An Italian Villa in Coconut Grove: Exploring Vizcaya on Film

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens has been described as the finest private home ever built in America, and to walk through it’s gorgeous grounds I understand why. Vizcaya was built as a private home, taking over 10 years to complete from 1910-1922, by James Deering.  When Deering passed away he left the property to his half brother who then passed it on to his nieces and in the 1950’s it was made into a public museum.  I first saw photographs of the house as a wedding venue and immediately thought it must be in Europe.  When I realized it was actually in South Florida, only minutes away from Coconut Grove, it moved to the top of my to-see list on my next visit to Miami.  The house is beautiful, full of gorgeous works of art and antiques, but photographs are not allowed inside.  The grounds are absolutely stunning and the various gardens contain everything from air plants and cacti climbing up the walls to immaculate trimmed hedges with statues reminiscent of Italy, and towering ancient trees dripping in Spanish Moss to rows of exotic orchids.  The gardens are a lovely spot to spend an afternoon exploring and feel completely transported from the hustle and bustle of Miami just 20 minutes away.