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Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
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Categories: Museums, Local Flavor, Landmarks & Historical Buildings [Edit]
3251 South Miami AvenueMiami, FL 33129
(305) 250-9133
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
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41 reviews for Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Even though I had to miss this year's Halloween Sundowner, let me share a few notes about this place. Clearly a must stop on any Tourist tour, this mansion is absolutely amazing and I encourage all to support it by becoming a Vizcayan.
Originally designed as a get away party home the Halloween Sundowner is one of the main three fundraisers for this place. It also is one of the few occasions to see it at night.
During the day, the building, the gardens and the view of Biscayne bay are great, but at night, the subtle lighting through out the building and the gardens make this a truly amazing sight.
...add to this a few hundred people dressed in the spirit of Halloween and some great music...and you have the best party in town.
Also look for the july4th and New Years bash.
Vizcaya is one of the best places for a tourist to visit as well as a Miamian.
Prior to coming to Vizcaya last week, I had not been since freshman year in high school. Yes, it was a long time ago.
This time around, I got to go inside the mansion, which was really awesome, despite the stale odor of old sheets. It was really cool to see all the rooms decorated in the same fashion as when they were being used. The place is enormous and we roamed the mansion for about an hour. My favorite rooms were the kitchens. They are pretty big and very interesting, especially the electric dumbwaiter.
Atter inspecting every room, we stepped outside to continue with the tour of the gardens. For the most part, the gardens are well kept. There are areas, which are in DESPERATE need of renovation. Spiderwebs everywhere, smelly, sitting water. This is why they don't get the 5 stars.
But the parts that are upkept are very nice. The only drawback was that it was RIDICULOUSLY hot. A nice stroll through the gardens would be better appreciated during the Winter months.
However, it was a really nice experience and our tourist enjoyed it very much!!
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just beautiful. I've been to Vizcaya twice recently within the past 8 months...once with my girlfriend and once with my family- both times were just as pleasant. Theres ALOT to look at and discover, I would agree its a bit of a sensory over load for a first time spectator.
It's a great place to walk and talk, mostly bc of the outdoors...has a majestic kind of 'secret garden' feel...but I blame that on the labrynth hedge mazes. It's one of a kind and a Miami land mark..
Oh, and if you have a camera bring battery...like I said, ALOT to capture!
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If you have the time to explore the grounds and the many gardens this is a definite must see. Its a great way to spend a lazy Sunday or plan an over the top pricey event. Go with good friends or just to take your mind off of the real world for a while.
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If you have a fetish for girls in their quinceanera dresses, come here.
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Vizcaya is a very interesting place.
I really enjoyed visiting the house and gardens but the feeling it gave me was not one of amazement because of its beauty but more of twilight zone.
This is a very strange place, I am very skeptical as to the decoration of the house. I felt pull into many different eras and countries in only a one hour visit.
You feel like a child discovering a secret place and wonder who was that person which such a strange taste.
The gardens are very pretty and as strange as the house. You wouldn't expect this kind of structures in Miami so it's a nice feeling.
I really enjoyed the Bay view and the "wrecked" rock boat. The hidden elevator is nice too, as well as the pool. I recommend for the weirdness of the place.
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I was recommended to go to Vizcaya by my bicycle rental agent. He said it was a nice 10 mile ride through Miami from South Beach. He presented me with the brochure and off I was with my two friends in tow.
It was a winding ride. There were times when I wondered if we were going to reach our destination. Being that I am from Chicago where it is freaking freezing most of the year, I was surprised that Miami, where it is warm most of the year, does not have a bike and running path along the water. The ride was sometimes treacherous (as it can be in Chicago as well), but alas we reached the front gates of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.
I found the path leading to the entrance of this attraction to be a serene respite in the midst of the city of Miami. There was a fun headless statue that I (of course) had to take a picture with my head replacing his. Funny, huh? There are lots of picture taking opportunities throughout the attraction, so I imagine this to be a photographer's paradise. Expansive. Well, now that I think about it, there were brides and models partaking in photographic sessions. Duh! I bet the gardens are even more gorgeous in the summer than when I was there in February.
