Visit Villa Hanbury
Villa Hanbury, at Mortola, is found at the western end of Liguria, near the French border.
The Villa is known for its splendid botanical gardens - officially the Giardini Botanici Hanbury - dating from the 1860s. The gardens were established by an English family with the goal of establishing and integrating plants from around the world.
With the input of landscape designers and botanists the result is a very fine series of gardens featuring almost 6000 species of plant and generally considered to be one of the finest botanical gardens in Europe.
The setting on the hills sloping down to the sea, is as impressive as the gardens themselves. The well-planned gardens are full of both native and exotic plants that have flourished here, many scattered along the pathways that lead to the sea. There are secret pathways and hidden corners to discover and explore - all very beautiful.
When you have enjoyed the gardens at Villa Hanbury, visit also the nearby caves at Balzi Rossi - the caves were inhabited in prehistoric times and contain burial sites, tools etc. They are one of the most important prehistoric sites in Italy.