Italy is known for its architecture, ancient ruins, and mouthwatering cuisine. But tucked away between its better-known landmarks are some of the world’s most intricate and gorgeous gardens. From colorful rose gardens to ornate hedge labyrinths, these top gardens to visit in Italy are a welcomed escape from city life.
With hundreds, if not thousands, of garden landscapes scattered across Italy, it can be daunting to figure out where to start, but don’t worry. This guide has everything you need to know, from the top sites to exactly how to visit them so you can have a seamless experience.
READ: Plan your Italy trip with our easy to copy Italy itineraries.
13 Most Beautiful Gardens in Italy
From famous names like the Boboli in Florence to off-the-beaten-path wonders like Ravello’s Cliffside Gardens on the Amalfi Coast, there is something here for everyone.
So, let’s dive into the thirteen most beautiful Italian gardens.
1. Villa d’Este Gardens, Tivoli
Villa d’Este is just outside of Rome and home to one of the most famous Italian gardens that millions of tourists flock to each year. The 16th-century Villa d’Este is a World Heritage Site, boasting a Renaissance-style garden with intricately carved basins and fountains. The Viale delle Cento or Rometta fountains are excellent examples of this style.
An elegant loggia is at the center of it all, with two levels lined by lush shrubs and trees on either side. While you can get lost in the garden’s features all day, the Fontana dell’Organo is arguably the most impressive. It was built with a unique hydraulic system that produces musical patterns from the flowing water.
How to visit: Tickets are available at the ticket office in Piazza Trento 5 or online via providers like CoopCulture. However, the easiest way is to book a guided tour like this, which takes care of everything for you.
LEARN: More on best day trips from Rome, including one to the Villa d’Este Gardens.
2. Boboli Gardens, Florence
Next on the list is Boboli Gardens, one of Florence’s main attractions, situated just behind Pitti Palace. These famous gardens were designed for the Medici family in the 16th century, extending around 111 acres from the palace to Fort Belvedere. It features sweeping terraces, ornate fountains, and hidden grottoes, like Grotta Grande.
While strolling along the garden pathways, check out the Egyptian obelisk in the center of an amphitheater or Viottolone avenue lined with box hedges and statues. And don’t forget buildings like the Medici Lemon House. Other must-see highlights include Neptune’s Fountain or the Isolotto, a large pond with more mythological statues in the center. And that’s just the start.
How to visit: Visiting Boboli Gardens is as easy as purchasing tickets from the official website or opting for a more exclusive private tour of Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens from LivTours – Get 5% off with code Untolditaly.
3. Public Gardens of Taormina, Sicily
Also called Giardini della Villa Comunale, this free public park is located on a hillside with views of Mount Etna and the sparkling ocean below. It was originally created in the late 19th century and blends local Sicilian flora with more exotic and rare plants from around the world.
The gardens are covered in greenery and colorful flowers, including magnolias and hibiscus, bright bougainvillea shrubs, and various trees, from cedar to palm trees. The winding paths have plenty of benches to stop for a few moments and take in the relaxing atmosphere. The park also has gorgeous terraces and stone pavilions that make for some great photographs.
How to visit: There’s no need to worry about tickets, as the gardens are open year-round and free to enter.
4. Isola Bella Gardens, Lake Maggiore
If you’re visiting Lake Maggiore, you can’t skip a trip to Isola Bella. It’s part of the lake’s Borromean Islands and one of Italy’s most dazzling baroque gardens. The name translates to “beautiful island,” so that should be an indication of what you’re in for.
The gardens are a multi-tiered masterpiece, with paved pathways, hedge mazes, and bright shrubbery, and no matter where you step, you’ll be surrounded by the blue waters of the lake. While the garden’s entirety is worth seeing, there are two main features – the Palazzo Borromeo and the Teatro Massimo.
Teatro Massimo is a massive pyramid-shaped structure at the center of the gardens. It’s lined with staircases up multiple levels, potted florals, obelisks, carved figures, and a unicorn statue at the very top.
How to visit: To get to the island, take a ferry from Stresa or other towns along Lake Maggiore. Entry tickets to the gardens are available online from the official website or at the island entrance. But like always, the best way to discover Isola Bella is through guided tours. Try this Isola Bella and Pescatori boat tour or ticket for the Borromean Islands.
LISTEN: To our podcast to learn more about Magical Lake Maggiore.
5. Ravello Cliffside Gardens, Amalfi Coast
Ravello’s cliffside gardens are located high up on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast and consist of two separate gardens – one in Villa Cimbrone and the other in Villa Rufolo.
