Boboli Gardens Tourist Guide

Boboli Gardens is the green heart of Florence and one of the largest open-air museum in Italy. Tended with fountains and shaded areas, these beautiful gardens are located just behind the Pitti Palace.

 

When to go?

Best time to visit Boboli Gardens is early in the morning with an advance booking ticket.

 

Timing

 

Opening and closing timing from Monday to Sunday for different months.

8:15 AM – 4:30 PM in November, December, January, February

8:15 AM – 5:30 PM in March (winter time)

8:15 AM – 6:30 PM in March (summer time)

8:15 AM – 6:30 PM in April, May, September

8:15 AM – 6:30 PM in October (summer time)

8:15 AM – 5:30 PM in October (winter time)

8:15 AM – 6:50 PM in June, July, August

 

The museum is closed on First and last Monday of each month and also closed on January 1, May 1 and December 25

 

Entrance

For accessing Boboli Gardens you have to buy a ticket.

 

Tickets:

Booking tickets in advance is always the best choice to enter directly into Gardens.

 

There are 3 types of tickets available for Uffizi Gallery Museum:

 

Regular or Full Tickets:

For Non-European Citizens: 18 and above years of age

For European Citizen: 25 and above years of age

 

Reduced or Half Tickets:

For European Citizen: 18 to 25 years of age (valid documents needed at the entrance)

For Teacher from European Public Institute with valid proof.

 

Free Tickets:

For Minors under 18 (for both European and Non-European Citizens)

For Physical handicap disabled Certified persons

For Journalist with valid ID proof

For ICOM (International Council of Museums) Members

 

Guided Tours:

There is so much to see in Boboli Gardens and with the expert guide you can get to know about the history of this spectacular park.

 

What to see in Boboli Gardens?

 

Grotta del Buontalenti

 

Grotta Grande or the Large Grotto are the other names for Grotta del Buontalenti, delivering tourist a more than a cave to look at it and showcases brilliant examples of amazing sculptures and architecture.

 

Located in the north of Boboli Gardens, Grotto is divided into three rooms.

 

The first room portrays fake stalactites and stalagmites, stones, sponges and shells. These designs are meant to resemble a natural cave or grotto with a twist and it is carved by Pietro Mati.

 

The second room is decorated very much similar to the first room. Only additional thing is frescoes that show Minerva and Giunone.

 

The third room has an additional element that helps it to stand out from the other two is a green marble fountain. The ceiling in this room resembles a flying bird in a sky.

 

 

Boboli Amphitheatre

 

It was designed as a garden rather than amphitheatre by Tribolo. It was Cosimo II who later on translated this into amphitheatre.

 

The amphitheatre area is considered the primary axis of Gardens which adjoins the hill behind the Palazzo Pitti.

 

The stone placed here was used on the palace itself, and the shape given to the excavated area is just an idea for an actual amphitheater.

 

Later on, the area was decorated with various statues of Roman myth, with an Egyptian Obelisk which was brought directly from Luxor and is placed in the center of the Boboli Amphitheatre.

 

Kaffeehaus

 

Kaffeehaus was built in rococo style by the Lorraine family the in the 18th century, it was designed by Zanobi del Rosso. The word Kaffeehaus was derived from a coffee house as in the 18th century coffee and chocolates were in a trend among rich noble families.

 

It features the Prato della Meridiana, an expansive and steep lawn that has several smaller avenues dotted with statues that branch off from here.

 

Viottolone

 

It’s a perfect treat for those who love to walk long. A walk with a steep sloping avenue accompanied with series of terraces and tunnels formed by many trees around the area is just fabulous.

 

The way is lined by numerous cypress trees and statuettes that leads down to the Isolotto, a large pond with a fountain called the Ocean. The fountain was created by Giambologna which features three sculptures that represent the three Great rivers god of the Ganges, Nile and the Euphretes.

 

Apart from the above places, there are many other things to see and explore in Boboli Gardens.