The Gardens of Gamberaia

Villa Gamberaia offers an exclusive retreat where timeless beauty and refined luxury intertwine. Guests may immerse themselves in the full array of its elegant spaces — from the stately rooms within the villa to the recently refurbished luxury apartments in the Limonaia, as well as the breathtaking gardens.

Our stunning Italian Renaissance gardens, whose history has been celebrated by renowned landscape architects and art historians alike, have often been copied and featured in countless masterpieces of literature. In its list of “The 25 Essential Gardens to See in Your Lifetime”, the New York Times includes our beloved Villa Gamberaia:

“The space is arranged as a long, grassy bowling green opening onto a series of small garden rooms,” the article notes, “composed mostly of cypress, boxwood, yew, oak, lemon and olive trees, with mixed borders of lavender, irises and roses.

A cypress-lined avenue draws the eye toward the main entrance, running parallel to a broad lawn once used as a bowling green. A second axis, running east to west, bisects the garden, culminating in a jewel-like cabinet de rocaille framed by holm oaks. Beyond, the rear garden offers a lemon house and an elegant French-style parterre. A birdcage and a small garenna—a warren for ornamental rabbits—confer a subtle air of cultivated eccentricity. Statues and busts of the Four Seasons, urns and ornamental details enrich the garden’s grottoes and perimeter walls with layers of symbolism and poetic flair.

The villa is also a sought-after location for creative endeavours, serving as an exceptional backdrop for fashion shoots, runway shows, design catalogues, as well as film productions, advertising campaigns, and historical settings. 

Its celebrated gardens, renowned for their exquisite elegance and grandeur, have hosted private dinners for some of the most prestigious Italian and international fashion houses. These outdoor spaces provide absolute privacy, complemented by flawless event organization that ensures every occasion is executed with impeccable finesse.

Visit The Gardens

Our gardens are open for visitor, but please before booking your visit, check our calendar: during private events or private rentals the gardens are not open to the public.  The calendar interface is continuously updated in real time with the various bookings. 

Please book your ticket to the Gardens using the link on our website, as we can only welcome a limited number of visitors at a time. The Villa is not open to the public visits.

If you are coming by car, a parking for guests is available in front of Villa Gamberaia.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any other question or concern.

Impressions and Recollections of Villa Gamberaia

What writers and artists say about us

Charles Latham, The Gardens of Italy (London, 1905) p. 113.

If you get pure beauty, you get about the best thing God has to give. Long ago, so spoke an old painter, and his words came back to me again and yet again as on a June afternoon I strayed in Villa Gamberaia. From the moment you pass the gate, with its sentinel cypresses, the impression is one of such perfect loveliness that at last by force of contrast, the mind goes back to strong Caprarola or tragic Este, only to turn once more to bathe in the perfection of the Tuscan villa.

Gamberaia stands on a long narrow piece of land; it is not large, but it is utilised and managed so as to give all that the mind can desire of variety, and space itself.

At the Villa Gamberaia, however, the aim of elaborate variety was extended into the colour scheme, which begins in the ivory and brown tones of the house, and changes to all shades of green, from deep cypress through the varieties of box, yew, ilex, and privet to the light green of lemon trees and grass.

Certainly the minds of the Florentine family of Capponi were original and inventive. First, in 1570, they created the beautifully detailed asymmetrical gardens at Arcetri overlooking Florence, a simple design that has the archetypal similarities to Bingham’s Melcombe in England; and in 1717 they finally synthesised and completed the slowly evolving complex of the Villa Gamberaia at Settignano across the Arno valley, whose concept of a domestic landscape is by general consent the most thoughtful the western world has known.

Nowhere else in my recollection have the liquid and solid been blended with such refinement on a scale that is human yet grand without pomposity… It leaves an enduring impression of serenity, dignity and blithe repose.

Walked over to Villa Gamberaia, found it neglected, unkempt, grass not mown, trees with branches broken looking like elephants with broken tusks, the house burnt out with the beautiful courtyard fallen in, vases and stone animals on parapet thrown down and broken – and yet the place retains its charm, its power to inspire longing and dreams, sweet dreams. Its beauty though so uncared for is still great enough to absorb one almost completely, the terraces, the ponds, the great apse of cut cypresses, the bowling green as you look at it from the grotto toward the south like a great boat sailing through space, the view over the quiet landscape of the Chianti hills and further over domes and towers to the snow-capped Appennines and the Arno glimmering in the plain.

Fifty years ago I began to frequent this paradise, then belonging to a narcissistic Rumanian lady who lived mysteriously in love with herself perhaps and certainly with her growing creation, the garden of the Gamberaia. … for years the Gamberaia remained one of the fari (beacons), one of the haunts of my life, well into his century, till 1910 at least.

What the press says...

Benedetta Rossi Albini, Ad Italia, giugno 2025

"Because there is something intrinsically special here. Perhaps it is the location—a hilltop, that of Settignano, overlooking Florence with a calm benevolence. Perhaps it is the sacredness of this land, hallowed by the Etruscans, rich in history and intricate anthropological ties. Or perhaps it is that wall of lush greenery which, at a certain point—breaking the rules of the classical Italian garden—opens with almost metaphysical arches, gazing out onto the panorama like suspended windows, like doors to infinity.