First up is Villa Cimbrone, which is arguably one of the most picturesque spots in Italy. The Terrace of Infinity, or Terrazza dell’Infinito, is the garden’s main feature, with panoramic ocean views. It’s framed by marble busts, railings, and potted plants. The gardens themselves are filled with rose-covered pergolas, statues, and winding pathways.
Up next is Villa Rufolo, which has similar views of the coastline but even more expansive botanical gardens. Enter the villa through a 14th-century tower and walk into a collection of Cyprus and silver fir trees, tons of flowers ranging from roses to orchids, and other Mediterranean vegetation.
How to visit: You can buy tickets for the gardens at Villa Rufolo or Cimbrone once you get there. That said, to avoid the unnecessary trouble of buying tickets to both locations separately, it’s best to try tours that include garden access. These tours from Positano and from Sorrento are great options.
6. Villa Carlotta Botanical Gardens, Lake Como
Villa Carlotta is home to what many call the most stunning botanical gardens in Italy. It’s in the perfect position on the shores of Lake Como, so you can marvel at the sweeping views of the water and distant hills. This grand villa is surrounded by terraced pathways and stairways leading down multiple levels of bustling plantlife.
The garden has three different areas, each with its own unique style. First, the Italian Garden, which houses the citrus tunnels, bright rose-covered walls, and camellia flowers. The Romantic Garden is next, with purple hydrangeas, English roses, azaleas, monumental trees, and other tropical plants. Finally, there’s the more humble Agricultural Section, with a few patches of vegetables.
The gardens also have a bookshop, a café, and a picnic area for the whole family to enjoy.
How to visit: Tickets are available on the official website or at the entrance. You can also opt for the easier option, like this lakeside villa entrance ticket, which includes ferry trips to three different villas on Lake Como, including Villa Carlotta.
DISCOVER: More amazing things to do in Lake Como.
7. Gardens of Augustus, Capri
Capri is one of Italy’s most beautiful islands, and nestled just a short distance from the Piazzetta are the Gardens of Augustus. These 20th-century gardens are the island’s best-kept secret, with jaw-dropping views of the rocky cliffside and a terraced Mediterranean garden.
It may be pretty compact, but the gardens are truly magnificent and ideal for a quiet stroll or some fantastic photography, especially during sunset or sunrise. At one end of the gardens, visitors can admire views of the Faraglioni rocks on the cliffs, and on the other, a view down to Via Krupp and the Marina Piccola.
When you’re done exploring the gardens, make sure to head down Via Krupp. The trek down (and up) the winding path might be a bit tiring, but it’s definitely worth it.
How to visit: You can buy entry tickets from Capri Culture and Tourism online. If you’d prefer, try a private full-day tour of Capri from LivTours – Get 5% off with code Untolditaly.
8. Villa Barberini Gardens, Castel Gandolfo
Villa Barberini is part of the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo and sits just outside Rome in the Alban Hills. Barberini was once part of a private escape for the Pope, but now welcomes visitors from all over to explore its combination of natural beauty and Renaissance architecture.
The gardens are connected to different buildings on the same grounds, including Villa Cybo and Palazzo Barberini. Walking along the paved pathways, you’ll see eye-catching hedges shaped into ornate patterns, labyrinths, and terraces. Of course, there are plenty of Baroque features, like the Fountain of the Bees and the Fountain of the Triton, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
After exploring the gardens, make sure to go to Serre Barberini, a quaint coffee shop constructed in a repurposed greenhouse.
How to visit: The gardens can be visited by using the Vatican Museums website to confirm availability or by purchasing a ticket on-site. Alternatively, you can gain entrance to the Barberini Gardens via affiliated tour providers.
9. Villa Borghese Gardens, Rome
As far as gardens go, the one in Villa Borghese is likely one of the most well-known. Villa Borghese is one of Rome’s largest parks and one of the most beloved. It’s home to places like the Borghese Gallery, the Bioparco di Roma, and much more. Of course, the gardens are impeccable, with wide stone boulevards and scenic viewpoints.
Some must-see highlights of the park include the Terrazza Viale del Belvedere, which overlooks Rome’s city center, the Temple of Aesculapius, perched on top of the lake, and the bronze Monument to King Umberto I. Combine that with the various plantlife and tall trees scattered throughout, and you have one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy.
How to visit: While you need to buy separate tickets when visiting the Borghese Gallery or the zoo, for example, entrance to the park itself is completely free.
