Giardino Bardini

I can see some of the Giardino Bardini from the windows of our apartment. I see the hillside with the manicured grass, stone steps, and two crowning statues. I have had no excuse to not go sooner as one of the entrate (entrances) is about five minutes away from our apartment on via dei Bardi. I look out often to the Giardino Bardini, but rarely see anyone walking around up there. I had some free time before lunch today and decided to finally visit the giardino.

Living in Florence :: Giardino Bardini

With my Amici degli Uffizzi tessera (card), I didn't have to pay the 10 Euro entrance fee, which also allows one to visit the Giardino di Boboli along with the Museo degli Argenti, Museo delle Porcellane, and the Galleria del Costume.

After the woman at the biglietteria (ticket desk) handed me a pianta (map) of the giardino (garden), I walked through the building and out the doors to the giardino. I followed the percorso di visita (tourist route) initially under the shady trees, but cut through another area to walk up the smaller portion of the scalinata barocca (baroque staircase). The top portion of the scalinata barocca was closed so I had to wind my way through the trail to continue my visit to the top of the giardino.

I was pleased to smell the freshly cut grass, the few blossoming fiori (flowers), and the leaves from the tall alberi (trees) that lined the gravel walkway. Living in the city, the scents of a giardino are highly revered.

I loved how peaceful it was walking in the giardino. Most of the time I was alone enjoying the pause from the bustling Florence. Only a few other people were touring the giardino taking pictures of the spectacular view while I was wandering around.

At every bend of the gravel road, I looked out at the city below and took a few photos. When I arrived at the belvedere (viewpoint), I admired as much of the city that I could see: the Duomo, the Santa Croce church, and Fiesole in the distance. The sun was hot on my back, but I continued to stand there taking in the beauty of Florence.

I love any view of Florence from above. There is something very magical about seeing the city in its entirety. The view is quite different from the one from the Piazzale Michelangiolo, but it is quite spectacular and should certainly not be missed. I wasn't able to see much of the Arno and couldn't see the Ponte Vecchio from the belvedere, but I could focus on other parts of the city and the Duomo.

What is even more spectacular about the view from the giardino is that there is a small bar under the loggia of the building that is quite tranquil. When I was standing there, only a few people were sipping drinks and appreciating the view.

No sounds of the city cold be heard from the giardino, so the beauty of the city along with the tranquility made today's visit even more spectacular. Now that I have visited the Giardino Bardini, I'm certain to return again and again. I'm excited to visit it at different times of the year to see the different fiori that will be in bloom.

Share your comments for this blog post on the Living in Florence's Facebook page. Grazie!

Back to Top