One of the most beautiful things about Florence are the palaces that you can find wandering through the city. My personal top two favorites being: Palazzo Vecchio and Pitti Palace. Palazzo Vecchio means “the old palace” because the Medici family left that palace to live in their new and improved Pitti Palace.

Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens

“Purchased in 1550, the Palace was chosen by Cosimo I de’ Medici and his wife Eleanor of Toledo as the new Grand Ducal residence, and it soon became the new symbol of the Medici’s power over Tuscany.” The palace stands on the other side of the Arno from Palazzo Vecchio making it a little more secluded in comparison. They also had room to construct a massive garden in the back called Boboli Gardens. In order to go between both their old palace and their new palace, without touching the ground where the “commoners” lived; the Medici constructed the Vasari Corridor . The corridor connects the top floor of the Uffizi (which is in Palazzo Vecchio) and goes over the Ponte Vecchio, ending at the Boboli Gardens at Palazzo Pitti.

Above is a photo of the entrance to the Vasari Corridor in the Boboli Gardens.

Here is a map of how large the Vasari Corridor is:

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Planning Your Visit

Here at Italian Life, we highly recommend booking your tickets online ahead of time. You can book tickets on their website here.

During the Summer the museums are normally slammed with tourists so being prepared and having your ticket will ensure that you are able to enter the grounds. If you decide to get some last minute tickets, they have a ticket entrance outside the entrance to Pitti Palace. Be sure to pack some comfortable walking shoes because just the garden is 111 acres. You are also able to come and go with your ticket if you decide to take an Aperol break in between.