Just spent 3 nights in Florence and toured the Palatine Gallery and Boboli Gardens. No option for combo ticket number 3 as mentioned in Ricks book so it cost almost 50 euros to see everything. Unless you are really into art skip the Pitti Palace. Almost nothing was blooming in the garden and we just about melted it was so hot. Maybe we went at the wrong time. Ciao
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Thanks for your report. I understand the combo ticket is not available during "special events," whatever those might be. Was that 50 euros for two or more people? Hope you got your fill of gelato.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
We didn't think the Boboli Gardens was all that special either. A large hillside with lots of trees and green shrubs. Our backyard garden looks better. However, there is a nicer but smaller garden up top along with a small museum. They were nice. Definitely not worth any tour money.
Posted by
Idaho, USA
8012 posts
Appreciate the post. We haven't been to the Boboli Gardens and were considering it. Sounds like you saved us some money & time - thanks!
Posted by
Vignola, MO, IT
711 posts
I enjoyed the palace and gallery in March. There was a document exhibit that we also enjoyed. We did not tour the gardens.
Posted by
Boston
20 posts
We were there today. The $ was not an issue since we had purchased a Firenze card. I agree that the gardens were not spectacular if compared with something like Versailles. However, it was very nice to be out in a green space without the crowds that we have been running into in Florence. One thing that was very special in the gardens is the Grotto of Bunontalenti. It is worth trying to time your visit out to the garden so that you can take advantage of when they have a staff member open the grotto gate. I have never seen anything like it.
Posted by
Albany
161 posts
The Boboli Gardens are SO worth enjoying, not only for the fountains and statues alone, but also the landscaping, which includes terraces, hedges that are over-your-head tall, walkways with trees growing on both sides and arching over your head for long distances, steps (it is on a hill), views of town and the countryside, a maze, towers, walls, and the upstairs back of the Pitti Palace (I did not go in the Palace, just walked and enjoyed the gardens.) If you like cats, there are cats in the gardens, and possibly an Italian woman feeding them pasta. What is significant about the location of the gardens is that you have the south corner with the old city wall. If you look at a map of town, you will notice three concentric expanding circles, and this is one of them, documenting history. Need I say more? This is an essential experience, in a great neighborhood (we stayed around the block at the charming Hotel La Scalleta, which had views of the gardens from its terrace:
http://www.hotellascaletta.it/
We ate at two restaurants within a couple of blocks--
Chingale Bianco Osteria:
http://www.cinghialebianco.com/
Mama Gina Trattoria:
http://www.mammagina.it/ENG/index.html
Great area, great gardens!
Laurel