Bardini Garden (Giardino Bardini)
Separated from the Boboli Gardens by a wall and a world away in atmosphere, the Bardini Garden climbs steeply up the Oltrarno hill through wisteria pergolas, baroque staircases and a wild English-style woodland — all with continuous views over Florence that most visitors never discover.
The Garden Itself
The garden was assembled by antiquarian dealer Stefano Bardini in the early 20th century from several older plots and has a pleasingly eccentric character: formal Italian terraces give way to a shaded bosco of holm oak and then to a meadow of wild irises and poppies in spring.
The wisteria tunnel running along the upper terrace is one of Florence's great seasonal spectacles: in late April and early May, the entire pergola — roughly 100 metres long — drips with violet blossom, and the scent is extraordinary.
Views & Architecture
The baroque staircase at the garden's heart is monumental enough to belong in a Roman palazzo garden; it leads to a belvedere terrace where the view of the Duomo, the Arno and the surrounding hills is arguably cleaner and more intimate than the one from Piazzale Michelangelo.
A small café operates in the garden during summer, serving prosecco and light snacks on a terrace overlooking the city — one of the most civilised spots in Florence for an afternoon glass of wine.
Combining with Boboli
The Bardini is included on the combined Pitti Palace ticket, so there is no reason not to visit both in the same day — enter Boboli from Pitti, walk through to the Bardini exit on Costa San Giorgio, then circle back down the hill through the medieval streets of the Oltrarno.
The garden entrance on Via de' Bardi is quiet and unannounced; most visitors to the street have no idea it is there, which is precisely the point.
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