The city and province of Florence are scattered with villas, palaces and castles the most important Florentine aristocratic families commissioned during the past centuries. The most renowned and visited are certainly the Medicean villas in Cafaggiolo and Castello and Villa Demidoff in Vaglia.

Actually, many Florentine families have left their mark in the territory with their majestic country residences, where they could enjoy the pleasures of life far from business and the chaotic city life. In the 15th century, the Pucci family commissioned the building of the Castello di Oliveto (Oliveto Castle) in Castelfiorentino and in the followng century of Villa di Bellosguardo in Lastra a Signa. The Rucellai built the homonymous villa in Campi Bisenzio, the Ginori owned Villa Ginori a Doccia, in the municipality of Sesto Fiorentino, and the Guicciardini were the owners of Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati in Sesto Fiorentino.

In more recent times, members of Northern European aristocracy chose Fiesole as their favourite restorative place and bought and renovated big villas (such as Villa Le Balze, Villa Nieuwenkamp and Villa I Tatti) according to the typical 19th and 20th century taste.

Florence outskirts are rich in villas with gorgeous gardens (Villa Capponi in Arcetri, Villa Gamberaia in Settignano and Villa Strozzi al Boschetto), whereas the city centre is scattered with impressive palaces (such as Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, Palazzo Frescobaldi and Palazzo Corsini al Prato), once the residence of the most important Florentine families.