The annual award for Italy's most beautiful garden reaches its 14th edition this year 2016.
Ten parks and gardens are competing for the top places in Il Parco Piů Bello d'Italia contest. The competition, introduced in the year 2000, spotlights Italy's vast patrimony of private and public green spaces, featuring not only world famous Italian gardens, but also lesser known villas and residences in all Italian regions.
An unusual contestant this year is the Villa Santomato, near Pistoia (Tuscany), a romantic 19th century garden that the owner Guiliano Gori has transformed into an open air art museum of contemporary works.
The other 9 finalists are: Villa della Regina (Turin), Oasi Zegna, (Trivero, Piedmont) created by the stylist Ermengildo Zegna, Villa Visconti Borromeo Litta, one of the oldest gardens, dating from the late 16th century ( Milan), Villa Melzi d'Eril, where Lizst found inspiration (Bellagio (Lombardy), Villa Pisani Bolognesi Scalabrin (Vescovana, Veneto), Villa Sorra (Castelfranco Emilia, Emilia Romagna), Giardino Buonaccorsi (Potenza Picena (Marche), Villa Floridiana, seat of the National Ceramic Museum (Naples), Giardino Pubblico Vittorio Emanuele (Caltagirone, Sicily).
Two of these gardens will be chosen as this year's winners – one each for the two categories - Public Parks and Private Gardens.
Info: Tel. ++39.0422.582112 www.ilparcopiubello.it
