Parks in Florence

The Boboli Gardens behind Palazzo Pitti are one of the earliest examples of Italian formal garden design—a 4.5-hectare hillside of terraces, fountains, grottos, and sculptures that influenced gardens from Versailles to Peterhof.

Parco delle Cascine is Florence's largest park—a 3.3 km strip along the Arno, originally a grand-ducal dairy farm (cascina). Locals flock here for jogging, cycling, and summer open-air concerts, away from the tourist centre.

The Bardini Gardens are a lesser-known gem adjacent to the Boboli Gardens, offering an intimate hillside garden with one of Florence's best panoramic viewpoints. The wisteria-draped Belvedere loggia is particularly photogenic in late April.