Villa Giulia

The Villa Giulia, in Palermo

The Villa Giulia is one of the prettiest gardens of Palermo, created in 1775 in an elegant neoclassical style. The Palermo audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this peaceful setting of greenery, one of the first public gardens of Europe, near the Foro Italico.

The neoclassical garden of the eighteenth century

The Villa Giulia is one of the prettiest green escapes of Palermo. Created in 1775 in a neoclassical style, this public garden bears the name of Giulia Guevara, wife of the viceroy Marcantonio Colonna, in honour of whom it was laid out. Free and open to all, it was one of the first public gardens of Europe, designed in the era of the Enlightenment as a place of promenade, relaxation and pleasure open to the population. The garden stands out by its regular geometric plan, in the French and Italian style, organised around rectilinear alleys, flowerbeds, fountains and statues, in an elegant harmony. There you find fine trees, palm trees, exotic species and shaded groves, as well as decorative elements like a fountain topped with a statue, exedras and a curious sundial. A place of freshness and quietude a stone's throw from the sea and the Foro Italico, the Villa Giulia was admired by numerous travellers over the centuries, including the poet Goethe. A historic garden and a haven of peace, the Villa Giulia is a fine stop of the discovery of Palermo.

What to see

Here you enjoy the pretty public garden created in 1775 in a neoclassical style, named after Giulia Guevara, wife of the viceroy, one of the first public gardens of Europe, with a regular geometric plan organised around alleys, flowerbeds, fountains and statues, with its palm trees and exotic species, haven of freshness near the sea admired formerly by Goethe. The Villa Giulia is a haven of peace of Palermo. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Villa Giulia lies near the Foro Italico, in the La Kalsa district of Palermo, reachable on foot. It is a public garden generally free, open during posted hours, which vary. It is a pleasant place of promenade and relaxation in the shade, near the sea.

Where does the name of the Villa Giulia come from in Palermo?

From Giulia Guevara, wife of the viceroy Marcantonio Colonna, in honour of whom this public garden was laid out in 1775; in a neoclassical style, it was one of the first public gardens of Europe, with a regular geometric plan organised around alleys, fountains and statues, and was admired by travellers like Goethe.

Where is the Villa Giulia in Palermo?

Near the Foro Italico, in the La Kalsa district of Palermo, in Italy.