Breathtaking Boboli

During our second trip to Florence as a class, we visited the Boboli Gardens and I was completely blown away!  The 11-acre gardens are located behind the Pitti Palace, which was taken over by the Medici family and expanded after the Pitti family went bankrupt due to the construction of the palace. The amount of greenery was beautiful, and I was impressed by how nicely manicured the entire garden was. It is no wonder why it is considered the largest and most elegant Italian style garden. One of my favorite sites was the long trail of cypress trees lining the road leading down to the “Isolotto” which is a large pond surrounded by sculptures. You could tell how old the trees must have been by analyzing their size and stature. The garden undergoes annual work whether it is yearly or seasonal to maintain the upkeep, and this keeps the trees in their perfect cylinder like shape. As you travel throughout the various sections of the garden, you come across so many breathtaking views. One of my favorites was when we went to the top of the Fort Belvedere, which overlooks the whole city of Florence. It offers a spectacular view, especially of the Duomo and Baptistery. There is no question as to why Kim Kardashian and Kayne West chose to have their wedding at Fort Belvedere. The Boboli gardens have been a major highlight of my trip thus far, and I’m glad we had Dr. Leo to show us around his hometown. -CJC