Holidays to Medici Villas in Florence

The history of Tuscany and especially that of Florence are to the vicissitudes of a powerful family, the Medici, who through the centuries has expanded its power from this city to the whole region.

A witness of the splendor and fortune that members of this illustrious family reached, meet in the some beautiful Tuscan villas they built or purchased from the fourteenth century and the seventeenth century.

These residences outside surrounded by a pleasant bucolic scene was not only a place of leisure as an alternative to hard work and commitments of political life in the city, but also a safe and guaranteed by a range of production and a territorial presence in place to monitor throughout.

Medici villas in the province of Florence

Here you can visit houses in the outskirts of Florence. Two other residences of the most beautiful are in the province of Prato .

As some open to the public only by reservation should go after the call.

Villa Trebbio
It is one of the oldest property Medici villas, already belonged to the parent of John Bicci to the late fourteenth century was restored by the will of Cosimo the Elder by Michelozzo.

Address via Trebbio, 1 - San Piero a Sieve
Phone 055 8458793, 055 8456230

Villa di Cafaggiolo
The most famous of the residences of the Medici Mugello belonged to the Medici from the fourteenth century and was also restored in the fifteenth century by the family Michelozzo.

Address Via Nazionale, 16 - Barberino di Mugello
Phone 055 8458793, 055 8456230

Villa di Careggi
Bought by Giovanni di Bicci in 1417, the old building was renovated by Michelozzo on the orders of Cosimo il Vecchio and became the seat of the Platonic, frequented by artists and philosophers such as Ficino, Donatello, Brunelleschi, Alberti.

To see the fascinating underground cave, decorated with paintings and calcareous sponges, the frescoes of the hall on the ground floor, the room for citrus
Address Viale Pieraccini, 17 - Careggi
Phone 055 4279497

Villa Medici in Fiesole
Situated on Florence, the villa in the fifteenth century became the property of Cosimo the Elder and was responsible for restructuring interventions Michelozzo that, unlike the earlier medieval houses still apparent, you take a distribution planimetric perfectly orthogonal. It was an attractive location for the circle of humanists gathered around quell'insigne a patron who was Lorenzo the Magnificent who hosted Poliziano, Pico della Mirandola, Cristoforo Landino.

Address Via Beato Angelico, 2 - Fiesole
Phone 055 2398994

Villa di Castello
Also known as the Elm, or the nursery, was built along the route of a Roman aqueduct and was sold to the Medici in the fifteenth century. He hosted the famous paintings of Botticelli, depicting the Spring and the Birth of Venus, now in the Uffizi .

To see the elegant eighteenth century building called the Stove of mugherini, named after the flower introduced in Florence by Cosimo III de 'Medici, in the beautiful garden of bronze Bartolomeo Ammannati depicting the Apennines and the Cave of Animals, covered with calcareous concretions, mosaics and shells, inhabited by animals of land, water and air in marble and bronze and inspired by beautiful water features.
Street address of Castello, 47 - Castle
Telephone 055 454791

Villa di Cerreto Guidi
This residence was built in the sixteenth century near the Padule of Fucecchio, on an ancient castle that belonged to the Guidi.

To see the museum of hunting and territtorio set in these halls.
Address Piazza Umberto I - Cerreto Guidi
Phone 0571 55707

Villa della Petraia
Bought by Cosimo I de 'Medici in the sixteenth century, is one of the most beautiful Medici villas.

To see the fountain with the Venus-Fiorenza of Giambologna in the garden and the frescoes of Volterrano under the porch of the courtyard.
Address via the Pietraia, 40 - Castle
Telephone 055 452691

Villa di Pratolino
A park was beautiful backdrop to a palace from A Thousand and One Nights. Basti think that for its construction Francesco de 'Medici costs twice what the factory took the Uffizi. Unfortunately, this villa is very little, because of destruction perpetrated in the nineteenth century.

To see a testimony of those magnificent ancient remains in the park the statue-fountain dell'Appennino of Giambologna, the chapel of Buontalenti, not least the Cave of Cupid, also Buontalenti. When he Internal several jokes of water left in disbelief and mockery who went there. At the mingled astonishment is so fascinating to this place decorated with huge sponges, fashioned in the form of animals and men. Adorned with large sponges was also the fish of the mask which was used only for breeding fish, to swim, as the two dressing rooms that open next to the statue.
Address Via Fiorentina, 276 - Pratolino
Phone 055 409427, 055 409225, 055 409155

Villa di Poggio Imperiale
Situated on the hill of Arcetri, the residence was seized by Cosimo I de 'Medici in the sixteenth century, accused of conduct antimediceo move against Alessandro Salviati.

To see the frescoes by Matteo Rosselli, the stucco and the Chinese and Indian fabrics that adorn the rooms.
Address Piazzale del Poggio Imperiale - Florence