When I left you last, Jimmy, Lynda and I were taking a breather after touring James Deering’s magnificent Villa Vizcaya before heading into the subtropical labyrinth of gardens that so distinguish this once private estate along Miami’s Biscayne Bay. One must prepare for a trek through ten acres of man-made wonders with sustenance and fortitude . . .
Yum!
. . . and a fashionable hat in all that Florida sunshine.
Hang onto your hat; Jimmy and I are about to introduce you one of the highlights of Vizcaya!
Surrounded by forests of endangered mangroves, the manicured ministrations of one renowned artist, Diego Suarez, reflect order in the midst of chaos, provide quiet shade in this land of sunshine, offer drama and mystery in every neat corner.
Landscape Architect Diego Suarez grew up in Italy; he excelled at incorporating the best of European gardens, as per Deering's desire. A European garden always begins with parterres, the classic low hedges that typically draw guests into a maze of pathways so geometrically playful that even Euclid would have thought he’d died and gone to that great Cartesian plane in the sky.
Landscape Architect Diego Suarez grew up in Italy; he excelled at incorporating the best of European gardens, as per Deering's desire. A European garden always begins with parterres, the classic low hedges that typically draw guests into a maze of pathways so geometrically playful that even Euclid would have thought he’d died and gone to that great Cartesian plane in the sky.
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There were the requisite water elements, too, some fanciful
Wow, that's some spittin' contest.
others very peaceful.
Makes me want to sit and reflect on life's blessings.
There were nooks and crannies of all manner that undoubtedly afforded privacy (if one could get past the prying eyes of all the sculptures) for those guests of long ago, be it tryst or trivial.
His.
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Hers.
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On Sundays, beginning in 1923, those guests of long ago included the public. Reportedly a “reticent man with impeccably proper manners, leavened by a sense of humor,” Deering would watch the visitors from his balcony, curious about who came but not wanting to be recognized for his hospitality.
The kid in me (and obviously Lynda) thought the entire garden would have been an awesome venue for Hide and Seek. We dropped breadcrumbs as we went to insure we found our way back to civilization.
The kid in me (and obviously Lynda) thought the entire garden would have been an awesome venue for Hide and Seek. We dropped breadcrumbs as we went to insure we found our way back to civilization.
Plenty of places to hide in here.
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Might have been a bit scary at night.
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Lynda's smile always reflects so much sunshine!
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Natural coral rock was used throughout the garden.
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Jimmy seemed to enjoy watching our game of hide and seek from the sidelines. It was a fresh perspective for him; I can be demanding when it comes to propping for pictures. My sister Lynda has the same wild streak I have when it comes to photography, so we work well together.
You can't hide from the paparazzi, Jimmy!
In keeping with the look of an old, established villa, Deering had mature oaks planted in the garden that were now massive.
With age (these are 400 years old) obviously comes grace.
Those massive oaks framed the area called the Theater Garden
Didn't somebody say, "All the worlds a stage"?
where I caught Lynda in her leading role in a one act play.
Lynda likes to play paparazzi, too!
I rather fancied the building at the top of the Garden Mound just behind the Theater Garden called the Casino. I'm such a geek when it comes to all the geometry, in particular the symmetry.
It was all just a walk in the park.
Long before television, computers, and cell phones helped pass the time, there was poker, black jack, even solitaire. What was a friendly wager for those with money to burn?
We burned through three hours the day of our visit. It was time well spent, the villa and gardens a detailed snapshot of a place of grace and grandeur, historical significance and eccentric charm. Today, it’s a popular venue for weddings and private affairs, a favorite for women celebrating their quinceanera (15th birthday).
We burned through three hours the day of our visit. It was time well spent, the villa and gardens a detailed snapshot of a place of grace and grandeur, historical significance and eccentric charm. Today, it’s a popular venue for weddings and private affairs, a favorite for women celebrating their quinceanera (15th birthday).
Somebody is turning fifteen!
For years, Vizcaya has served as the diplomatic seat of Miami-Dade County, receiving such dignitaries as Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, Spain’s King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia and Italy’s Pope John Paul II. In 1994, the First Summit of the Americas convened by President Bill Clinton was held at Vizcaya. Obviously, the place shows quite well.
This is Vizcaya's front door; the grander entrance is the back of the house, facing Biscayne Bay.
The first U.S. President to visit Vizcaya, President Warren Harding, came as a guest of James Deering back in the day.
In 1952 the Deering family bequeathed Vizcaya to Miami-Dade County. James Deering’s nieces, Barbara Deering Danielson and Marion Deering McCormick inherited the property that had passed to their father, Charles Deering, James’ half-brother, when James died in 1925 onboard the steamship SS City of Paris en route to the United States.
