The social season in Florence is in high gear and there is something marvelous to attend sometimes several times a week! Last evening New York University’s satellite campus in Florence, which is incredibly housed within the Villa La Pietra just outside the city, held an event showcasing some efforts by current undergraduates. My friends and I went, not so much to hear the undergraduate students speak, as to experience the surroundings. And the villa and its gardens did not let us down! I’ve been there before, but had forgotten the magnitude!

Below is a view of the villa itself from the interior garden side. I mean, wow!

Can you hear the crunch of the gravel as I walk along taking pictures?

But our evening actually began inside the villa and the next few photos will show you our evening as it unfolded. I did my best to capture the interiors into which we were allowed (it is a tightly guarded facility) and the few photos of the grounds outside the windows that I was able to take.

I am a mah jong aficionado and so, apparently, were the children who lived at the villa back in the day. This is in the so-called “children’s room.”

Finally I was able to get to a window and shoot some exteriors! It was a gorgeous evening and I just wanted to be outside not inside listening to some lucky but silly undergraduates.

Can you spell: manicured?!! Ha!

Back inside we continued.

More shots out windows:

Eventually the talks ended and we found our way outside where I was thrilled to wander for a while and shoot these photos and videos! Enjoy the visit from wherever you are in the world!

Glorious and opulent, no?! There’s more I want to show you, a 2nd post coming soon with photos taken at the golden hour.