At Home in Florence:
Villas and Gardens of American and British Expatriates in the 1900s
Villa Gamberaia, November, 2020
Villa Gamberaia is pleased to offer a special week of visits to the villas and gardens of distinguished American and British expatriates: artists and art collectors, poets and novelists who, attracted by the treasures of Renaissance art, the Tuscan landscape, and the ideal of country living, made Florence and the surrounding hills their home abroad.
In the early 1900s the Gamberaia itself was a favorite meeting place of the international expat circle, including Bernard and Mary Berenson, Janet Ross, Vernon Lee and Arthur Acton, who gathered for dinners on the terrace and stimulating conversation on art and literature (and plenty of gossip about their neighbors) with the owner, the Romanian princess Jeanne Ghyka, and her American companion, artist Florence Blood, two very talented women who created the magnificent parterre d’eau.
Our one-week program, including a workshop on garden design and visits to the historic gardens of Florence and the hillside villas of American and British writers, art collectors and architects, is designed for a small group (6-12 persons) seeking both a tranquil setting away from crowds of tourists and a convenient base for visits to Florence and Fiesole. All visits, on-site lectures and workshops are conducted by art historians and landscape architects resident in Florence.
For further information on the week’s program, costs and reservation policy, please contact the office of Villa Gamberaia: info@villagamberaia.com.
