjoy quiet walks on a cool summer days, but for me the autumn is the most perfect season to visit this city garden/park.

Neptunes fountain
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The colors, the smell, the stillness .. absolutely fantastic. And to think that all the traffic is buzzing beneath you but here in the park, you will not hear a thing. Why not relax a bit on a bench near the Neptune Fountain, or climbing the beautiful spiral staircase up to the Rose Garden and the Porcelain Museum, here you find yourself on the highest point of the garden with a magnificent view of the hills that surround Florence.

View from Rose garden
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Walk down the beautiful cypress avenue (Vialone), where you will find the mysterious Isolotto pond. If you are lucky you can see the large collection of citrus plants in large terracotta pots in the middle of the pond on the little island (in the winter they stay in the 'limonaia').

Isolotto
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From the Boboli garden you can also visit 'La Specola' historic Zoological Museum (the oldest museum of science in Europe). You can also visit the beautiful garden of Villa Bardini, Giardino Bardini. On the left side of the Forte Belvedere (close to the Kaffeehaus) you can take Costa San Giorgio (take a left), half way down you can find the entrance to the garden and the villa Bardini.

One of the paths in the park
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Museo Stefano Bardini, a true inspiration

The Museo Stefano Bardini (1836-1922) was founded by one of the most important Italian antique dealers, Stefano Bardini. Bardini decides  to accommodate all his collections from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in a beautiful Palazzo near the Arno, former church and convent of San Gregorio della Pace. Later, he donated his entire collection to the city of Florence. "His" museum is now part of the 'Musei Civici Fiorentini '(municipal museums of Florence).

The special thing about the Museo Stefano Bardini  is that you really get the feeling that you are visiting an interior decorater instead of a museum. The golden empty frames against a cobalt blue wall. Original stone pieces like staires and statues which have been incorporated into the Palazzo in the most perfect way. The beautiful little statues on an antique dresser. It is definitely not the dusty and old museum that you would expect it to be, but a true inspiration for every visitor.

Would you like to visit this museum? Then here's some useful information:

* Where *

Via dei Renai 37 (Oltrarno zone / Ponte alle Grazie)

Bus n°12, 23, C & D

* When *

mon&fri-sun 11.00am - 5.00pm

* How much *

€ 5 (€ 4 of € 2 with discount)
* Contact *

Telephone: +39 (0)55 2342427

Musei Civici Fiorentini

Note 1: This museum is part of the initiative : Pass dei Tesori

Note 2: This museum is also very suitable for childeren. Every sunday they do family (childeren from 7 years old) workshops in the morning and in the afternoon (11.00am - 12.30am & 3.00pm - 4.30pm)

 Note 3: Photo credits