What truly enchants, finally, are those four mirrored basins, so harmoniously and symmetrically designed, reflecting the sky and the passage of the seasons. They symbolize the creativity and will of an extraordinary woman who lived here during happy, intense years: Princess Ghyka, the secret heroine of a cosmopolitan and cultured Florence, who, between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, enlivened rural life on these hills with her cultural circles and fêtes—sometimes decidedly libertine—in a countryside otherwise dedicated to far more restrained pursuits"

Cecil Pinsent, Giardini moderni all’italiana, “il giardino fiorito” June 1931

Today… the garden should give the impression of a house extended into the open-air, and its diverse aspects should succeed one another in such a way that when walking through it one is confronted by a series of impressions rather than a single effect… The best example of this design is at… Villa Gamberaia… after having walked in that garden, relatively small in size, one goes away with the impression of having spent more time there and having discovered more than was in reality the case.

Brenda Vaiani, Forster Magazine,  July 2025
Villa Gamberaia in Florence: One of the World’s Most Beautiful Gardens Has a Queer History

Villa Gamberaia, nestled in the hills above Florence and often ranked among the most beautiful gardens in the world, harbors an unexpected queer history. In 1854, the last elderly member of the Capponi family sold the estate. The villa then changed hands several times, entering a period of decline and semi-abandonment. Yet the silent allure of Gamberaia continued to captivate all who visited. Among them was a Russian-Romanian princess: Jeanne Catherine Ghyka, sister of Queen Natalia of Serbia. It might sound like the plot of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett—but this is no fiction. Jeanne purchased the villa in 1896, and under her care, both the house and the gardens reached the height of their beauty. She provided the vision; the execution fell to gardener Martino Porcinai—father of the renowned landscape architect Pietro Porcinai. But Jeanne was far more than a patron. She worked closely with Porcinai, personally overseeing every detail and sharing his passion for flowers and color—particularly the blue of irises and plumbago. What had once been a vegetable garden was transformed into a vast reflecting pool: four rectangular stone-bordered basins, adorned with their favorite blooms. Thus was born the parterre d'eau—a unique take on the Italian formal garden, and soon the emblem of Villa Gamberaia. Since then, it has remained untouched. Yet this is only one of the many stories that make this place so special...

What our guests say about The Villa: 

"By chance, I had read that in Settignano, on the hills above Florence, there is a private villa, Villa Gamberaia, with a garden ranked among the twenty most beautiful in the world. So my husband and I decided to visit it. It is truly stunning and impeccably maintained, almost like stepping into an elegant drawing room. From here, the view unfolds over the entire Florentine plain and the city itself, breathtakingly beautiful and evocative. It is such a pity that this place is so little known among Italians and not valued as it truly deserves". Milva Massini

"What truly made the difference was the outstanding service: warm, professional, and attentive at every step. A truly exceptional venue for weddings or special celebrations. The newly restored Limonaia was magical, and the gardens are beyond words.
I highly recommend it to anyone: it’s a place of timeless beauty, and a team that goes above and beyond". Gracie Langston

"It was a privilege to film at Villa Gamberaia, a jewel of Tuscan garden design nestled in the hills of Settignano, overlooking Florence. We’re immensely grateful to the team for their generosity in opening the gates exclusively for us. Their warm welcome made it possible for us to explore the gardens in peace and detail, allowing us to showcase the refined geometry, reflective pools and cypress-lined vistas that have inspired generations of architects and landscape designers.
The experience has enriched our video material for Academy Travel, and we look forward to sharing this unique perspective with our audience. Our sincere thanks again to the Villa Gamberaia team for making this special opportunity possible". Damien Flint

"As a wedding guest here, I can say that I cannot imagine a better wedding venue. Every detail was perfect and every need was met gracefully and immediately by the friendly staff. And it’s the most beautiful property in the world! Highly recommend, do it, go for it!" William Ezekowitz

"The visit to Villa Gamberaia was an experience of great value for our Garden Club— a garden that combines formal rigor, harmony, and extraordinary beauty.
Recognized among the most beautiful gardens in the world, it stands as one of the finest expressions of the Italian garden.
A unique place, made even more enjoyable by the warm welcome and impeccable organization".
Horti Pisani Garden Club
President

Martine Morra Ruschi

"Villa Gamberaia is one of the best locations in the hillsides of Florence. The ambient is peaceful and filled with mystery and beauty. The presence of it former owner. Princess Jeanne Ghyka still lingers in the gardens, and if you are listening carefully, especially before sunset, the moment when she used to take her silent walks around the villa, you can hear her calm care and devotion towards her garden. Everyone at the villa is really welcoming and polite, the spaces being comfortable and spacious. Everything has the appearance of refined elegance and dignified beauty. I recommend staying at least a month in Gamberaia's perimeter, an experience that completely changes one's heart and spirit".