The mansion itself is pretty boring to be frank. Stand behind a rope or glass and peer into an old room. *snore* I enjoyed some of the fixin's including hand-carved wood, doors, canopy beds, dinnerware, ornate paintings, and such. I may have been able to appreciate it more had I taken the guided tour. The courtyard of the mansion is pretty kick*ss though. I wish I had one in my place. Talk about a nice golden tan!
The gardens reached for further than I could have imagined. We wondered throughout and took an obsessive amount of photos. I can imagine this would be a radical place to spend the day with a couple of j's, a good friend, and lots of time to kill. Fun!
The admission price does not seem justified for what you are receiving in return. I know they have to pay to keep this place preserved, but damn!! It's a good thing I went once because I will probably never go again.
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I can count the number of wondrous landmarks, monuments, and pinnacles of human achievement that don't involve exploitation, slavery or a really rich douchebag on one hand. People who have access to the world's wonders and riches sometimes die and let us get a peek into their sordid, aristocratic lives. I, for one, have a grand ol' time imagining the depravity and debauchery of said filthy rich people and their horned minions.
My hedonistic voyage was mildly marred by the abundance of Quinceañeras on the premises, but otherwise, I had a rewarding and intriguing experience.
Said intrigue was intermittently destroyed by the wafting stench of methane and sewage that rose from the bowels of the bay. They definitely need to address the foul odor. It's downright ghastly.
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From the moment I arrived at the front gate, I got the feeling that there was something simultaneously haunting and magical about this Deering mansion.
I recently visited Marjorie Merriweather Post's Hillwood estate (now also a museum) in DC, and while Villa Vizcaya was built well before Ms. Post's home and gardens, I feel compelled to compare them.
First, Vizcaya is much more more lavish and foreboding; the sheer number of its guest bedrooms shows a great difference in the purpose of each home.
Where Hillwood exceeds as a museum is that guests feel that the hostess could appear at any moment; at Vizcaya, it feels as though no one has visited in years.
The house is set up somewhat like an ancient Roman villa, with a once-open courtyard in the center and interior rooms surrounding it. The docent explained that over the years the weather and salt from the water began to deteriorate the interior of the home. As a result, a roof was built over the open courtyard, and air conditioning was pumped full force through the house. Most of the windows have been covered to prevent sun damage to artworks and furniture; however, the end result feels like Miss Havisham might appear in any one of the rooms at any moment.
The biggest tragedy of this is that it completely contradicts the design of the home: an open atrium and huge windows opening to the bay were built that way to emphasize light, fresh air, and a continuum of indoors and out. Closing everything off and recycling frigid air makes visitors have to try that much harder to imagine how it really would have felt many decades ago.
All that said, the museum and gardens really are unlike anything I have seen heretofore. Indeed there are many references to other Italian gardens, but this one stands out because of its position next to the bay and the inclusion of many south Florida flora and design elements.
I won't go into all of the history or architectural details behind the mansion. I will say that the guided tour is fairly worthwhile, but it is also nice to wander around alone. The $3 guidebook should be included in the ticket price, but I did find it useful. The food at the cafe is expectedly overpriced (albeit good), but you can get a glass of pretty tasty wine for $3.95; this more than makes up for how much the food costs.
Getting to the museum from Miami is a bit of a pain, but if you aren't in hurry you can get there via bus/train for a total of $2.50 each way.
This site is definitely worth a visit, and while I understand the reasons behind its current presentation, the original must have been a true five-star beauty.
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It's a Miami version of Newport mansion but with much more home feeling inside the house and a bigger garden.
We joined the morning guided tour and the volunteer tour guide only showed us around the 1st floor on that day. But we already felt overwhelmed by what we saw and heard. We were amazed by all thoughts put into buidling this house and every detail that it embraced.
