Experience not only Florence’s monuments, museums and churches, but also the hidden corners of the city, an oasis in the historic center that will leave the whole family speechless.
Thanks to a Scavenger Hunt, together with my daughter Caterina, we were able to discover and unravel the secrets of the Florentine Botanical Gardens.
It’s the perfect place to unwind and escape the city, taking in the scenery or strolling through the gardens.
Situated near Florence Cathedral and the Accademia Gallery, this botanical garden is the third oldest university garden in existence.
Despite its age of almost five centuries, it was originally designed as a vegetable garden for medicinal plants, named “Simples”. This is why it goes by the name “Giardino dei Semplici“.
Today it still boasts 4,200 plants, most of which are potted and more than 150 trees.
Cosimo I de’ Medici, who founded botanical gardens in cities such as Florence and Pisa between 1543 and 1545, aroused interest in and love for the natural world from a medicinal and decorative perspective in cities lacking sewage systems.
His natural science research fostered a true “Botanical Renaissance” in Tuscany.
Originally designed as an academic teaching and experimental laboratory, the “Giardino dei Semplici” now harbors a vast collection of citrus fruits, including examples of his 60 species, such as Lemon Citron, Melarosa, and Pommel.
Recently, the rare ‘Bizzarria’ has also been reintroduced, but this plant, which consists of a small lemon, a little orange and a little cedar, was mentioned in a notebook from 1600, but has long disappeared.
The oldest of the monumental trees is the 303-year-old Taxus bachata, and the tallest reaches around 30 meters in height ( almost 100 feet).
2,3 hectares (approximately 6 acres) of the Garden also includes a heated greenhouse for tropical plants, where I enjoyed finding cacao and coffee plants with my daughter Caterina, and a cold greenhouse for plants that don’t need very high temperatures.
But the most fascinating part of our visit was observing carnivorous plants in one of the greenhouses.
Although its name may make you think it’s a scary plant, it’s actually small and green, with hairs on its leaves that act as cages for insects, and it uses enzymes to digest insects.
It’s a chance to experience enchanting surroundings.
Your guide will leave you with a memorable memory. Enjoy!
