A visit to a garden is always a great way to refresh while on vacation, particularly on holiday in Tuscany or some other destination where there can be lots of cultural attractions that have a whirlwind of stimuli. All of the sights, sounds, textures, and details that one can take in in places like museums, galleries, historic buildings, and old towns can overstimulate the senses and leave one especially tired. Of course, those who find one of our Tuscany villas and spend time in the region should definitely seek out as many of this part of the world’s famous sights and spots as their heart desires but you may also need a bit of a palate cleanser. This is where gardens and parks come in and, luckily, there are also plenty of these to discover in Tuscany as well. Wandering in these spaces, breathing in clean air, surrounding yourself with nature, it not only pleasant and enjoyable but it is also good for the mind, body, and soul. It is a perfect way to recover from intense touristing and the ideal sort of activity to slot into your itinerary as a cushion to more hectic outings and days.
If you have found a villa in San Gimignano, for example, the lovely Giardino Sottovico is exactly this sort of attraction and garden. A wonderful addition to any vacation in San Gimignano, this gem of a botanic garden is home to a charming collection of over 3,000 succulents in a lovely setting that is housed on the former site of an illegal landfill. Built by passionate locals who wanted to reclaim this space in Vico d'Elsa, in the municipality of Barberino Tavarnelle, not far from San Gimignano, the garden was a way of not only transforming an eyesore and polluted part of the countryside but a way of making it into a space that would actually be of service to the physical and psychological well-being of visitors.