Barbara Deering Danielson and Marion Deering McCormick spent years maintaining Vizcaya via a minimal staff. In 1934, the nieces briefly opened the estate to the public after hiring Paul Chaflin to repair the house and gardens following a devastating hurricane in 1926. Their efforts were short lived when Vizcaya suffered a second devastating hurricane a year after opening the estate.
The nieces sold off portions of the original 180 acres (the Lagoon Gardens and the southern grounds on the west side of South Miami Avenue where Vizcaya village had been built went to the Diocese of St. Augustine and Mercy Hospital) to weather another storm, the Depression.
When what remained of Vizcaya (50 acres, 10 of which was formal gardens) was sold to Miami-Dade County in 1952 for $1.4 million, that sale included 2,500 priceless antiques, paintings, sculptures and decorative art spanning 2,000 years covering the Renaissance, baroque, rococo, and neoclassical periods. Vizcaya is one of the few historic estates to come with the original furnishings (European, Asian, and American) intact.
In 1952 the Deering family bequeathed Vizcaya to Miami-Dade County. James Deering’s nieces, Barbara Deering Danielson and Marion Deering McCormick inherited the property that had passed to their father, Charles Deering, James’ half-brother, when James died in 1925 onboard the steamship SS City of Paris en route to the United States.
Barbara Deering Danielson and Marion Deering McCormick spent years maintaining Vizcaya via a minimal staff. In 1934, the nieces briefly opened the estate to the public after hiring Paul Chaflin to repair the house and gardens following a devastating hurricane in 1926. Their efforts were short lived when Vizcaya suffered a second devastating hurricane a year after opening the estate.
The nieces sold off portions of the original 180 acres (the Lagoon Gardens and the southern grounds on the west side of South Miami Avenue where Vizcaya village had been built went to the Diocese of St. Augustine and Mercy Hospital) to weather another storm, the Depression.
When what remained of Vizcaya (50 acres, 10 of which was formal gardens) was sold to Miami-Dade County in 1952 for $1.4 million, that sale included 2,500 priceless antiques, paintings, sculptures and decorative art spanning 2,000 years covering the Renaissance, baroque, rococo, and neoclassical periods. Vizcaya is one of the few historic estates to come with the original furnishings (European, Asian, and American) intact.
I couldn't resist taking a picture of this spiral staircase inside the villa (don't tell anyone).
Originally an Art Museum within the Dade County Parks and Recreation Department when it opened to the public in 1953, that status changed in 1995 when the estate was designated a National Historic Landmark for its significant architecture, landscapes, interiors and collections.
Vizcaya became a freestanding County agency in 1998, now overseen by the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust. Wish I could lose that much acreage with the passing of time.
Vizcaya became a freestanding County agency in 1998, now overseen by the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust. Wish I could lose that much acreage with the passing of time.
No bridge over troubled waters at Vizcaya!
It was a great way to pass the time, soaking up the history and the mystery, the culture and the chaos, the sunshine and the serenity of this magnificent piece of the past.
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THE BOTTOM LINE ON VIZCAYA MUSEUM & GARDENS
Verdict: If you love Europe, classic Italian style and grace with a bit of whimsy, you’ll love Vizcaya inside and out. Kids will love the gardens; the house, not so much. The volunteer tour guides were fairly aggressive with visitors who got too close to the priceless furnishings.
Verdict: If you love Europe, classic Italian style and grace with a bit of whimsy, you’ll love Vizcaya inside and out. Kids will love the gardens; the house, not so much. The volunteer tour guides were fairly aggressive with visitors who got too close to the priceless furnishings.
Next time, we must come dressed for eighteenth century Europe.
How to Get There: Vizcaya is conveniently located in the north Coconut Grove area of the City of Miami, overlooking Biscayne Bay, just ¼ mile off of I-95, one mile from downtown Miami and 10 miles from south Miami Beach.
By Metrorail, proceed to Vizcaya station. Cross US 1 on the pedestrian bridge. Continue in the same direction, one block to South Miami Avenue. Cross SW 32 Road and proceed to the crosswalk. Cross South Miami Avenue to enter Vizcaya.
From the South, take US 1 (South Dixie Highway) north to SW 17th Avenue. Turn right on SW 17th Avenue (east). Turn left onto South Bayshore Drive. Turn right at 5th light into Vizcaya.
From the North, take I-95 south to Exit 1A. Turn left onto SW 26th Road. Turn right onto South Miami Avenue. Turn left at 3rd light into Vizcaya.
