Orto Botanico Giardino dei Semplici - Università di Firenze

Florence, Italy, Italy

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Orto Botanico di Firenze, also known as Giardino dei Semplici or the "Garden of Simples," is Europe's third-oldest botanical garden, founded in 1545 by Cosimo I de' Medici at the University of Florence in central Florence, Italy.

Spanning 2.3 hectares near Piazza San Marco, it originally focused on medicinal plants ("semplici") for medical students and now houses around 9,000 plant species across themed sections like arboretum with century-old trees, greenhouses for tropicals, orchids, cacti, succulents, carnivorous plants, and prehistoric ferns.

Open weekday mornings year-round, it offers peaceful paths, fountains, and biodiversity exhibits as part of the University Museum System, providing a serene escape amid Renaissance history.