It took us a whole morning to walk around the house and its garden. The county has done a fantastic work in restoring this house and brought us back to 1930s. The water front view and the stone boat made us feel like in Venice.
It's a must go place if visiting Miami. Plan for a morning and join the free guided tour.
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Wow, the Vizcaya mansion is beautiful. I am so glad I stopped here as part of my Miami trip. It's a historical house, built by some entrepreneur named John Deering back in 1914-1916. He had traveled the world, namely to Europe and Asia, and wanted to create a "fusion" home in Miami where he could wow his guests with his massive art collection and gorgeous architecture.
FIrst off, admission is $10 each if you have a student ID, a senior ID, or a military ID card. Otherwise, I believe it's $20. There's plentiful parking and most of the grounds are ADA-accessible.
The house is a mixture of Italian villa architecture and Miami tropical architecture, complete with an open-air courtyard in the middle of the mansion. The other rooms of the home - bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms, etc - are built around the courtyard. It's awesome. For it's day the Vizcaya was actually high tech. It had light switches, an elevator, plenty of private bathrooms, and multiple refrigerators. It's really cool to see these contraptions in their native state.
For me, however, the crowning jewel was the lovely, expansive gardens. They are stunning. Some are styled after English countryside gardens, some are more manicured, like Italian or French gardens. There are fountains, statues, and figurines... it's a great place for photographs.
Be sure to go on a cooler day, because the gardens can get pretty hot and smelly in the humidity and heat of Miami. All in all, a wonderful experience, well worth the time and 2 hours we spent there.
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I'm glad the government opened this up to the public, so that we could learn about the history and walk through the beautifully kept grounds. This is a great place to take pictures, as it's next to the waters.
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This is the classiest place you'll find in South Florida. Whereas so much of Miami feels deliberately tawdry, Vizcaya will transport you to a completely different world. It is a beautiful building and gardens to match.
There is so much to discover both inside and outside that I could have easily spent the entire day just wandering about. As others have noted, you are bound to run into a Quinceanera or three during your visit, but the grounds are big enough that you won't have any problem finding a nice quiet spot to yourself.
This is the perfect place to take my parents when they visit. I will definitely be back.
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This is the most beautiful and history filled home I have ever seen. It is the Hearst Castle of the East Coast. This mansion has art, sculptures, and tapestries from various locations in Europe. This home is very well preserved. The tour through the home is very informative, the grounds are beautiful. Definitely a place to have a garden wedding or quinceanera at.
No photos are allowed inside the mansion, but you can take pictures outside. There is a fee, but if you are a student or military- you received a discount. There is a small coffee shop/gift shop, but it is over priced. I wouldn't waste my time in there.
Expect to spend about 2 hours in the mansion and on the grounds.
Note: For non Spanish speakers, employees speak English.
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The Viscaya museum was a tiny part of my personal adventure for the day since my friend had to be at a conference. Being a tripadvisor junkie I was finding my spot for the day and the users all voted the Vizcaya gardens to be the #1 attraction in Miami so i knew I had to check it out.
I was sure in for a treat. It was accessible by the metrorail for tourists like me ( approx 10 minute walk) and i just loved sitting by the garden with my ipod taking in all the sunshine and the fresh air. This place actually reminded me of the ancient agora I visited in Athens. It truly felt like Europe. The house is like a treasure hunt as each and every room was decorated in a different theme. At times 'i felt like I was in a haunted house. I really couldn't imagine someone actually living here as is looks to extravagant to be true.
Overall: Nice Escape from the Miami beach scene
Note: Bring your student id and you can get in for 5 dollars ( adults admission: 10 dollars)
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"Great..I'm in college and they're still making me go on field trips, except this time I have to be armed with my camera, photography skills, and I didn't have to ride the big yellow bus...." - Jammie P. 2004
Yeaaa those college days...tsssk.
Soo I pull up at the buttcrack of dawn, 9:30am is early for a college girl, and I'm ready to snap pics and just get back home but then....
