Parks, salvations in summer for the Florentine Area

The two cities of Signa and Lastra a Signa are separated by the Arno River. And it is along the river that we find ample green spaces available for refreshing relaxation. In Signa, the Renai Park is an oasis of vegetation, bodies of water and facilities for sports, with a swimming pool, volleyball court, as well as a bathing pond. We speak of this area often, given its accessibility from Florence.

Along the river, but on the other bank is the Parco Fluviale or Di Là d’Arno, a flat, green, tree-lined space where you can bike, picnic or play. If you prefer to head up into the hills, the Lastra a Signa area offers the beautiful park of Villa Caruso Bellosguardo, once the residence of tenor Enrico Caruso. The somewhat dated park alternates between Italian garden and wooded areas, offering (as the name implies) a beautiful view.

The territory of Reggello is already densely green, however one notable public park is also interesting for its role in remembering the victims of the flooding of the Resco River in 1966, a difficult year. Le Lastre Park lends itself to picturesque walks, being immersed in the greenery by following the paths of the waterways that run through the area.
And what about Bagno a Ripoli, where the urbanization has certainly not heavily affected the overall landscape? Here, too, you can find a large, lived-in and popular park called I Ponti, today dedicated to Silvano (Nano) Campeggi, a celebrated local famous for illustrating the posters of the most popular films of the past with his unmistakable workmanship.

The territory west of Florence, being quite flat, is occupied by the municipalities of Sesto Fiorentino and Calenzano. Here, you can find two beautiful green spaces.

Among ancient villas, Etruscan architecture and a country-like atmosphere, there is the Villa Solaria Park, owned by the City of Sesto Fiorentino. The park covers an area of nearly 64,600 square feet (or 60,000 square meters) and is characterized by large meadows separated by dense wooded areas. Among the most remarkable specimens in terms of age and size are the cypresses, maples, cedars, horse chestnuts, pines, oaks, redwoods, yews, limes, white poplars and ginkgo biloba.

Located between Calenzano and Prato is yet another splendid green space named Neto Park. Covering an area of some 17 acres (7 hectares), it has retained the characteristics of a wetland area, once common throughout the plain, as a relic of a larger lake system with a network of pathways bordered by rows of linden and plane trees.

The largest, most characteristic and valuable gardens and parks in the Florentine Area, however, were left by the Medici family. As nature lovers, they had villas in picturesque places which you can discover, starting with the huge expanse of the Pratolino Medici Park in the municipality of Vaglia, a place that offers experiences of art and nature.
But even in Florence, there are a few gems, from the gardens of the Medici Villas of Petraia and Castello (much beloved even by Florentines) to the more recently opened Villa La Quiete Garden, a true 18ᵗʰ-century jewel. Built between 1724 and 1727 at the behest of the Electress Palatine—the last representative of the Medici lineage—it is a unique example of a formal garden, still retaining its original forms.