Boboli Gardens

It's the perfect place for a picnic lunch break (with a million dollar view included). It's a must if you want to rest a little after the museum overload. That's also the place where Florentine high school students go hide when they cut school (that brings back memories of my youth). I suggest you visit there after you visit the museum and gallery at Palazzo Pitti. After the lunch break visit the gardens (a smaller scale Versailles). That's where the Medicis used to stroll. From there walk up to the bar, have an espresso and gelato, and head to Forte Belvedere on top of it. The best view of Florence is actually from the Forte not Piazzale Michelangelo.

We found the adjacent Giardino Bardini more interesting as a garden. It has lovely plantings including many unique hydrangea varieties ( which may not be in bloom in May). Bothered are some lovely viewpoints over Florence and the Duomo. You can get a combined ticket for Bardini and Boboli gardens. Start at Giardini and work your way to the top, visit the Forte Belvedere that Roberto mentioned, and then find the upper entrance to Boboli Gardens.

The Boboli Gardens are behind and up the hill from the Pitti Palace. Overall, we weren't really impressed with the garden trees and plants. Great view of il Duomo, however. Here's a link to a picture taken from the lower part of the garden. http://gyazo.com/b8b5c7eef104a51409125307f2761f1c At the top of the garden, there is a nice rose garden and museum. Great views from there as well. Nice walk across the Ponte Vecchio to get there.

We visited the gardens in September and were quite underwhelmed although it was nice to get away from the crowds for awhile.

If you're a big fan of flowers and color, then the Boboli Gardens might not be for you. I've known a number of people to be disappointed by the site, because it lacks flowers and isn't "garden-y" enough. And of course this drives me crazy, because arrrrgh, Italian Renaissance gardens are not supposed to have flowers as the star player; they're more about sculptural or fountain features, with lots of geometric parterres and shaped boxwood. That being said, the Boboli Garden is one of my favorite sites in Tuscany. It's such a nice splash of green to break up all the browns, yellows and oranges you see in Florence, Siena and the like. It's a breath of fresh air after being in so many cities that are cramped and hectic with tourists. The fountains are not always running, but the isolotto is such a gorgeous, tranquil spot. I saw a heron there on my last visit. Don't miss the grottoes; the Buontalenti one is far and away the best grotto of the Renaissance. It's a blast. I believe the ticket for the Garden also includes entrance to the various exhibits (do NOT miss the pinacoteca!) of Palazzo Pitti, as well as La Specola just down the road. All of these sites are amazing, and very lightly touristed. You could also hit Santo Spirito and the Brancacci Chapel inside Santa Maria del Carmine, and make a whole day of the Oltrarno. (Just remember to reserve ahead for the Brancacci Chapel.)

These comments about the lack of flowers at Boboli, and being " underwhelmed" are why I suggested visiting Giardino Bardini instead, or in addition to Boboli, if you are a plant or flower lover.