I felt like a dude staring at a girl as if I've never seen one...looking her up & down..checking her out....yeaaaa baby, you're hot!!! (I'm talking about Vizcaya people...) But then the professor snaps my attention and tells the group the deal and then BAM! sends us on our way...
lush gardens, beautiful flowers, amazing statues & buildings...just wonderful...and yea, as I was snapping away, there was a bride getting her own pictures snapped, smart cookie with good taste ;)
Magical..so beautiful! If you can't snap at least 35 beautiful pics...then maybe you should set down your camera and just take it all in...
Camera roll at the end of the day? 244
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Beautiful Miami landmark, worth checking out. If you go, try to pick a day when it's not so hot; as you'll be doing a lot of walking and you'll want to explore the estate's gardens.
If you take the tour, try to get the older southern looking gentleman-dudeman. He's the best guide there.
Vizcaya hosts a lot of big soiree's, so if you ever get a chance to go; I suggest you check out a groovy shin-dig there.
Rumor has it the owner was gay, and I'm inclined to believe it. Originally he just wanted a simple estate with a big porch overlooking the water. Then he met the person who would eventually design the place. So here's what probably happened. Deering(the owner) meets this "fab designer" and once the designer realizes how much money Deering has, he goes way overboard in creating this over the top place.
"Oh honey, we need to go to Italy and buy this, and then you'll take me to Paris and we'll be these classic period what-not's. And THENNN.... we'll buy Mozart's baby piano thingy, etc.etc." You get the picture.
I think this story makes sense, because Deering never married and he had a lifelong 'friendship' with the designer who talked him into creating this opulent masterpiece with his money when all he wanted was a quiet warm home to go to in the winter time to escape the cold northern winter climate.
You go and draw your own conclusions. I just think it's funny that the Vizcaya people avoid the obvious likelihood. I mean come on, we're in the new millennium. If the guy was gay, that's what he was. Get over it. Don't try to sweep it under the rug like an out of touch, ashamed grandparent.
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Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
A large, breezy house.
Lush, verdant gardens and fountains.
It's like an old-world dream in the New World.
While Husband and I were here for our honeymoon, there was a bride taking pictures in the gardens.
Tickets aren't too expensive and I tricked them into taking my student I.D. Sweet!
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I am ashamed of myself for saying this...but...I have lived in Miami for almost 15 yrs and had never visited Vizcaya until today!. I know..I know...where have I been right?? Well, that's the same thing I thought after visiting this beautiful mansion.
My parents were sooo delighted with our litle outing. My dad was taking it all in..I could see it in his face. He is very much into history and admiring art, so he was having an amazing time. The views are breathtaking, and walking through the gardens feels like you are going back in time.
We had an awesome time, worth repeating. Definetely a Must if u are a tourist...or just a Floridian that has been missing out on a lot!
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Vizcaya is so beautiful and they have the BEST Halloween party. Be prepared to see tons of scantily clad ladies dressed like slutty nurses/cops/angels etc.
I have also taken the tour and the docents are very knowledgeable about the place.
If you are in Miami, DEFINITELY don't miss Vizcaya.
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We've visited Vizcaya twice and it's a "must-see" in Miami. It's in a beautiful old mansion which backs up to the water, in a setting that's somewhat reminiscent of Venice - and it has beautiful gardens & fountains. If you're there on a week-end, you'll undoubtedly see a few brides having photos taken.
I was AMAZED by Vizcaya! For me this place is such a gem and i was just wowed!! This huge mansion was owned by James Deering and decorated with a variety of European antiques. I find it so unique all the pieces you find all in one mansion from different eras. And set in warm weather , sunny state Florida! While I was there and walked out to the gardens to take pics( Outside the mansion is the only place were u are able to take pics) I spotted a quinceanera and also a married couple taking pictures.
The Stone Barge and gardens were my favorites! Will def. go again on my next trip 2 Miami!! A++++++
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"James Deering (1859 - 1925) was an industrialist and early developer of Miami, Florida and the builder of Villa Vizcaya, an Italian Renaissance-style estate in Miami facing Biscayne Bay."
