
GARDENS of COTE D'AZUR and TUSCANY
September 16 – 26th, 2006
September 22, our first day in Florence!
After breakfast, we are met by our driver and taken to Boboli Gardens (on
2007 tour). Boboli is an incredible place… Designed for the Medici family
after they bought the Palazzo Pitti in 1549, the gardens are an excellent
example of stylized Renaissance gardening and were first opened to the
public in 1766. The more formal parts of the garden consist of box hedges
clipped into symmetrical patterns that lead to wilder groves of ilex and
cypress trees, planted to create a contrast between artifice and nature. The
Boboli Gardens were not to become famous until they became the property of
the Medici family, who called in Niccolò Pericoli, known as Tribolo, to
design them; this artist had already given ample proof of his talent with
his designs for the gardens of the Medici Villas of Castello and Petraia.
Tribolo created a masterpiece of "landscape architecture" in the Boboli
Gardens between 1550 and 1558, the year of his death. This place is massive,
both in size and in scope of gardens and the size of the Palazzo is
outstanding. It’s in a world-famous location, adjoining the Pitti Palace on
the Arno River’s south bank; it’s an outdoor museum that contains several
masterpieces of sculpture and architecture; its design influenced many other
notable European gardens, including Versailles; and its view of Florence
from Forte di Belvedere at the top of Boboli Hill is perhaps the finest
urban vista in all of Italy. After this visit we met our local Italian guide
for a walking tour around the area of the Duomo and Uffizi area. We found
some great places to eat and the food, well, what can you say about Italian
food! After this we had free time until we met our coach for the trip back
to the hotel. Now don’t forget, I had been here before as well, so do look
in the Pix area of the site for the past tour there to see a lot more
pictures.
September 23rd was our free day I had some friends with me on this tour so
after breakfast we walked out to the road and caught the local bus into
town…got off close to a local market. Wandered around there for quite a
while because there were some great bargains to be found. I bought a lime
green leather back pack type purse and I got tons of compliments on it. Also
got some leather goods for Tom and my friends loaded up on gifts for family
here. A great market. Then we walked to the Ponte de Vecchio This is a great
place to find real gem and well as costume jewellery, plus just incredible
gelato. Look at that picture and just imagine yourself eating some…yes it
was truly delicious! I found some great shoes for Tom here (yes I can buy
him shoes that fit) and leather belts and money clips and card holders…all
in leather…we spent most of the day downtown, just wandering through the
streets and peeking into stores. The shopping is great.
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