Living in the green - Venice's secret gardens

From the royal gardens to the public ones to the flowered cloisters and private residences that can be glimpsed from the grates: Venice is full of greenery, all to be discovered

Secret Gardens Venice: what seems to be the title of a film is instead another magnificent reality of this city that never ceases to hide corners full of charm, capable of conquering, over the centuries, artists, ladies and poets. Behind high walls there are often hidden and secret gardens, of which only those who truly love Venice know exist.

You may also be interested in: The hidden courts of Venice

These are often patrician gardens, historically inaccessible to the public and usually used to indulge the pleasures of the rich but also monastery gardens used as a real natural pharmacy. Today many of these spaces can be visited, if not always, at least in some periods of the year, and represent an unexpected wealth. Visiting the secret gardens of Venice, in fact, offers a unique experience. Here are the ones not to be missed.

Royal Gardens of Venice

They are located in the heart of the city, a few steps from San Marco. Reopened to the public only in 2019 after a five-year renovation, they are the result of a Napoleonic project. Today they are also interesting from a botanical point of view for the different varieties present.

Gardens of the Venice Biennale

They are the largest public gardens in the historic center and home to the famous exhibition since the first edition in 1895. In addition to the Central Pavilion dedicated to Italy, they host 29 pavilions from foreign countries, including some designed by famous architects.

You may also be interested in: Opening of the Venice Biennale of Art

Greenhouse of the Gardens

Also called Serra Margherita, it is located a short distance from the Giardini della Biennale and dates back to the same period when it was built to house an exhibition of exotic plants. Refurbished just over a decade ago, they represent a real oasis of beauty and tranquility.

Thetis space

A garden that manages to combine greenery and art. In the Castello district, a few steps from the Biennale, it houses works by important artists such as the "Sonorous stones" by Pinuccio Sciola and "The man who measures the clouds" by Jan Fabre.

The secret gardens of Venice, however, are also many among private residences and a look behind a city wall can reveal magical hidden landscapes. Scroll through the gallery and discover our properties for sale with private open spaces, condominium gardens or exclusive outdoor spaces.

If you haven't found your exclusive green space yet, you can continue reading and dreaming with the list of our secret gardens.

Borges labyrinth

It is one of the most fascinating green spaces in the city. It is a real labyrinth of box hedges, created to pay homage to the figure of the great Argentine writer. On the island of San Giorgio Maggiore over three thousand plants in an area of ​​2,300 square meters to create a real oasis where it is nice to get lost and meditate.

The gardens of San Francesco della Vigna

A corner of the Middle Ages still jealously guarded by the Order of Friars Minor. As the name suggests, the main cultivation is still the vine, a few meters from the sea.

Mystical Garden of Scalzi

A place that preserves the scents of this city because the medicinal herbs that have been used by the Discalced Carmelites to produce the water of lemon balm are grown here since the eighteenth century. It will be a pleasure to dive into the scents of the different thematic areas among which they are divided.

Grimani ai Servi Garden

It takes its name from an ancient noble palace located along the Fondamenta Grimani in Cannaregio. Once you cross the walls, a snapshot opens onto a sixteenth-century garden, with a fountain, a small labyrinth and rose gardens.