Bardini Garden

The Bardini Garden is one of the hidden treasures of Florence, a place where nature, history, and art blend into a unique experience. Located in Oltrarno, it extends over a hill that offers spectacular views of the city and the Arno, with access from Via dei Bardi and Costa San Giorgio. This historic garden covers an area of about four hectares and has undergone several transformations over the centuries. The origins of the garden date back to the Middle Ages, when the Mozzi family owned the lands of the Montecuccoli hill. In documents from 1259, a walled garden is mentioned, a kind of medieval garden, while the upper part of the hill was used for agriculture, mainly olive groves on terraces. Over time, these lands were embellished and transformed, especially after the Mozzi regained possession of the property in 1591. In the seventeenth century, next to the original nucleus, Villa Manadora was built, now known as Villa Bardini, designed by the architect Gherardo Silvani. The villa and the adjacent garden then passed through various hands, being transformed into an English garden in the early nineteenth century by Giacomo Le Blanc, who added woods, winding paths, statues, and fountains. During the Victorian period, the Carolath von Beuthen princes, new owners since 1880, further enriched the garden with elements of Victorian taste. The garden reached its peak with the acquisition by Stefano Bardini, a famous antiquarian, in 1913. Bardini introduced numerous decorative elements from various eras and styles, creating an eclectic and fascinating environment. Under his guidance, the garden became a place of representation, enriched by an exceptional collection of azaleas and citrus plants, later distributed in other public parks and gardens. After the death of Bardini’s son, Ugo, in 1965, the garden fell into neglect. Only in 2000, thanks to the intervention of the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze and the Bardini Peyron Monumental Parks Foundation, an important restoration project was started. The garden was reopened to the public in 2007, after five years of work that brought it back to its former glory, reintroducing fruit trees, ornamental plants, and caring for the statues and historic buildings. One of the most scenic elements of the Bardini Garden is the large Baroque staircase, which culminates in a belvedere from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Florence. Along the staircase, six fountains decorated with mosaics and a rustic grotto with fake terracotta shrubs blend with real plants, creating a suggestive effect. Nearby, a pergola of blooming wisteria offers picturesque views of the city in spring. The garden also houses a Kaffeehaus with a grotto, similar to that of the Boboli Garden, and a second grotto in the upper part, near the Kaffeehaus. A green theater, carved into the vegetation in a concavity of the ground, adds an additional element of charm and tranquility. Various fountains and a small temple complete the rich decoration of the garden, along with numerous roses, irises, hydrangeas, and other decorative plants.