Ville Medicee, a journey through the Tuscan Renaissance

The Medici Villas and Gardens, a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2013, were a true revolution of the concept of country residence.

Italian-style gardens, fountains with water features, sculptures and flowerbeds replaced the austere fortresses, giving the Tuscan countryside an elegant new look, at the behest of the powerful Medici family. To complete the journey a night at the Opera for us in Florence in the elegant Teatro del Maggio.

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Highlights:

Ville Medicee and the Italian Gardens: Medici's symbols of power: Villa La Ferdinanda, Villa di Castello, Villa Petraia and their wonderful gardens
Opera and/or Concerts: A night of great music at Teatro del Maggio
Leonardo da Vinci: From the Museo Leonardiano to Leonardo's House in the beautiful Vinci

Lenght of Tour: 5 days / 4 nights
Suggested time: All year, especially in combination with:

Unique journey through the beauty of the Renaissance, Leonardo's Vinci experience and a magical night of Music at the Teatro del Maggio in Florence.

A lovely stay in the wonderful Tenuta Artiminio, sleeping and relaxing in an ancient Medici-era estate, surrounded by the Tuscan hills, among vineyards and olive gardens. This is just the starting point of a journey full of magical and historical places worth to be visited.

From Villa Ferdinanda, also called "Villa dei Cento Camini", to Villa di Castello and Villa LaPetraia, this is a journey inside the beauty of the Reinassence era to be discovered through the art like the big collection of paintings hosted inside the "Museo della Natura Morta" and the wonderful gardens, perfect places where getting lost.

Complete this interesting itinerary dedicating a special visit to Vinci, hometown of the genius of Leonardo, and a night to the Great Opera combining the journey with a performance at Teatro del Maggio in the heart of Florence.

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Tenuta Artimino

Villa Medicea di Castello

Museo Leonardo da Vinci

Travel Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival in Florence / Artimino

Arrival by own means and accommodation at the Tenuta Artimino Melia Collection 4*, (accommodation can be spread between hotel and flats in the hamlet). Rooms available in the afternoon. Just a few kilometres from Florence, an ancient Medici-era estate surrounded by the Tuscan countryside, overlooking vineyards and olive groves. A magical place with rooms housed in a Renaissance building, flats in the medieval village of Artimino, swimming pool, spa, tennis court, gourmet restaurant and wine cellar. www.artimino.com
In the afternoon visit of Villa La Ferdinanda di Artimino. Overlooking the hills and vineyards of Montalbano, in a dominant position on the hillock that had already hosted a sacred area in Etruscan times, Villa Medicea La Ferdinanda di Artimino was built in 1596 at the behest of Grand Duke Ferdinando I de' Medici and designed by Bernardo Buontalenti. The Ferdinanda is also called Villa dei Cento Camini, because of the numerous chimneys that protrude from the top of the building and make it unique.
Dinner in the estate restaurant and overnight stay.

Day 2 - Villa di Castello / Villa La Petraia

Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure by coach to Castello (22km). Visit to the garden of Villa medicea Reale di Castello, it became part of the Medici family's property in 1477. Here Marsilio Ficino educated the young Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco to the humanistic point of view, and for this Villa, Botticelli painted La Nascita di Venere and La Primavera, works later transferred to the Uffizi.
Light lunch in a selected restaurant.
In the afternoon visit to Villa Petraia. The Villa stands with its unmistakable tower in a dominant position on the slopes of Monte Morello sloping towards the plain with a splendid view of Florence. Despite the modifications made mainly in the 18th and 19th centuries, the garden still retains intact the geometric spatiality of the original 16th-century layout, which is due to Ferdinando I dei Medici, as seen in the bezel by Giusto Utens, today preserved, together with the other thirteen of the series, in the villa itself.
Return to Artimino. Dinner in the estate restaurant and overnight.

Day 3 - Poggio a Caiano / Florence

Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure by coach to Villa di Poggio a Caiano (9 km). It was designed by Giuliano da Sangallo for Lorenzo il Magnifico, as an example of Renaissance architecture that merged the lesson of the classics (especially Vitruvius) with characteristic elements of the Tuscan rural architecture.
The visit continue to the villa, the Museo della Natura Morta housing around 200 paintings belonging to the Medici family, from the late 16th to the mid-18th century, and the garden.
Lunch in a selected restaurant. Return to Artimino and free time and relax.
Transfer by bus to Florence to attend an Opera/Concert at Teatro del Maggio.
At the end transfer to the hotel by bus and overnight.

Day 4 - Villa di Cerreto Guidi / Vinci

Breakfast in hotel.
Departure by coach to Villa di Cerreto Guidi (27 km). The construction of the villa, erected using the materials of the ruined Rocca dei Conti Guidi and the second circle of walls, took place between 1564 and 1566 when the building is cited as "walled up again".
Lunch in a selected restaurant.
In the afternoon guided tour of Museo Leonardiano di Vinci and Casa Leonardo. In Vinci, Leonardo was born and gained his first inspirations for his studies and pictorial works. The Museo Leonardiano presents one of the most extensive and original collections dedicated to the many interests of Leonardo technologist, architect, scientist, painter and, more generally, to the history of Renaissance technology.
Following, wine tasting in a wine cellar in the Vinci area.
Return to Artimino.
Free dinner and overnight.