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Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
One of the most romantic and elegant attraction in Miami is the Villa Vizcaya.  Originally designed to resemble an Italian villa, the estate of 180 acres was fully self-sufficient which means it had a dairy, a poultry house, a mule stable, a greenhouse and staff residences. This extremely large estate was owned by Mr. James Deering, vice president of the International Harvester, and was created to be his winter home. The art and furnishings as well as architecture represents 400 years of European history. The entire estate required 3 architects and over 1000 workers to complete, at that time nearly 10% of Miami's population. The house was completed in 1916 but the gardens were not completed until 1921. Amazing figures for the construction of a winter home. Mr. Deering passed away in 1925 and the house was left in the care of his staff, and was severely damaged in the hurricane of 1926. In 1952, the estate was sold to the Miami-Dade County and became a museum. After extensive restoration, the house, its gardens and the 50 acres of its land is back to its original beauty. An estimated 200,000 visitors come to the Vizcaya every year, including some very famous celebrities, royalties and politicians. It is one of South Florida's most popular attractions, a unique gateway into the history of Miami and also a way of life that is almost forgotten in America. There is a free guided tour of the 34 furnished rooms in the house. The Villa is open daily from 9.30am to 5pm, the garden closes at 5.30pm. Admission fees are quite affordable, $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 6 to 12. There is also a gift shop that sells the usual tourist trinkets such as postcards, videotapes and also some Italian craft items such as ceramics and jewelry. The Vizcaya Café overlooks the swimming pool and offers deli style food and drinks.
Although the exterior of the estate was ravished by the hurricane, thanks to the restorative efforts, everything appears to be intact.  The most valuable items, from within the house are still maintained and is displayed as if someone still lives in the house. This includes original furniture, dishes, paintings and other decorations. The house wraps itself around a central courtyard, giving it an elegant and royal feeling. After taking the tour, you will venture outside into its lush formal gardens, and here your breath will be taken away by its beauty and serenity. Covering a large portion of the Biscayne Bay, you could spend hours upon hours just walking through the gardens, admiring the beautiful statuaries, balustrades and decorative urns strategically located around the garden to please the eye. The gardens are normally used for society events during the night, as well as private functions such as weddings. But there are also public events such as the Renaissance Fair. The Italian Renaissance festival is held once a year, and is a four day event recreating a Renaissance marketplace. About 15,000 visitors come to the festival every year. You will find comedy, arts, crafts, which usually means shopping and also opportunity to purchase local and exotic crafts. There will be music, drama, lots of food and drinks and general merry making overall. Other than the Renaissance fair, there is also a rare chance to see the garden in moonlight through the Moonlight Garden Tour. This is only available by contacting the management of the Villa Vizcaya. The tour begins at 7.30pm and the admission is $5. Although the activities and festivals are an added attraction, the beauty, serenity and elegance of Villa Vizcaya is what brings people back again and again. Thought to be the most intoxicating place to visit, it is definitely the place to go with that special someone.
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Writer: Sunita D.
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