The gardens are extensive and fairly steep in places, so take some appropriate footwear if you really want to explore them
The Palazzo Pitti is a vast Renaissance palace found on the south side of the River Arno, at the end of Ponte Vecchio. Parts of it date from 1458 when it was the city residence of Luca Pitta, a Florentine banker. Before long, as with most things, it was bought by the Medici family, and over the centuries it has steadily accrued an unrivalled collection of luxuries, from paintings to jewels, from silks to swords.
For a time in the 18th century, it was used as a base by Napoleon, who always had an eye for the grandest spot in town, and at the start of the 20th century, it was donated to the Italian people by King Victor Emmanuel III. To this day it is the largest museum complex in Florence, housing the Palatine Gallery, the Silver Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the Costume Gallery, among others.
Corridor of Power
When the Medici family bought the palace they made a couple of changes to suit their tastes: namely more than doubling its size and adding an exclusive corridor linking it to the Palazzo Vecchio via the Uffizi. Known as the Vasari Corridor, this allowed private passage for the Medici family, sparing them from mingling with the masses on the Ponte Vecchio. It is now open to the public.
With Roses Overgrown
The Boboli Gardens are both a sprawling green space in the heart of Florence and an open-air museum. With its ancient oaks, trickling fountains and exquisite sculptures, the Boboli gardens served as inspiration for many European Royal gardens, including Versailles. It’s a perfect place to spend an afternoon drifting around.
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