Yesterday, I finally reached a place I had dreamed of for years. A place that had long held a special place not only on the map of Tuscany but on the map of my heart. The Maremma region never ceases to amaze me – and this time, it offered an experience I had long been waiting for.
Hidden between the hills of Capalbio and the Tyrrhenian Sea, deep in the wild heart of southern Tuscany, lies one of the region’s most enchanting and surreal destinations: the Tarot Garden (Il Giardino dei Tarocchi).
This magical sculpture park is the life’s work of French artist Niki de Saint Phalle, who drew inspiration from the 22 Major Arcana of the tarot deck to create a visionary path through color, form, and meaning. Influenced by Gaudí’s Parc Güell in Barcelona, the Tarot Garden is a feminine, dreamlike, and deeply spiritual space unlike anything else in Italy.
A Walk Through Symbols and Soul
From the very first step, it’s clear – this is not just a garden. It’s a pilgrimage site for dreamers. There are 24 monumental sculptures here, some towering between 12 and 15 meters, each representing a tarot figure: The Empress, The Lovers, The Magician, The Star, and more. Crafted from steel rods and cast in concrete, then covered in mirror mosaics, Murano glass, and ceramic, the works shimmer in the Tuscan sun and pulse with energy.
Some sculptures are hollow – you can walk inside them. Niki herself once lived in one of these creations, immersed in her art, surrounded by symbols. The entire park is alive with meaning. Even the concrete walkways are engraved with her personal thoughts, quotes, numbers, drawings – messages of hope, memories, and transformation. The pathways follow the natural rhythm of the landscape, creating an intuitive journey that is both physical and spiritual.
A Place That Speaks Without Words
There is no set route in the Tarot Garden. You wander, explore, double back. You choose your path – just as you do in life. The benches designed by Pierre Marie Le Jeune curve playfully through the landscape, while brightly colored sculptures cast surreal shadows on the amphitheater-like central space. It’s a place that stirs wonder, discomfort, joy, mystery, and a strange sense of clarity.
Children giggle. Adults pause in silent awe. It is a garden of opposites – light and dark, play and seriousness, form and spirit. And if you’re open to it, you will receive a message. Whether you believe in tarot or not, something will speak to you here.
More Than a Garden – A Vision
The Tarot Garden is not just one of the best things to see in Tuscany – it is an experience, a visionary art sanctuary. It doesn’t try to fit into the classic Tuscan image of vineyards and Renaissance towns. It stands apart – bold, mystical, female, fearless.
If you’re looking for something different, something magical, head south to Capalbio. Follow the winding roads through the hills of Maremma. There, hidden among olive trees and sea breezes, a secret world awaits. And once you enter, it will never leave you.