Boboli Garden and Guided Walking Tour in Florence – Florence, Italy

EXPERIENCE:

At the start of your tour, after crossing the Pitti Palace’s courtyard, your guide will lead you up to the “artichoke” fountain, the large octagonal basin decorated with numerous statues and crowned by a bronze lily. And in front of you is the sight of the “Amphitheatre” adjoined to the hill behind the palace, the first phase of creating this beautiful garden as the guide will explain how it was designed.

As you climb up the hill, you will find “Neptune’s fountain”, and at the very top of the hill, the large statue of “Abundance” by Giambologna. The guide will later lead you through a steep sloping avenue to head back down the hill and to a large avenue known as the “Viottolone”, with cypresses and statuettes that then lead all the way down to the “Isolotto”, a large pond, with an admirable fountain known as “The Ocean”, created by Giambologna.

After the guide spends time explaining these fountains and sculptures, the final stops will be at the “Giardino del Cavaliere”, built by Michelangelo, “Kaffeehaus” and the “Buontalenti Grotto” created by Buontalenti from limestone concrete stalactites, shells, and terracotta reliefs, with water running down the walls providing vivacity and color as a guide will reveal all the secrets behind these designs. The tour takes about an hour, the perfect amount to see the highlights inside the garden. You can also return to anything you want to see again after the tour ends.

Later in the afternoon, meet the guide in front of the Hard Rock Cafe to start the free walking tour. Receive insight into the history of this Renaissance city and how this incredible cultural movement of the Renaissance transformed not only Florence but eventually the rest of Europe. Begin with Piazza Della Republica, the main square of Florence, before heading straight to the Piazza Della Duomo.

Whilst passing the Duomo Square, the guide will lead you straight through the old buildings and some of the historical landmarks of Florence to Palazzo Vecchio, where you will see the Sculpture of David by Michelangelo.

Afterward, as you walk past the Palazzo Vecchio, the guide will talk you through the Uffizi Gallery, one of the greatest museums in the world, before you reach the most famous old bridge of Florence known as Ponte Vecchio.

Your next stop is at Palazzo Pitti, the enormous palace of Florence’s largest architectural monuments of Filippo Brunelleschi. As you walk through the narrow roads of this ancient city with lots of hidden treasures, the guide will answer all the curious secrets of the city.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

Stroll through acres of gardens, trees, fountains, and terraces
Learn the history of the 16th-century Italianate gardens behind the Pitti Palace
Learn from a professional guide who will show you the city’s hidden treasure

Discover top places to stay, exciting tours, and unforgettable events in Italy, and popular cities like Amalfi, Florence, Milan, Naples, Pompei, and Rome.