Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany

The Medici Villas and Gardens represent a collection of twelve country residences built by the powerful Medici family between the 15th and 17th centuries across the Tuscan countryside.

Construction began in the 15th century when Cosimo the Elder commissioned architect Michelozzo to transform medieval fortifications into luxurious retreats that would serve as centers of political power.

These villas became centers of Renaissance humanism where Lorenzo the Magnificent hosted the Platonic Academy and gathered prominent intellectuals, artists, and philosophers for scholarly discussions.

Visitors can access most villas year-round through guided tours, with several locations featuring museums displaying original Medici furnishings, artworks, and historical artifacts from the Renaissance period.

The villa gardens pioneered Italian landscape architecture techniques, featuring geometric patterns, elaborate water systems, and terraced designs that influenced garden design throughout Europe.