Have you ever wanted to visit the real secret garden? Were you a child obsessed with the Secret Garden in the nineties or the other movies and original novel that came before? Or a parent forced to watch any version of the film or read the book endless times? If the answer to any of the above is, “yes”, and you have found a luxury villa in Florence, then we would suggest setting aside some time for a trip out of the closely gathered attractions of the city centre to the lovely Villa Capponi, which is home to a beautiful secret garden.
Located in Arcetri, a little hilly area to the south of the centre Florence, the Villa Capponi was originally built in the 14th century but is named for the Capponi family who purchased the property in 1572. A wealthy merchant, Gino di Ludovico Capponi bought the Renaissance villa from its previous owner, Niccolo Del Nero, who had gone bankrupt and extended and enhanced the property, making it a noble residence.
Located in Arcetri, a little hilly area to the south of the centre Florence, the Villa Capponi was originally built in the 14th century but is named for the Capponi family who purchased the property in 1572. A wealthy merchant, Gino di Ludovico Capponi bought the Renaissance villa from its previous owner, Niccolo Del Nero, who had gone bankrupt and extended and enhanced the property, making it a noble residence.
The formal gardens, an important highlight of the villa today, were added in the 17th century, though the current form can be credited to extensions under Lady Elizabeth Scott after 1882 and by Charles Pinsent after 1939. The gardens consist of two panoramic loggias, terraces on two different levels that extend along the Pian dei Giullari hillside and boast breath-taking views over Florence, and several secret gardens. The first terraces have a lawn on the north side of the building with an entrance to a charming little secret garden with box hedges to the east. To the west of the building, on different levels, are two more secret gardens with box-edged parterres that are framed by high walls with elegantly curving crenellations and earthenware urns. The second of these gardens is also home to a stone lily-pool and a recently-built rectangular swimming pool that is located lower down and surrounded by tall rows of cypresses.
From the street, the villa is deceptively plain and its austere façade gives no clue to the utterly lovely garden inside or the fact that this place offers some of the best views over Florence to be found anywhere. So, if you find yourself in Tuscany and are looking for something special off the beaten tourist path then go in search of this gem. It is currently a private estate housing luxury apartments but you might be lucky enough to get a peek in if you are exploring the area.
From the street, the villa is deceptively plain and its austere façade gives no clue to the utterly lovely garden inside or the fact that this place offers some of the best views over Florence to be found anywhere. So, if you find yourself in Tuscany and are looking for something special off the beaten tourist path then go in search of this gem. It is currently a private estate housing luxury apartments but you might be lucky enough to get a peek in if you are exploring the area.
Photo credit: Sailko / CC BY-SA 3.0
