Tag: Rome

Galleria Borghese, Villa Borghese Gardens, Rome — The inviting entrance to the Galleria Borghese museum

Why you will love this free attraction in Rome

26/08/2020 / Smita / 7 Comments

A short distance from Piazza di Spagna and Rome’s bustling tourist district lies a sanctuary that few except locals know of. We think it’s worth taking the time to pay a visit to this free attraction in Rome.

Villa Borghese is a sprawling park on Pincio Hill. Covering over 80 hectares, there are a number of ways to enter the gardens. Our favourite is from the Spanish Steps, by turning left at the top in front of the Trinita dei Monti and walking up the gentle sloping pathway to the entrance.

Villa Borghese was established in the early 1600s when Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew to Pope Paul V decided to turn his city vineyard into Rome’s most extensively landscaped garden. Over years a number of attractions were added turning the Gardens into a small parcel of paradise in the middle of the city. The State acquired the Gardens from the Borghese family in the early 1900s and opened them for the public to enjoy.

We have visited the park over a number of visits and have still to complete our exploration. Some highlights we’ve discovered:

Enrico e Giovanni Cairoli Monument

A non-descript monument to take note of as you enter via the sloping pathway from the top of the Spanish Steps. Look down over or walk down to the monument for a closer look.

The monument honours a small contingent of compatriots who fought in a campaign to liberate Rome from the rule of Pope Pius IX. Enrico led the small contingent suffering in the attack and the monument depicts Giovanni, his younger brother supporting his dying brother up the Spanish Steps. The names of the other volunteer fighters can be found on the monument.

Enrico e Giovanni Cairoli Monument, Rome — Enrico e Giovanni Cairoli Monument

Pincio Terrace

Walk further ahead once you enter the park and you’ll find one of the best photo spots in Rome. The terrace provides a commanding view of the domes and rooftops that make up Rome’s skyline and it’s the perfect place to do a little landmark spotting. It also gives you a birdseye view over Piazza del Popolo.

Domes of Rome — You can never have enough of looking out to the domes and rooftops of Rome

Watch the comings and goings over Piazza del Popolo from the Pincio Terrace.

Temple of Aesculapius

The Temple of Aesculapius sits on a small island in the middle of an artificial lake not far from Pincio Terrace.

A serene spot in the park, the temple dedicated to the God of Medicine and built in 1785 is said to replicate an ancient temple originally situated on the River Tiber.

You can hire a row boat to lazily while away an afternoon on the lake.

The idyllic Temple of Aesculapius on the lake

The Water Clock

Looking for something quirky? Find the water clock (hydrochronometer) in the gardens not far from the Pincio. It was built for display at the Universal Exposition held in Paris in 1867 and brought back to be placed in a fountain in the Gardens in 1873. It still works.

Water clock in the Villa Borghese Gardens — The Water Clock hidden in the Villa Borghese Gardens

Galleria Borghese

Our favourite attraction in the park, Galleria Borghese was originally called Casa Nobile.

The Villa Borghese houses a number of museums within its grounds. The Galleria Borghese is the highlight and one of the world’s leading museums. While not large, it houses some of the finest artworks and sculptures from the 1500s to 1800s. Works by Bernini, Raphael and Carravaggio are housed in an intimate setting.

Tickets for a timeslot are required. A guarantee that you won’t be vying with other art enthusiasts to view the masterpieces. Book your tickets well in advance to avoid missing out on your preferred date and time. We can guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Other ways to enjoy the Gardens

Take a walk in the park

The shaded walking paths lined with busts, fountains, manicured gardens (some reflecting an old English style), and rotundas weren’t opened to the public until the early 1900s. Today, you can stroll through the park exploring all its nooks and crannies to find the secret gardens spotted throughout the park.

Visit the zoo

The Villa Borghese Gardens is also home to the Bioparco di Roma Zoo which is a wonderful way to break away from the historical sites and entertain children if you are travelling as a family. When you’re finished visiting the Bioparco, drop by to watch the puppetry show at the Teatro Dei Burattani San Carlino. With puppet theatre not so common these days, it will give the children a special experience to treasure.

Stop by the equestrian arena

If you like watching equestrian events, and you’re visiting Rome in May, stop by the Piazza di Siena to watch the International Horse Show, one of the most well-known horseriding events in Italy. The event is free and open to the public.

Go to the theatre or watch a movie

If you are not excited by horse events and prefer something with a hint of culture then take in a Shakespearian play at the Silvano Toti Globe Theatre. Emulating the famous Globe Theatre in London, it’s the only Elizabethan theatre in Italy.

Otherwise buy a ticket to one of the summer outdoor screenings of the Casa Del Cinema, an arthouse movie theatre.

Browse through another gallery, or two

The Borghese Gallery is just one of several galleries in the gardens. We are looking forward to visiting the 16th-century mansion, Villa Medici which houses the French Academy on our next visit to have a look inside its beautiful interior.

