Vizcaya Museum, House & Gardens, Miami - Replica of a 400-year-old Italian Estate

Vizcaya Museum (Villa Vizcaya), Miami

The Vizcaya mansion was built almost a century ago but deliberately designed to look much older and furnished with 15th-19th century antiques.

Now known as Vizcaya Museum, and owned by Miami-Dade County, it's located in extensive gardens on the shore of Biscayne Bay, between Downtown Miami and the centre of Coconut Grove.

Replica of a 400-year-old Italian Estate
It was the winter residence of industrialist James Deering whose aim was to create a replica of a 400-year-old Italian estate which had been occupied and renovated by several generations of a family. Although sometimes referred to as Villa Vizcaya, it's a big building, with more than 30 decorated rooms.

Vizcaya Mansion Has Hidden Floor for Servants
From outside Vizcaya mansion appears to be only two stories high, but between the main rooms and the top-storey bedrooms, there is a hidden floor with 12 rooms for servants and services.

Renaissance Italian and French Style Gardens
The gardens are a mixture of Renaissance Italian and French styles, and include fountains, statues, a miniature maze, an orchidarium and a pool with an island.

Statue of Spanish explorer
One of the statues, by the entrance, is of an explorer, Bel Vizcaya, who Deering thought had visited the Florida coast, although in fact no one of this name existed. There was a Spanish explorer called Sebastián Vizcaíno who mapped the coast of California, but Vizcaya is a province in the Basque region of Spain.

The Caravel Ship
Deering was obviously fascinated by the maritime exploration of the Americas, as he used images of the caravel, a type of sailing ship developed by the Portuguese in the 15th century, as one of the emblems for Vizcaya Villa. The other symbol was the seahorse.

In the waters of Biscayne Bay, next to the house, is a stylized stone ship called the Caravel with carvings and statues.

Richly Decorated Rooms in Vizcaya Mansion
The richly decorated rooms in the Vizcaya mansion include the entrance loggia and hall, the library, the music room, the reception room, the breakfast room, the tea room, the kitchen, bedrooms and James Deering's bathroom.

Vizcaya Museum Admission
Admission is $15 for adults and $6 for children aged 6 to 12, with discounts for seniors, students, people using wheelchairs and Miami-Dade County residents. The house and grounds are closed on Tuesdays.

Café and Gift Shop
There is a café and gift shop.

Directions to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a ten-minute walk from Miami-Dade Metrorail's Vizcaya Station, over a pedestrian bridge. From South Beach the journey by bus and train should take just over an hour, but in the evening and at weekends maybe half an hour longer if you miss a train.

Detailed Directions to Vizcaya in Google Transit
If you want bus and train times or driving directions to Vizcaya, click on the Google Transit link in the right-hand sidebar of this blog.

For tips on how to use Google Transit read this post: Directions in Miami - Walking, Driving, Bike, Buses & Trains.