The Medici villas of Castello and La Petraia
The country houses of the Medici, part of a UNESCO site, on the edge of Florence
Scattered across the Tuscan countryside, the Medici villas and gardens are a UNESCO World Heritage Site of twelve villas and two gardens. Two of the most beautiful stand next to each other on the northern edge of Florence, in the Castello district.
Villa La Petraia, a former castle transformed for Cardinal Ferdinando de' Medici, has a courtyard frescoed with the glories of the family, covered by an iron and glass roof by the Savoy kings, and a terrace garden with a fountain by Tribolo and Giambologna. A short walk away, the garden of Villa di Castello is one of the first Italian Renaissance gardens, with lemon trees in pots and the Grotta degli Animali, full of sculpted stone animals.
Tip: both are free to visit and rarely crowded; they are easily reached by bus from the centre of Florence.
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