If you have found your perfect vacation rental in Veneto and are thinking about spending some time exploring the wider region and all that it has to offer, then you should definitely ensure to set aside a day to head the few kilometres just outside of the city of Verona to the Moreniche hills overlooking Lake Garda, where you’ll find the Parco Giardino Sigurtà. Often listed as one of the most beautiful gardens in the world and with good reason, it is a truly breath-taking place and a perfectly idyllic spot to get well and truly away from the humdrum surroundings of daily life to experience something utterly refreshing and rather extraordinary.
First established as a park all the way back in 1617 and now combined with a modern garden, the park was sold by its last owner, Dr Carlo Sigurtà, in 1941 and was then opened to the public in 1978. It extends over a whopping 600,000 square meters and is made up of a diverse landscape including woodlands, a medicinal herb garden, a grotto, 18 (yes, eighteen!) flowering ornamental lakes, incredible fields of flowers, a dog cemetery, the Hermitage, the Great Lawn, the Great Oak, a farm, and more. The scale and variety is utterly staggering and the whole thing is an amazing sight to behold with plenty to keep anyone more than occupied for a day (or several!).
First established as a park all the way back in 1617 and now combined with a modern garden, the park was sold by its last owner, Dr Carlo Sigurtà, in 1941 and was then opened to the public in 1978. It extends over a whopping 600,000 square meters and is made up of a diverse landscape including woodlands, a medicinal herb garden, a grotto, 18 (yes, eighteen!) flowering ornamental lakes, incredible fields of flowers, a dog cemetery, the Hermitage, the Great Lawn, the Great Oak, a farm, and more. The scale and variety is utterly staggering and the whole thing is an amazing sight to behold with plenty to keep anyone more than occupied for a day (or several!).
Thousands of people visit each year to experience the five seasons of flowering – of an unbelievable 1,000,000 tulips, of irises, roses, lilies, and asters – and to wander among the famous 40,000 sculpted box trees that are in all sorts of surprising, funny, and surreal forms. In addition to the more obvious and the more showy elements of the gardens, you can take guided tours of the grounds using audio-guides, hop on a fun train to tour around the area, rent a bicycle and go exploring on your own terms, take the electric shuttle service tour to learn all about the history and park in great detail, have a picnic on the lawns, visit one of the four food bars, try your luck in the labyrinth, visit the animals of the educational farm, attend yoga evenings, go to cosplay events, attend art and photography exhibitions, go to an operatic performance, enjoy the buskers day, even participate in a table tennis tournament, and much, much more besides!
It is this diverse, wonderful, and often eccentric collection and collaboration of various elements, seasonal plants, features, and events that ensures there is always something to see no matter when you visit and that you will always leave impressed and satisfied. Parco Giardino Sigurtà is fun for everyone and just a rather special place. It is certainly a real must-see for those who love the great outdoors, adventure, and surprises and who are planning a holiday in Veneto and is surely one of the most incredible gardens that you could ever hope to visit – in both Italy and beyond.
It is this diverse, wonderful, and often eccentric collection and collaboration of various elements, seasonal plants, features, and events that ensures there is always something to see no matter when you visit and that you will always leave impressed and satisfied. Parco Giardino Sigurtà is fun for everyone and just a rather special place. It is certainly a real must-see for those who love the great outdoors, adventure, and surprises and who are planning a holiday in Veneto and is surely one of the most incredible gardens that you could ever hope to visit – in both Italy and beyond.
Parco Giardino Sigurtà
Valeggio sul Mincio, Verona
+ 39 045 6371033
Opening hours:
From April to September the gardens are open from 9am to 6pm
In March, October, and November the gardens are open from 9am to 5pm
Note: The most visitors tend to come in April to experience the amazing phenomenon of the endless blooming tulips in the gardens first-hand. If you want to see the tulips for yourself, this is the time to visit. If you want to avoid crowds, this may not be the best time to plan your trip.
Tickets:
Children (5-14 years of age): €7.00
Adults: €14.00
Over 65s: €10.00
Valeggio sul Mincio, Verona
+ 39 045 6371033
Opening hours:
From April to September the gardens are open from 9am to 6pm
In March, October, and November the gardens are open from 9am to 5pm
Note: The most visitors tend to come in April to experience the amazing phenomenon of the endless blooming tulips in the gardens first-hand. If you want to see the tulips for yourself, this is the time to visit. If you want to avoid crowds, this may not be the best time to plan your trip.
Tickets:
Children (5-14 years of age): €7.00
Adults: €14.00
Over 65s: €10.00
Photo credits:
Picture 1: Giulia balestrieri / CC BY-SA 4.0;
Picture 2: Magnus Manske / CC BY-SA 4.0;
Picture 1: Giulia balestrieri / CC BY-SA 4.0;
Picture 2: Magnus Manske / CC BY-SA 4.0;