I suggest if you are in Dade County, or the Miami area, you take a little bit of time out to see this spectacle of an amazing home. This guy was
way ahead of his time when he had it built, and of course quite wealthy.
For instance, he had on the 2nd floor an elevator to go from his bedroom directly down two floors to the basement with an indoor pool. In the kitchen he had an elaborate intercom system for the maids and staff
to contact people in any room from the kitchen. Mind you this is in the 1920's!!! His outside garden is second to none.. with beautiful trees and flowers and plants from all over the world arranged in collage of nature's beauty. I walked through the gardens and was amazed. His dock, has
marble and stone imported from Greece and Italy, and the old Italian
striped poles at the edges of the dock facing the Biscayne Bay.
Inside he had a table, not just any table... but a true "King's table" with jewels encrusted in it, an antique, not a replica. He had tapestries of long flowing artisan's work, hung flowing down the sides of the walls.
Recently, I believe they have started to work on restoration, as it is showing ravages of age finally... but Mr. Deering put a tremendous amount of effort into this home, which is a museum landmark now for all to see.
Please check out my lists -- for top museums. ;)
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When I was searching the internet for things to do while in Miami, I read about this place called Vizcaya. I had never heard of it, but after seeing it described as "the Hearst Castle of the east coast" I just knew we had to make a stop at Vizcaya.
Although the interior of the house is amazing and exquisite, my favorite part of visiting Vizcaya was seeing the gardens outside. Get there on time to do the guided tour. We had a really great docent who was so knowledgeable in everything Vizcaya and you could just tell he was happy to be there guiding us throughout the house. Plenty of picture taking opportunities outside, make sure to bring your camera!
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Breathtakingly beautiful! Thankful that this is open to the public. If you ever have a chance the exclusive Halloween party held here is amazing! The mansion and grounds are both truly whimsical. I am whisked away to Firenze when I visit here. The gardens are beautiful and although not perfect due to many years of destructive hurricanes. If you visit Miami this is a wonderful place for families too. Have some extra time it sure beats the mall! Don't forget your camera!
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As a long time resident of Miami and thoroughly enjoying life in South Florida I a bit mortified that my first instinct is to give Vizcaya an Average to Low mark - As I attempt to write a review about this place I constantly remind myself that I need to be objective and somewhat disregard my own feelings, memories and such.
The bottom line is that if you find yourself in Miami this place is certainly worth a visit on a quiet Sunday afternoon. Having said that we must also put the place in context and realize that there is nothing historical about it, just a good example of what loads of money can buy, we thank Deering for having it built, furnishing it and giving it away to the City of Miami.
Anyway, if you can ever get yourself invited to any of the parties the host here it will be the best way to enjoy this place.
The renaissance festival in the spring was super cool, but they did away with it so Jeers.
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From a cinematic perspective, Vizcaya is the perfect backdrop for a drug cartel's home. It's got that old world luxurious look that new money likes to buy to make them feel legit. Gilded ceilings, cherubic statues, rococo to the roof. Insert cigar chomping here.
Of course, historically, Vizcaya was built from an American railroad baron who imported all his authentic pieces from Europe.
There's beautiful Mediterreanean architecture and the backyard view of the unlimited waterfront view of Biscayne Bay is jaw droppingly beautiful. The estate looks like an Italian estate that had been there for hundreds of years. Outside, in the garden and waterfront, girls have their quincenera portraits taken here. Also, this venue is very popular for weddings and grand galas such as the White Party. I had the honor to perform at a society wedding here to do the Lion Dance for the Asian bride and the place is gorgeous, lit up at night with little white lights. Sigh, if I had money...
PS: Movie buffs, it's funny to say but Ace Venture was filmed here (the scene with the fish collector's party where Ace goes to find a shark). And also, I'm told, Bad Boys and Any Given Sunday.
