The Garden of the Senses initiative is returning to the Boboli Gardens from May to October 2026, offering a series of guided multisensory tours in the Botanica Superiore, one of the most secluded and biodiverse areas of the historic Medici park.
The programme invites participants to discover the garden beyond sight, focusing instead on fragrances, natural sounds and the textures of plants and other organic surfaces. The tours take place with participants blindfolded and accompanied by sensory guides with visual impairments, creating an immersive experience that encourages visitors to engage with the space from a different perspective.
Located away from the busiest routes through Boboli, the Botanica Superiore is often described as a “garden within a garden”, offering a quieter environment in which to explore the relationship between nature, history and the senses.
Accessibility and technology
The project is organised in collaboration with the Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired and the association Culturaepiù. While designed to improve accessibility for blind and partially sighted visitors, the initiative is open to everyone and aims to raise awareness of alternative ways of experiencing cultural heritage.
More than 200 sensors installed along the route enhance the visit through audio content activated by a special cane and a smartphone application. The system provides information about the plants, the history of the garden and the artistic context of the site.
Each tour lasts approximately one hour.
2026 schedule
All tours begin at 10 a.m. from the Annalena entrance to the Boboli Gardens on Via Romana.
The scheduled dates for 2026 are:
- 4 June
- 18 June
- 10 September
- 24 September
- 1 October
How to take part
Participation is by reservation and is included in the standard admission ticket to the Boboli Gardens.
Bookings can be made by emailing: [email protected].
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