You can also visit the Museo Pietro Canonica which is dedicated to the work of artist Pietro Canonica or the Museo Carloi Bilotti which displays the large art collection of billionaire Carlo Bilotti

Cycle around the Gardens

If you’re not keen on walking around the gardens or are pressed for time, then an easy way to explore the sprawling gardens is to rent a bicycle. The park has a number of cycle rental vendors spotted around the park. A more novel way to see the sights around the gardens is to hire a quadricycle. The four-seater electric quadricycles are fun and a family-friendly way to enjoy an afternoon.

A picnic in the Borghese

After all the rushing from one monument to another, a great way to have a bit of downtime is to gather some goodies from the markets in the morning, pack a picnic lunch and find a shady spot in the Gardens to while away an hour or two.

Time out to exercise

Like to exercise? The park’s wide trails are the perfect place to take a run, jog or power walk. Or, roll out your yoga mat in one of the many secluded spots for the perfect start to your day in the Eternal City.

Jogging in the Borghese Gardens — What better way to start the day in Rome than a jog along the trails in the Borghese Gardens

People watch

The perfect way to complete your visit to the Villa Borghese is to take a seat on the park bench (you might find one close to a street musician) and enjoy a little people-watching. The Park is a sanctuary for Romans to escape the chaos of their city. If you visit on a Sunday afternoon you’ll find family groups enjoying the many recreational activities or young and elderly couples taking a romantic passeggiata around the park.

The Villa Borghese is the perfect sanctuary in the heart of Rome

Our conclusion

These are just a few of the many activities offered in Villa Borghese. We have yet to explore more of the Gardens. We’ll definitely be spending time there on our next visit to Rome. We have been entranced by this haven in the city. It will take just one visit for you to love it too.

P.S.
We’ll have more to say about the Galleria Borghese, our favourite art museum, in a dedicated post coming soon. Make sure you sign up to receive an email notification when we tell you about our favourite gallery in more detail. You’ll be as mesmerised as we were!

P.P.S.
And, if you found this suggestion useful for your next visit to Rome, then you may like these posts:

See the hidden treasures just outside of Rome

25/10/2018 / Smita / 3 Comments

It was another bright, sunny day as we drove up to Hadrian’s Villa (Villa Adriana) just outside of Tivoli. We had spent a couple of weeks walking the tracks between the villages in the Cinque Terre, wandering the streets of Florence and Sienna, and roaming the Tuscan countryside. The drive, surrounded by endless fields of sunflowers through Umbria and into Lazio was beautiful, and Tivoli was our final stop before reaching Rome.

With parking restricted at the entrance, we parked in a neighbouring suburban street, found a little café for lunch in preparation for an afternoon wandering through the ruins of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

We were delighted to find there were no queues at the entrance. And, upon entering, only a few people inside the complex.

Hadrian’s Villa is a large complex of buildings, gardens, pools and fountains, dating back to 118AD. Emperor Hadrian built this rural retreat as his summer getaway from Rome and today, much of the site remains unexcavated. The unearthed ruins though, leave it to the imagination about how spectacular buildings and grounds of this original Villa were!

Entranced by the beauty of the Villa, we hadn’t noticed the dark clouds gather. Suddenly there’s a feeling of eeriness around us. Thunder starts to rumble and flashes of lightning rapidly crack across the sky. With more to see, we don’t let this deter us and carry on admiring willing the skies to clear – we still have much more to see.

The Gods take pity and it is not until we reach the Museum that it starts to pour with rain. The model recreation indoors gives us an insight into Emperor Hadrian’s appreciation of architectural styles and how beautiful the Villa originally was.

It was time to leave and with no sign of the heavy rain subsiding, the decision was made. He gallantly sprinted to find our car while I took cover.

And, so it was that we continued our short drive into Tivoli to find our little B&B in the small piazza just outside the amazing Villa D’Este. We will have a couple of hours to explore the famous gardens before dark.

With light rain still falling by the time we unpack and settle, we decide that a tour of the Villa apartments would be best before exploring the gardens. We are not disappointed, the apartments reveal stunning frescoes and stairways with glimpses over the gardens and beyond through the windows. This villa was the home of the very wealthy Cardinal Ippolito d’Este.

The grand finale is the amazing gardens, fountains and waterfalls – indescribable. The opulence of times past is difficult to understand these days, however, we are grateful that the Villa has been well preserved for us to enjoy and imagine times past.

Hadrian’s Villa is located outside of Tivoli and while we travelled by car, we understand there is a bus service from Tivoli which delivers you very close to the entrance (pop into the Tourist Office om Piazza Garibaldi for details).

Just over 20km from Rome, Tivoli can be explored on a day trip. However, we recommend that you stay at least one night in this small town to be able to explore the main attractions at a leisurely pace. Or, stay longer to use the town as a base as you explore the region of Lazio. Either way, do not miss the opportunity to go off the tourist track and pay a visit.