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Beautiful spot...kind of like the Heart Castle of Florida, but smaller. I first saw Vizcaya on a gardening show, and it looked interesting. I got here too late to do a tour, but it was worth a visit anyway. $15 for non-county residents. The one kind of annoying thing is that this is apparently a popular spot for wedding and quinceañera photos meaning that there is going to be some 15 year old in a dress bigger than Cinderrela's and three photographers in the exact spot in the garden that you'd like to enjoy. Make sure the catch the giant faux sunken ship in the back yard.
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Wonderful romantic place to visit and snap "faux" old world shots. I went there on a first date and it was definitely a great choice. The gardens though not as maintained as I can imagine they were when Deering lived there were vast and intricately developed to advertise the natural elements of the area such as the Lime Stone alcoves. The house defies description though I will try. The craftsmanship for the doors, the rooms the decor was astounding and everything was so magically detailed. The murals in the breakfast room took my imagination by storm and could only dream up how exciting it would have been for Deering visitors to actually arrive by boat to the rear of the home. Definitely a must see as the place has even hosted presidential gatherings.
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I LOVED Vizcaya!
Such an interesting and unique place - what a gem!
This is a mansion that owner James Deering filled and created based on his love of European antiques. Basically, he filled and themed the house with old school pieces. One room looks like Versailles, the next Hampton Court Palace - but this is in Miami, so random!
The gardens are also very interesting but watch out you don't get yelled at in Spanish for accidentally walking into a quinceanera picture.
My favorite part was the view of the water and the Stone Barge - it is so unique - note all my pictures...
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As many times as I have been here, I never get tired of Vizcaya. It has enduring old world beauty, timeless architecture and inspiration around every corner. Take all of this and add a talented decorator to dress Viscaya for your wedding and you have breathtaking! There are some logistical challenges that come with such an old place, but this is simply a matter of season (try not to get married at Vizcaya in the summer, it is too hot) and budget (everything must be brought in and then taken out - no onsite services other than what is already there which is basically the grounds and the bathrooms). Vizcaya is not hip and no amount of decor can change that. It *is* sophisticated, beautiful, romantic and elegant.
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This is my favorite tourist attraction in Miami. I love visiting this place. The gardens are beautiful, they are Italian inspired. When your there, you forget your in Miami. The view and the breeze from the Ocean is really nice too. If your in Miami, you must come here.
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This is the Cloisters (NYC) of Miami. Instead of medieval, you have Italian renaissance. Instead of medieval art, you have rooms left alone for what they were, embellished in gilded, yet admittedly faded, Italian style. It could use some renovations and restorations here and there, but other than that, this is definitely a jewel in the Miami cultural landscape.
While the tour and mansion itself is not deaf friendly (no transcript, no written information about each room in each room (or on paper), and sign language interpreters were not present when I went), the tour is probably the best way to view the mansion. Luckily the tour runs pretty often, in English and in Spanish.
But because I didn't get much out of the tour, I enjoyed the garden immensely. It is definitely beautiful.
If you've been to Europe, and visited a fancy and ancient estate in Italy, you probably won't be impressed. But for those who have never been, it is something worth seeing.
When coming, take the metrorail to the Vizcaya station. There's a pedestrian entrance into Vizcaya that is also a nature trail - and it is in my opinion much more scenic than the drive by car. However, if you have a family... then I do understand - take a car!
There's also a cafe here. I got a burger and hot dog - both of which were really good - but they were also priced for the tourists (aka high). $2 for a tiny cup of Tropicana orange juice, etc. The food is worthy though, if you ignore the price (which should still be less than $10 for a meal).
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A hodgepodge of European style and some random asian stuff in a Mediterrean home. In reality, it's not that old. Of note--on the last Sundays of the months July-Sept., it's free.
went back (wasn't raining this time) and actually enjoyed the tour much more. maybe we had a better tour guide.
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I visited Miami in early October and a local suggested I visit Viscaya. It is quite beatutiful,and in a lovely state of deterioration. It's like a movie set worth the visit!
