Outside the center but not far from Florence, the Stibbert museum, two parks and a monastery where you can sleep low cost, here is our review.
Il hill of Montughi, which is located north of the center of Florence, but at a very short distance (even on foot, 20 minutes) has attracted many wealthy families for its beauty in past centuries. Ancient villas dot this part of the city, where the extra-urban Tuscan landscape is still original; and one of the fascinated, in the nineteenth century, was the Anglo-Florentine (or Anglobecero, as it was called in Florence) Frederick Stibbert.
English on his father's side and Italian on his mother's side, he lived in his villa on the Montughi hill, surrounded by a vast park and dedicated most of his life and possessions to collecting, especially weapons but also works of art . On his death, the villa and park were left to the city and became a museum by his will, the Stibbert Museum. I must say that for those like me, children in the 70s, this museum was the only interesting destination: here, in fact, one was catapulted into an ancient world, not made up of boring paintings and statues, but of warriors and horses, dressed in armor and iron mesh.
Le halls in the Gothic style aroused a certain fear, especially that of the cavalcade, where even a St. George skewered the terrible dragon to death!
These are my memories, with the eyes of a child, but over the years the Stibbert Museum has qualified as important center of studies on armor, I quote from the museum site: “armor, sidearms and firearms especially from the XNUMXth-XNUMXth centuries, but there are also some XNUMXth-century pieces, archaeological objects and XNUMXth-century specimens. The armor, mostly from the sixteenth century, comes from Italian, German, French schools and responds to the needs of war or various types of war game. "
Also the Museum has a unusual collection of Islamic weapons, a huge collection of Japanese armory and a collection of ancient European and Oriental clothes and costumes, which are exhibited in exhibitions, organized every year and very interesting. The visit of the museum is accompanied by a caretaker and costs 8 € per person, with reductions for minors.
It's free instead the beautiful park that surrounds the villa, also full of curiosities according to the owner's romantic spirit. The villa from the outside is decorated with coats of arms, the most diverse; if you go into the park you will find surprises continuously, from the circular temple to the statues, to the real curiosity that is the Egyptian temple, which surmounts an artificial lake populated by noisy ducks. The Egyptian temple fascinates all children!
Museum and park are closed on Thursdays.
Adjacent to the Stibbert Park (located in via Stibbert) is the Baden Powell garden, a beautiful green area full of games for children and shady trees; through a gate you can then enter the park of Villa Fabbricotti, a villa in an elevated position (now there are offices) with a romantic park open to the public. The villa is famous because Queen Victoria "came down" here when she came to Florence!
As you can see, this whole part of the city is interesting, relaxing and not far from the center to which it is connected by bus nr. 4.
For sleeping I can recommend the Benedictine monastery, in via Santa Marta. It is an ancient convent, where the nuns, cloistered but with a passion for hospitality, host guests in a modern wing. 15 rooms suitable for a low cost tourist. And the monastery is in a stunning location in via Santa Marta 7, overlooking the adjacent hills.
And finally ... I live in this area, come and ring the bell!
