You’ve been in Florence for about two months, and by now are probably eager to escape the ever-present noise and tourists of the city center. As the weather slowly starts to warm up and spring draws nearer, you also probably yearn to be outside. Good news! You can find spacious green areas both inside and outside the city center. And even more good news – you can access them for free!
The Boboli Gardens are located just behind the Pitti Palace, and now is the perfect time of year to visit before the grounds get overly crowded in April and May. Pack a lunch and spend an afternoon wandering through paths lined with wisteria and cypress trees and getting lost among sculptures, fountains, and grottoes. If you climb to the very top you can also walk through the rose garden and visit the Porcelain Museum. From the Boboli Gardens you can also access the Bardini Gardens, a lesser-known outdoor area in the city center. These gardens offer beautiful panoramic views of Florence and showcase beautiful arrays of flowers and fruit trees if you visit in the end of March or early April.
Villa Bardini, gardens- view from” la terrazza”
Perhaps one of the city’s best-kept secrets is its public Rose Garden, located about halfway up the hill leading to Piazzale Michelangelo. Hundreds of different rose varieties are on display along with lemon trees and other plants and even a Japanese garden. The Rose Garden is the perfect place to sit and read or study, and offers a breathtaking view of the cathedral cupola. Recently more than 20 statues by Folon have been placed permanently in nice spots of the garden, they are magnificent!
Giardino delle Rose – Firenze
Cascine Park is a bit further away on the western side of the city. Once a game reserve for the Medici Grand Duke Cosimo I, it is now the largest public park in Florence. It also is home to the city’s largest market: on Tuesdays from 8-2, you can buy anything ranging from fresh produce to jewelry and antique furniture. Because of its size and location right along the Arno River, this park is a wonderful place to go for a run, a bike ride, or even just a leisurely walk.
Further still is Anconella Park, located southeast of the city center. Since this park is about a 50 minute walk from the cathedral, it is best reached by bike. However, if you choose to make the rather long walk, the path follows the banks of the Arno so you will be rewarded with unique views of the river and the city that you would not otherwise see. Once you reach the park, you will be glad you made the trip: you won’t find any tourists here! Florentines walk their dogs, children play on the playground, and ducks and fish swim in the ponds and fountains scattered around the park. If you’re lucky, you’ll also be able to watch a pick-up game of calcio!
