Giardino Bardini

About the museum

The garden occupies much of the hill between Costa San Giorgio and Borgo San Niccolò, within the medieval walls. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was a Baroque garden with grottoes, statues, fountains, flower beds and groves of holm oak; in the 19th century, first the Anglo-Chinese style of Le Blanc and then the Victorian style, with roses, camellias and peonies, changed its appearance.

In 1913 the antiques dealer Stefano Bardini bought the villa and garden and placed Baroque statues, fountains, benches and vases of various origins there. After years of neglect the property passed to the State, which acquired it in 1987, and it was then restored by the Fondazione Monumentale Bardini e Peyron, with the support of the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze. The garden reopened to the public in 2005 and the villa in 2007 as a museum space and cultural centre.

The route combines three parts: the Italian-style garden with its Baroque staircase, the English-style woodland with exotic elements and a rare example of an Anglo-Chinese garden, and the agricultural park with an orchard and a wisteria pergola. There are about two hundred sculptures, thirteen fountains and three grottoes; the flowering of the wisteria is one of the most eagerly awaited moments of the year. The villa, built by Gherardo Silvani in 1641, hosts temporary exhibitions.

Highlights

• Baroque staircase of the Italian-style garden
• English-style woodland with a rare Anglo-Chinese garden
• Wisteria pergola and orchard in the agricultural park
• About two hundred sculptures, thirteen fountains and three grottoes
• Panoramic view over the city from the hill

Permanent exhibition

• Il giardino storico – Italian-style garden with a Baroque staircase, English-style woodland with a rare Anglo-Chinese garden, and agricultural park with an orchard and a wisteria pergola.

Founded

2005

Operated by

Fondazione Parchi Monumentali Bardini e Peyron ETS

Admission & discounts

Free admission also for EU journalists and tour guides, groups from Italian state schools (with two teachers, by reservation), holders of the Firenze Card, and residents of the provinces of Florence, Arezzo and Grosseto.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Wheelchair users can enter by a ramp at the vehicle gate at Costa San Giorgio 4, informing the ticket office in advance (+39 055 263 8599 or +39 334 682 4744). Accessible toilets on the second and third floors; defibrillator at the ticket office. Guide dogs and other assistance animals are admitted, but not pets.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The programme includes activities for children, educational workshops and a treasure hunt; the café La Loggetta offers a children’s menu.

Getting there & parking

Main entrance at Costa San Giorgio 2; second access at Via dei Bardi 1 rosso.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant

Café La Loggetta with a panoramic view (March to November, light lunches and a children’s menu) and the restaurant La Leggenda dei Frati.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit