On holiday in Florence ... visit the "Medicean Villas"!
As you know the Medici family has always enjoyed a degree of economic prosperity that is reflected in its sumptuous villas.
These are the Medicean Villas, commissioned by this powerful Florentine family between VX and VXI century.
Medicean Villa in "Petraia"
When Ferdinand I dé Medici bought the villa in 1575, it was transformed into a sumptuous villa by Bernardo Buontalenti. Characteristic of the villa is the huge garden full of sculptures from which you can see the plain of Florence including the Dome of Brunelleschi and the Giotto's tower. After 1865, Vittorio Emanuele II and the Duchess of Mirafiori settled in the villa, thei enriched it with frescoes.
Via della Petraia 40. Castello(FI) Phone: 055 452691
Medicean Villa in "Castello"
Also known as Villa Reale, it is famous for being the summer residence of Lorenzo il Magnifico. In the wonderful garden of the villa lies the bronze by Bartolomeo Ammannati that represents the Apennines and the Cave of Animals, covered with mosaics and shells.
Via di Castello, 47. Castello(FI) Phone: 055 454791
Medicean Villa in "Careggi"
Today is the seat of the administrative offices, for this reason the public access is limited; you can walk in the courtyards and visit some rooms that houses beautiful frescos of the eighteenth century. The villa is now owned by the Region of Tuscany.
Viale Pieraccini 17. Careggi (FI) Phone: 055 4279497
Medicean Villa in "Trebbio"
It was one of the oldest houses that belonged to the family Medici. Cosimo il Vecchio restored the villa in the fourteenth century.
Via del Trebbio 1. San Piero a Sieve (FI) Tel: 055 8458793
Medicean Villa in "Cafaggiolo"
It belongs to the Medici family since the fourteenth century. It was restored around the fifteenth by Michelozzo.
Via Nazionale 16. Barberino del Mugello (FI)
Medicean Villa in "Fiesole"
It belonged to Cosimo il Vecchio, and it was restored by Michelozzo.
Via Beato Angelico 2. Fiesole (FI) Phone: 055 2398994
Medicean Villa in Pratolino
Francesco dé Medici spent a lot of money in this villa that looks like a spectacular palace surrounded by a huge park.
The chapel and the Cave of Cupido by Buontalenti and the statue-fountain representing the Appennino, by Giambologna, are very interesting.
Via Fiorentina 276, Pratolino (FI) Phone: 055 409427
Medicean Villa in Poggio Imperiale
Situated on the hill of Arcetri, the residence was confiscated to Alessandro Salviati by Cosimo I de Medici in the sixteenth century.
Inside frescoes by Matte Rosselli.
Piazzale del Poggio Imperiale (FI) Phone: 055 226171