Villa Vizcaya is a well known landmark in the Miami area.  It is located in South Miami between the Calle Ocho (Little Havana) and Coral Gables districts and is just south of the Rickenbacker Causeway which takes you to Key Biscayne. It is accessible by your Miami car rental.

Villa Vizcaya was built in 1916.  It was the brainchild of James Deering who made is money as the cofounder and vice president of International Harvester.  Mr. Deering was intrigued by 16th-century art and architecture so he hired designer Paul Chalfin and architect F. Burrall Hoffman to build this salute to a culture from another continent and age.  The mansion and grounds are so ornate and busy that it is widely stated that they employed 1,000 artisans over a 5 year period to build it.

Villa Vizcaya is antique lovers dream.  It is filled with fine works of art and various relics spanning the 16th to 19th centuries.  There is a free, guided tour available for the ground floor.  It covers all 34 rooms and is well worth taking to get the fullest understanding of what you are seeing.  One can tour the second floor, which consists mostly of ornate bedrooms on your own and at your pace.

Some of the more interesting rooms to view include:

 

• The Italian Renaissance Living Room which features a 2,000 year old Roman tripod and a tapestry depicting the Labors of Hercules among other things.
• Rococo Music Room which features a variety of antique instruments such as a harpsichord from 1619.
• Breakfast Room is easily the most outlandish room in the mansion.  The entrance is guarded by four huge ceramic Chinese Foo dogs.
• French Rococo Reception Room which is designed in the style of the 18th-century French King Louis XV.
• The Empire Bathroom decorated with marble and silver, the bathtub offers both fresh water and salt water from the bay.
• Italian Renaissance Dining Room features a 2,000 year old Roman table, ornate tapestries and 17th century chairs.

There is a central courtyard immediately in front of Villa Vizcaya.  Extending from the courtyard are approximately 10 acres of lavish gardens.  Most visitors will take the guided tour of the ground floor and then get out to the garden area.  You can easily spend hours in these lush gardens discovering mazes, grottoes while viewing a variety of statuary, balustrades, and decorative urns.  The gardens also offer beautiful views of Biscayne Bay.

Physical Address:
3251 S. Miami Ave.

Phone number:
(305)250-9133

Guided Tours:
Are conducted daily from 9:30 am – 5:00 pm.

Hours of Operation:
The Villa is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, the gardens stay open until 5:30 pm

Cost of Admission (2008):
$12 for adults, $5 for children, children under 5 enter at no charge

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