Place: Villa Vizcaya, Coconut Grove, Florida, United States

Description

It's often called the "Hearst Castle of the East." Located on Miami's Biscayne Bay in north Coconut Grove, the spectacular palazzo built in 1916 by agricultural industrialist James Deering as a winter home, is now a serene museum and beautifully landscaped botanical garden. The original 180-acre estate had formal gardens, native mangroves, and hardwood trees. It also housed a farm, livestock, and variety of other service facilities on the west side of South Miami Avenue. The main house evolved over the years with extensive restoration. From the lavish flower gardens that surround the mansion to the thirty four rooms decorated with antique furnishings and art objects spanning 2000 years, you can expect to be awed by the beauty of this Italian-style estate, now on the National Register of Historic Places.