From Miami International Airport, take 836 east and exit onto I-95 south. Follow I-95 south to Exit 1A. Turn left onto SW 26th Road. Turn right onto South Miami Avenue. Turn left at 3rd light into Vizcaya.
From Miami Beach, take 836 west and exit onto I-95 south. Follow I-95 south to Exit 1A. Turn left onto SW 26th Road. Turn right onto South Miami Avenue. Turn left at 3rd light into Vizcaya.
Vizcaya offers free parking for automobiles. During the winter months the main parking lot frequently fills up and, when that occurs, parking is available across the street in the parking lot at the Miami Science Museum. Arrangements for buses or other large vehicles should be made in advance.
By Metrorail, proceed to Vizcaya station. Cross US 1 on the pedestrian bridge. Continue in the same direction, one block to South Miami Avenue. Cross SW 32 Road and proceed to the crosswalk. Cross South Miami Avenue to enter Vizcaya.
From the South, take US 1 (South Dixie Highway) north to SW 17th Avenue. Turn right on SW 17th Avenue (east). Turn left onto South Bayshore Drive. Turn right at 5th light into Vizcaya.
From the North, take I-95 south to Exit 1A. Turn left onto SW 26th Road. Turn right onto South Miami Avenue. Turn left at 3rd light into Vizcaya.
From Miami International Airport, take 836 east and exit onto I-95 south. Follow I-95 south to Exit 1A. Turn left onto SW 26th Road. Turn right onto South Miami Avenue. Turn left at 3rd light into Vizcaya.
From Miami Beach, take 836 west and exit onto I-95 south. Follow I-95 south to Exit 1A. Turn left onto SW 26th Road. Turn right onto South Miami Avenue. Turn left at 3rd light into Vizcaya.
Vizcaya offers free parking for automobiles. During the winter months the main parking lot frequently fills up and, when that occurs, parking is available across the street in the parking lot at the Miami Science Museum. Arrangements for buses or other large vehicles should be made in advance.
This seahorse was an appropriate and favorite symbol for James Deering.
Insider Information: You have three choices when touring the villa: (1) a 90-minute audio tour, available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Haitian Creole; guided tours of the Main House and/or gardens for $5 per person at the Ticket Booth as you enter the estate; (2) a 45-minute guided tour of the first floor of the Main House or select areas of the gardens conducted by knowledgeable volunteers for $5 per person at the Ticket Booth as you enter the estate. You’re left to tour the second floor on your own; (3) a self-guided tour; I recommend purchasing a guidebook available in English and Spanish at the ticket booth for $3.
If you’re into pipe organs, you can hear Vizcaya’s 1917 Welte Philharmonic Pipe Organ played weekdays from 4 to 4:30 p.m.
Vizcaya is open daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, with the exception of Tuesdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
Admission: Adults, $18; Children 6 -12, $6; Children under 6, free; Seniors 62 and older (with ID), $12; Students with ID, $10; wheelchair bound visitors, $10.
If you’re into pipe organs, you can hear Vizcaya’s 1917 Welte Philharmonic Pipe Organ played weekdays from 4 to 4:30 p.m.
Vizcaya is open daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, with the exception of Tuesdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
Admission: Adults, $18; Children 6 -12, $6; Children under 6, free; Seniors 62 and older (with ID), $12; Students with ID, $10; wheelchair bound visitors, $10.
Virtual Tour: Vizcaya’s website offers a virtual tour of select rooms inside the villa as well as portions of the gardens via this link, then clicking on Visit, Touring Vizcaya, Virtual Tour.
Nearby Food: On the north side of the Main House Vizcaya adjacent to Deering’s indoor swimming pool there’s a very classy Café and Shop where Deering’s Bowling Alley, Billiard Room and Smoking Room were originally built. Menu options range from fresh salads and sandwiches, Italian gelato, espresso and homemade cookies. The Café also offer an excellent selection of wines and beers. The food was excellent! Dining was available both inside and outside; seating is minimal.
No crowds the day we visited. It was great!
Brining your own snacks and/or lunch into Vizcaya is permitted.
The shop offers a line of gift items inspired by Vizcaya’s architecture, gardens and collections, as well as a selection of calendars, postcards, books and souvenirs. Exclusive jewelry pieces inspired by Vizcaya’s architectural details are also available.
The shop offers a line of gift items inspired by Vizcaya’s architecture, gardens and collections, as well as a selection of calendars, postcards, books and souvenirs. Exclusive jewelry pieces inspired by Vizcaya’s architectural details are also available.
Deering thought of everything, including this gazebo on Biscayne Bay.
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