Liguria is quite famous for some of its amazing Mediterranean gardens. Renowned names include:
- Giardini Hanbury in Ventimiglia, dating back to 1867, thanks to the vision of English explorer Thomas Hanbury;
- Giardino Pallanca in Bordighera, with more than 3.200 different types of exotic plants;
- Villa Nobel, where Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel lived for six years, in Sanremo.
Sanremo is known as the City of Flowers (la Città dei Fiori) for the beautiful flowers it cultivates, which are exported internationally.
There are some lesser-known yet beautiful gardens in the Gulf of Poets, too. The best time to visit them is spring to early fall, with spring offering the most impactful scenery and scents.
So, if you love nature and plants and are looking for a spring break off the beaten path in Liguria, don’t miss the following gardens in the Bay of La Spezia!
La Marrana in Montemarcello
“La Marrana Arte Ambientale” was created by passionate collectors Grazia and Gianni Bolongaro in 1997. Their objective was to promote contemporary art in the territory as a cultural development factor and add value to the Regional Nature Park of Montemarcello Magra Vara, where the artistic garden is located.
A pinewood surrounds the works of art by various artists, most of whom have conceived and created something specifically for La Marrana. Every artist was invited to visit and stay in the Gulf of Poets to understand the territory’s spirit, environment and history. The results are site-specific works of art that express the sensations that the artist experienced in these lands between Liguria and Tuscany.
The Art Gardens of La Marrana feature permanent works of art by about 20 artists, including Joseph Kosuth, Jan Fabre, Kengiro Azuma, Hamish Fulton, Claudia Losi, and Vedovamazzei. There are also occasional temporary sculptures and audio-visual installations.
The gardens are open upon request and reservation for groups from April to October. As of 2024, the venue is closed to individual visits.
To book your tour, email or call + 39 0187 600 158.
Gardens of La Spezia
The Giardini Pubblici della Spezia are the city’s historic gardens. At the core is the original “Boschetto” garden, created around 1825. It is home to the “Palco della Musica,” a small building in the Art Nouveau style that has hosted concerts by the Navy band and local orchestras in the past.
In addition to a series of evergreen plants, in the gardens, there are numerous bust sculptures in memory of the most illustrious people from La Spezia, an imposing bronze equestrian statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi, and the Allende Centre, where numerous cultural events and exhibitions take place.
The gardens are crossed by a cycling path that runs throughout La Spezia and ends with a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the city.
Caneva Gardens in Sarzana
Inaugurated in 2022, the Caneva Gardens cover an area of 12,000 square meters with approximately 2200 varieties of plants.
The new botanical garden in Sarzana does not use fertilizers or other chemical products. It is a point of interest for botanical culture, innovation in agriculture, and to learn about evergreen species in Italy.
For information, contact or visit giardinicaneva.org.
Villa Marigola in Lerici
The gardens of Villa Marigola can only be visited by groups upon request and advance reservation. This period property is a venue for events and special occasions.
The original building dates back to the 1700s, when it was a holiday home to the Ollandini Marquis. After the second half of the 1800s, the architectural history of the white villa and its garden adapts to the European romantic and decadent culture. Finally, in the 1900s, the garden was revisited as a “giardino all’italiana” based on symmetry and axial geometry.
Villa Marigola is located halfway between the hamlets of Lerici and San Terenzo, offering beautiful views of the Gulf of Poets.
For more information and to book a group visit, you can email or visit villamarigolaeventi.com.
Villa Rezzola in Lerici
Overlooking the Gulf of Poets, Villa Rezzola is an ancient manor house immersed in a vast terraced garden that slopes down to the sea. The English garden features a long wisteria pergola, a monumental lawn, woods, and cultivated areas such as a rose garden, a vegetable garden, and an orchard.
The estate was donated to Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI), or the National Trust of Italy, in 2020 and is undergoing restoration works until December 2024. It is temporarily closed to the public. For updates, visit fondoambiente.it/luoghi/villa-rezzola.
Botanical Garden of Montemarcello
The “Orto Botanico di Montemarcello” is located on the Caprione Promontory at 365 meters of altitude. From up here, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Apuan Alps and the mouth of the Magra River. The garden extends throughout 6.000m² inside the Montemarcello Magra Regional Nature Park and was instituted in 1999.
This Botanical Garden in the Gulf of Poets is only open to visitors upon request/reservation. For information, contact +39 0187 626 172 or +39 327 127 3871.
Please note that this botanical garden will be closed in 2024 – a reopening date has still not been issued.
The Montemarcello Magra Nature Park is open as usual. For more information, visit parcomagra.it.
Spring break in the Gulf of Poets between Liguria and Tuscany
If you are dreaming about your next spring break or vacation later in summer and fall, the Gulf of Poets might be just what you are looking for. This magical destination is little known, yet it is conveniently located between the famous Cinque Terre and Tuscany. Pristine nature, ancient history, genuine gastronomy and surprising art are only some of the highlights you will find here!
