Villa Palmieri, Fiesole, Renaissance villa in Fiesole, Italy
Villa Palmieri is a Renaissance villa in Fiesole with an oval-shaped garden planted with lemon trees that frame a central basin. Located on the slopes below Piazza San Domenico, it commands views across Florence and the surrounding Tuscan hills.
Construction began in the 14th century under the Fini family, and the property acquired its current name in 1454 when Marco Palmieri purchased it. This change of ownership marked the beginning of a new chapter for the residence.
The gardens served as the setting for Boccaccio's Decameron, a work written when Florence was struck by plague, and this literary connection shapes how visitors experience the space today. Walking through the grounds, one can sense the creative energy tied to this story and the refuge the place once offered.
The oval garden with its lemon trees is protected by nineteenth-century glass structures during winter months, allowing visits throughout the year. The property sits on a sloped terrain accessed via paths from below Piazza San Domenico, and the grounds are generally easy to navigate on foot.
Queen Victoria chose this villa for three separate stays between 1888 and 1894 during her visits to Florence, making it a favored retreat for European royalty. These royal visits underscore how appealing the property was to distinguished travelers from across the continent.
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