There is much for tourists to do in Italy beyond enjoying the excellent food, wine, and rich music. The lakes are beautiful, but there is also something equally beautiful – the gardens. Travel packages for tours to Italy sometimes contain visits to some of these gardens. Spending time in one of these gardens can highlight your trip. Check out 5 of the most scenic Italian gardens you should visit next time you are in the country.
Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore
Isola Bella is unarguably one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy. However, it was not always so. The area was once a tiny and rocky island occupied by fishermen. It was in the 17th century that Carlo III Borromeo remodeled it as a gift to his wife, Issabella D’Adda. Ten terraces were built with soil shipped in and landscaped till the structure was 32 meters tall. Then, the flower beds came in all species and forms of beauty. The result is what is today known as Isola Bella, the beautiful island.
You should visit Isola Bella if you are anywhere around Lake Maggiore. The gardens provide a scenic sight you are unlikely to forget in a lifetime. In addition, you have a beautiful palace with gazebos, a stunning lake, and beautiful mountain views as bonuses. The best time to see the garden is in spring and early summer. However, the garden is open for visits from March to October.
Villa d’Este, Tivoli
Villa d’Este is another of the most beautiful gardens in the country. It is in Tivoli, which is how it became known as Tivoli Gardens. Tivoli is near Rome, and you can take a train to Rome when you are done sightseeing. You will see a set of gardens, each highlighting different fountains connected by walkways. Words cannot capture the scenic beauty of the flowerbeds, fountains, pools, cases, and other structures that make up the famous garden.
Villa d’Este is a 16th-century Renaissance garden created by Cardinal Ippolito d’Este to surround his villa. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and receives thousands of visitors annually. The flowerbeds will mesmerize you, but you will marvel at the fountains. Some of them have features that will delight you, such as the Fontana dell’Organo.
Boboli Gardens, Florence
Boboli garden is one scenic garden you are unlikely to forget once seen. It is a stunning creation that took a hundred years to build and has lasted over 400 years. The original gardens were continually enriched with plants, fountains, statues, and sculptures during those four centuries. Popular ones include the Neptune’s fountain, the Grotta Grande, and the Amphitheatre-style garden close to the entrance.
The Boboli gardens are located in the Pitti Palace, the residence of the Medici family, and became the inspiration for many other palace gardens across Europe. The gardens will steal your attention for the day as you explore the different levels of beautiful gardens. However, be prepared to spend the more significant part of the day taking in the sights across the acres of land Boboli Gardens cover.
Giardino Giusti, Verona
Giardino Giusti has everything you can want in a garden. It is beautiful, distinct, and has an exciting history. Taking each of its features separately, the beauty of this garden is indisputable. It features parterres, a hedge maze, statues, and winding walks shaded from the sun. However, its distinct features are mainly the size and structure. Giardino Giusti is smaller than most popular gardens that attract tourists’ attention. The form is also different as it was designed to rise above the villa to the rooftop.
Finally, the history behind Giardino Giusti is an interesting one. The garden was initially created in the 1400s, but it was in 1570 that Agostino Giusti commissioned the current layout. The beauty and fame of Giardino Giusti have since attracted the visit of famous figures like Mozart, Goethe, and Emperor Giuseppe II.
Parco Giardino Sigurta
The final garden on our list is the Parco Giardino Sigurta. This one is less popular than the others on this list but no less stunning. It covers about 600,000 square meters of land along Lake Garda’s bank of the Mincio river. The size may seem abstract to you until you get to the garden and realize that you may not be able to explore all the sections on foot. There is nothing to worry about, though. You can tour the garden on a bike or a tourist train.
Popular sections in Parco Giardino Sigurta include the avenue of roses, the deer valley, the labyrinth, and the flowering of tulips and water lilies. There is also a farm where you can take your kids to look at domestic animals and learn about them. But, of course, the best time to visit Parco Giardino Sigurta is spring. Then, you can witness Tulipmania, a display of over one million tulips.
Italy has many gardens that have attained legendary status for their captivating allure. Some belong to the public, while others are privately-owned. The common feature of all these gardens is that they will leave you in awe of their beauty.
