Grotta del Buontalenti

Boboli & San Miniato al Monte


This fantastical shell- and gem-encrusted grotto was built by Bernardo Buontalenti between 1583 and 1593 for Francesco I de' Medici; find it in the lower reaches of Giardino di Boboli.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Boboli & San Miniato al Monte attractions

1. Chiesa di Santa Felicità

0.05 MILES

Possibly founded by Syrian merchants as early as the 2nd century, the current church is largely a Renaissance construction. Its most extraordinary feature…

2. Tesoro dei Granduchi

0.06 MILES

Exquisite amber carvings, ivory miniatures, glittering tiaras and headpieces, silver pillboxes and various other gems and jewels are displayed in this…

3. Giardino di Boboli

0.08 MILES

Behind Palazzo Pitti, the fountain- and sculpture-adorned Boboli Gardens – slowly but surely being restored to their former pristine glory thanks to a €2…

4. Galleria d'Arte Moderna

0.09 MILES

Forget about Marini, Mertz or Clemente – the collection of Palazzo Pitti's Galleria d’Arte Moderna is dominated by late-19th-century works by artists of…

5. Palazzo Pitti

0.11 MILES

Commissioned by banker Luca Pitti in 1458, this Renaissance palace was later bought by the Medici family. Over the centuries, it was a residence of the…

6. Galleria Palatina

0.12 MILES

Raphaels and Rubens vie for centre stage in the enviable collection of 16th- to 18th-century art amassed by the Medici and Lorraine dukes in Palazzo Pitti…

7. Torre de' Belfredelli

0.12 MILES

This eye-catching stone medieval tower is the tallest, and probably best preserved, in Florence. It was built for the wealthy Belfredelli family in the…

8. Museo della Moda e del Costume

0.13 MILES

Few visitors to Palazzo Pitti get as far as this Fashion and Costume Museum, host to various fashion-themed temporary exhibitions.