This is one of the top cultural tourist attractions in Miami. I had very low expectations, which were slightly surpassed. If you've gone through dozens of similar villas and small palaces in Europe as I have, there's nothing spectacular here, but it's a nice demonstration of bringing hundreds of years old European cultural influences to the U.S. - and a demonstration what you can build if you had shitloads of money in early 20th century.
Reminds a lot of the Hearst Castle in California - expect that especially the yard is in pretty shitty condition - clearly they are running on low budget, which might be the cause of the recent hurricane seasons.
If you have absolutely nothing else to do on Sunday afternoon, Villa Vizcaya is still worth the 12 bucks ($9 for residents and students).
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For original review with many pictures, please see http://www.guiyanggal....
Vizcaya is a really neat place, even when you consider that it was recently built, so the patina of history surrounding it is fake. Nonetheless, it has a gardens and an amazing house with all sorts of interesting architecture.
The grounds are extensive, and just the sort of perfect thing for the well-heeled Miami wedding. We saw not one, not two, but three separate wedding parties there. Out of curiosity, I called to see how much it cost to rent the place; renting for one night for up to 100 guests was $12k for a weekend or $7k for a weekday.
Given the extensive and amazing grounds, of course a good deal of our time was finding a spot where I'd be happy with the lighting. I hate pictures with flash! Given what a snob I am about the right natural lighting, we would walk all over until I finally decided that some spot was a good spot.
Vacaya is serene, a great place to walk around with that special someone with hand holding.
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I went to an AIDS event called the White Party several years ago here with some friends ,who at the time, owned a club called LEVEL (which is now Mansion). This place took my breath away. We came in on a friend's yacht and and docked. They had beautiful men half naked posing on columns with angel wings, stations of food in the gardens and some really hot music playing. I did not want the night to ever end. Have not seen Vizcaya since it was damaged by hurricane Wilma and Katrina(http://arts.endow.gov/...). Breaks my heart....
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I have never heard of Vizcaya until this trip to Miami. All I heard was some rich man decided to build this disgustingly huge villa on the 180 acres of land he bought. The entrance to the villa was quite grand with statues everywhere. The building and landscaping definitely have a renaissance sense of symmetry and order. The main villa was quite spectacular with an indoor courtyard and walks out to the view of the ocean - my dream house layout! The wavebreaker was not just a wavebreaker it is shaped in the form of a ship with sculptures all over. I can't help but wonder why? Then there were the different rooms dramatically decorated with furnishings, sculptures and paintings from different periods - namely the neoclassical, rococo, renaissance, the french style, the english style and even the chinese style. The guide called Deering eclectic! I thought anyone with taste would stick to one style. It was quite a mess walking from room to room. Now the thought again - why so frou frou? This house was built in the 1900s to look like the 16-17 centuries. It's odd but after walking through all the rooms masking with previous periods the kitchen truly reflected when it was build - white tiles and cooper pots with the modern amenities. And I quite like it. By the time I reached the master bedroom with a tiny single bed I can't help but wonder about the sexual orientation of the owner plus he was single when he died. I was convinced that there will be a secret room with a queen bed for his escapades. And I found it on the very top floor where there were several very private rooms and one of them had a queen/double bed. Why would anyone build a house so grand and never to be shared with a loving family? After some research there are speculations he may have been gay. I thought of Miami South Beach, Versace's mansion, Key West this kinda blend right in with the lifestyle of Miami. This also reminded of The Falling Water where the son was gay too but they are usually the ones, being single and had appreciations for the arts, to give up their master pieces for historical preservation. I suppose with heirs we will never get to see the grandeur of Vizcaya or Falling Waters. The garden is very spectacular as well it reminded of Marie Antoniette's villa in Versailles and guess what? There're reminders of Marie Antoniette including a bust in the guest reception and a reference of Deering's anemia to Marie Antoinette as well.
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So beautiful. Took my breath away.
