As we emerge from our homes to embrace the summer season, there's never been a better time to get outdoors and visit Italy's most beautiful parks and gardens. The Grandi Giardini Italiani, a network of 140 gardens, makes it easy to discover and visit the most beautiful green spaces all over Italy.
From villas with hedge mazes and botanical gardens to contemporary art parks and the famous "Giardini all'Italiana", this green network offers a wide range of experiences to anyone who loves art, culture, nature and botany. First established in 1997 by Judith Wade, a Scottish entrepreneur who lives on Lake Como, the Grandi Giardini Italiani is a leader in horticultural and sustainable tourism in Italy. And unlike other networks of its kind, it is a cultural company, rather than an association or philanthropic organization.
"Italy's biggest asset is culture, so I don't see anything wrong with making a company out of cultural heritage," begins Ms. Wade. "Money makes the world go round and it allows us to provide services to our guests, create work for local professionals and sustain our patrimony. I didn't go into this for the profit: I'm just an entrepreneur who saw an opportunity to set up a business in the world of cultural tourism."
As tourism has evolved, travelers have increasingly sought out experiences that reconnect them with the great outdoors. While they may spend the morning visiting a museum and have a leisurely lunch at a trattoria, they might spend an afternoon reading a book in a garden.
