Florence - Ville Medicee

Some members of the many branches of the Medici family built themselves, as their summer homes, imposing villas in large grounds in the beautiful Tuscan hills close to the city. Here, in the buildings and gardens, the architects could give free rein to their talents and their imagination, albeit initially within the constraints of the Renaissance. Artists, painters and sculptors were presented with plenty of opportunities to show the lighter side of their art. Some of the finest of these villas, which can be visited, are described below.