Boboli Gardens

One of the top highlights of Boboli Gardens is the Kaffeehaus that was built between 1774 and 1785. It was used as a resting place where the court could enjoy a hot cup of chocolate on their walks.

Grotto di Madama, built between 1553 and 1555, is located in a small garden along the wall of San Giorgio Convent. It has been designed by Davide Fortini and features a stone frame with an artificial rock set, animal sculptures surrounded by artificial stalactites, marble flooring, and more.

This grotto was created to link the Sundial building with the Court Theater around the same time as the Annalena building and the entrance gateway’s construction. It has been named Grotto of Adam & Eve due to the installation of Michalenagelo’s Adam and Eve sculptures inside this grotto on a rectangular plinth.

Built between 1777 and 1778, Lemon House was designed to collect the citrus trees displayed in the Boboli Gardens, especially Island Garden, during the winter months. It is still used to hold over 500 citrus plants and features a small garden outside it with four large flower beds of roses.

Buontalenti Grotto, popularly known as Grotto Grande, is one of the most famous grottoes in Boboli Gardens. It is located in the north of the gardens beside the entrance to the Vasari Corridor. Its construction first began in 1551 to supply water to the garden and Palazzo Vecchio. 

Once you begin your tour of the Boboli Gardens, you will come across the amphitheater adjoined to the hill behind Pitti Palace. It was made from the excess stones brought down from the hillside for the construction of the palace and has been decorated with Roman statues. An Egyptian obelisk was brought from Luxor and placed in the center here in 1789.

When you walk along the Viale dei Cipressi, you will come across small and large branch pathways with tree branch archways. These structures are called Cerchiate and were first created in 1612. It was earlier used as a shade for the plants but now is used to offer silence and shade to the visitors.

Built in the 1770s, the Garden of Ganymede was a later addition to the Boboli Gardens and overlooks the Kaffeehaus. The garden is set on a hill with symmetrical stairways, terraces, and the famous Ganymede Fountain. Visitors can spend time enjoying the views from here and strolling around the beautiful garden.

Once you have explored the Cerchiate Garden, you can make way to the Upper Botanical Garden that is located to the west of Cypress Lane. Here you can find several ponds for aquatic plants and a wide range of exotic plants, including pineapple. The layout of this garden dates back to the mid-19th century, and this garden was added as part of the enlargement of the Boboli Gardens in the 17th century.

The Knight’s Building was constructed on the Rampart between 1527 and 1530. Knight Malatesta Baglioni lived at the top of the building, hence the name of this Boboli Garden attraction. The Rampart was built in 1927 during the siege of Florence.

Located between the southern wing of Palazzo Pitti and the Sundial building, the Garden of Camellias was built to connect Prince Mattias de Medici’s private apartments with the Boboli Gardens. It was rearranged in 1688. The Camellias planted this garden at the end of the 1700s as they had recently become popular.

The Viottolone is a large avenue that slopes down the hill and leads to the Porta Romana exit. It features several terraces and tunnels that offer shade and make a good spot for sitting or reading a book. This avenue is surrounded by cypresses and statues and leads to the Isolotto pond. In this pond, you will see the beautiful fountain named Ocean by Giambologna. 

Grotta Grande, or Large Grotto, is decorated with stalactites and divided into three sections. All three feature examples of Mannerist sculptures with the first section being frescoed to create an illusion of a natural grotto. The second section features Paris and Helen by Vincenzo de’ Rossi while the third one contains Bathing Venus by Giambologna.

The Boboli Gardens is a type of green architecture that is filled with beautiful sculptures and fountains. Some popular examples include Jupiter Seated, Artichoke Fountain, The Peasant and his Barrel, Ceres, Augustus, Barbarian Prisoner Base, Apollo, Tindaro Screpolato