10. Royal Palace of Caserta, Caserta
The Palace of Caserta, or Reggia di Caserta, is a Baroque dream often compared to Versailles in France. The gardens are just as inviting as the palace, with separate sections within them.
The first, and arguably the most recognizable section, is the Giardino all’Italiana. This central area stretches almost two miles from the palace beside box-trimmed hedges and trees, the Via d’Acqua, and the Margherita Fountain.
On the south side of the gardens is the English Garden. This more secluded space is filled with 24 acres of exotic plants, like Lebanon cedar trees, agaves, and tropical greenhouses.
How to visit: Tickets for the palace and gardens can be purchased on-site or through the official Reggia di Caserta website. That said, it’s always best to try a more inclusive guided group tour like this, which includes access to the palace.
LEARN: More about visiting in our podcast on the Kingdom of Naple’s Palace of Caserta.
11. Parco Giardino Sigurtà, Valeggio sul Mincio
Valeggio sul Mincio is a small commune in Verona that most people probably don’t think of when they visit Italy. But tucked away in this commune is a floral paradise called the Parco Giardino Sigurtà. It’s one of Italy’s most colorful and well-kept gardens, spanning about 150 acres.
The park is known for the 300 species of brightly-colored flowers that bloom yearly, including tulips, roses, bignonia, water lilies, and even lotus flowers. While you’re there, make sure to go to the Boulevard of Roses, Panoramic Walk, Water Gardens, or Votive Grotto.
In ode to Shakespeare’s story, make sure to check out the Romeo and Juliet Horizontal Sundial, one of the park’s top photo-worthy spots.
How to visit: The park isn’t open year-round, only seasonally from March to November. Tickets can be booked on the official website or through third parties like Viator and GetYourGuide.
12. Giardino Giusti, Verona
Next up is Giardino Giusti, located just a short distance from Verona’s city center. The gardens were designed for the noble Giusti family in the 16th century. Now, they are known for vivid green hedges shaped into labyrinths and the cypress trees alongside pathways.
The gardens begin at the entrance via the main courtyard, which is surrounded by tall ornamental brick walls covered in vines and lined with small statues. The courtyard leads to a Cypress grotto and the main grounds.
Make sure to see the two notable mazes in the gardens – the Parterre alla Francese and the Labirinto. The French-style maze is arguably more impressive, with hedges shaped into circular patterns and five mythological statues scattered throughout.
It doesn’t end there. Walking further into Giardino Giusti, you’ll find other features, including the 13th-century pavilion overlooking the gardens and the Mascherone. This is a uniquely carved stone balcony with an almost grotesque mask face on its facade, designed by Bartolomea Ridolfi.
How to visit: Giardino Giusti is open every day, and tickets can be purchased at the entrance or on the official website.
EXPLORE: More on the city, in the Best things to do in Verona.
13. Giardini La Mortella, Ischia Island
Rounding off this list of top gardens in Italy is the Giardini La Mortella, set on the idyllic Ischia Island. These gardens were created by William and Susana Walton and Russell Page in the mid-20th century. La Mortella is filled with thousands of exotic and Mediterranean plant species, giving it an almost overgrown look, but in the best way.
La Mortella is divided into two sections – the Valley (lower garden) and the Hill (upper garden). Across the two, the garden features everything from lotus pools and rare orchids to Greek pavilions with viewpoints over the ocean.
Surrounding the different water features are various plants from around the world. King Proteas from South Africa, Metrosideros from New Zealand, Puya Berteroniana from Chile – you name it, it’s there. It’s a botanist’s dream.
If that isn’t enough, the gardens often host different festivals and music events, so make sure to check the dates before visiting.
How to visit: Giardini La Mortella is only open to the public seasonally, usually between April and October. The official website has entrance fee details, but tickets can be bought at the ticket office. To make life easier, try this La Mortella Gardens tour, which includes ferry tickets to the island, or this excursion from Ischia.
Wrapping Up the Best Gardens in Italy to Visit
Which one of these enchanting escapes will you explore first? Will you take a relaxing stroll through the grounds of the regal Caserta Gardens, or will you soak up the island charm of Isola Bella? Either way, these gardens offer unmatched beauty at every turn.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to plan your next trip.
It goes without saying that the best time to enjoy the full splendor of these lush landscapes is during springtime. Have a look at these guides on the best months to visit to experience Italy’s gardens:
Our team of writers and creatives at Untold Italy are experts in keeping you informed and inspired about travel in Italy. Our team collaboration involves writers, photographers and editorial staff dedicated to sharing accurate Italy travel information.
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