P.S. If you decide to stay in Tivoli, we can recommend staying at the lovely B&B Villa D’Este situated right next to the Villa D’Este. Our host, Fabio was very polite and accommodating providing us with a delicious homemade breakfast on the rooftop terrace. Make sure you request a room overlooking the piazza. They also provide complimentary parking in a car park close by. There are plenty of unique restaurants and cafes close by.

On the way to the cemetery…

26/08/2018 / Smita / 1 Comment

One of the things we love about travelling simply is meeting the people of the countries we visit. Travelling independently provides numerous opportunities to converse with locals, hear about their lives, their story, learn something new about their country and practice speaking their language.

An added benefit is arranging your own travel itinerary. We like to detour from mainstream tourist attractions to find our own small attractions and make the visit more memorable.

We had taken a morning walk along the Tiber River in Rome, through the Rose Garden to take a peep through the keyhole on the Aventine Hill and decided to continue on to the Protestant Cemetery which is only a few kilometres from the Colosseum. We had found our way there on a previous visit and were keen to go back to the graveyard.

Wandering down the Hill, dazzled by the magnificent view through the keyhole (it was a clear, sunny morning and the view was magnificent), we became disorientated and wondered if we were going the right way. We are old hands in Rome and had come out without our map!

It is early and the streets are deserted. We stand at the fork of the road pondering on whether we need to turn left or right when we spot a man leisurely strolling down the hill puffing on his pipe, a beautiful golden retriever in tow.

We approach. He looks at us amusingly as we try our hand at asking him in Italian if we are going the right way. He stuns us with his reply. Not only is it in perfect English, but it is his accent which raises our curiosity!

None of us are in a hurry. We stand on the street corner as he takes pleasure in telling the story of his life. It is not extraordinary, an Italian, now retired who studied, lived and work in our home town, has children who live in our country which he visits every year but loves the life in Italy. It turns out that we have more in common than we thought.

Half an hour later he walks down the hill with us, tells us we are heading in the right direction as we part ways. The cemetery is less than five minutes away.

We spend an hour meandering through the cemetery stopping at the gravestones to read and reflect on the lives of the non-Catholic who lived and died here. The cemetery was established in the early 1700’s so there is a lot of history here on the life of the expatriate community in Italy. We only walk through a small section to ensure we come back again on a future visit.

Our visit is not complete without visiting a special part of the cemetery set a little aside in a tranquil garden, the final resting places of the British poets Keats and Shelley.

A lovely morning spent away from the chaos of Rome making new memories with a stranger.

Tombstone of John Keats

Footnote: You’ll find the Protestant Cemetery next to the Pyramid of Caius Cestius. The entrance is tucked away on Via Caio Cestio. Entrance is free, however, donations for the upkeep of the cemetery are accepted through a donation box at the entrance.

A surprise in a keyhole

27/02/2018 / Smita / 2 Comments

We are surprised, there is a queue!

As with all secrets, eventually, everyone finds out. So, we join the tail just as half a dozen tourists tumble out of a private tourist van.

“Hurry up, take a peep and move on”, He muttered. The comment was aimed at the lady in front who was taking several looks to confirm what she was seeing and then trying to get her camera lens in place to take a shot.

“Be patient, look around, there’s plenty to see” I said spotting a group of monks chatting on the street corner, one gazing intently into his mobile phone. This was a far cry from the first time we had visited this spot…

We had marched through the crowds around the Colosseum and the Forum, walking past Circus Maximus stopping to imagine the crowds of up to 250,000 that would have gathered to watch the chariot races in times well past. We happened to be in Rome in 2006 when the Romans gathered there to watch Italy win the Soccer World Cup! We soldiered on to Aventine Hill.

We strolled through the Rose Gardens and detoured into Parco Savelli admiring couples having their wedding photos taken among the pine and orange trees and on to the end of the path to join others taking in the spectacular view across rooftops to the dome of St Peter’s Basilica from the lookout.

Wandering further up the rise we near the end of the street. The street is quiet, not many tourists wander this far. It looks like there is just us and a gathering in front of the Catholic Church. A few cars have arrived and we stop to watch as a family members get together in front of the church. Definitely Italians, all of them looking very stylish, men in suits with sneakers and women in flowing dresses and stilettos – we feel a little out of place and stand a little away to watch.

There is a lot of hugging, kissing and joviality as they congregate. We notice small groups break away one by one from the main gathering and walk towards a wooden doorway a few doors further up. Each taking a turn to peep through the keyhole and then return to join the rest of the family.

Reluctant to be taken away by the Carabinieri, we had wondered how we were going to surreptitiously find “The Keyhole” without peering through each one in the street!

We sauntered up to the doorway as if we knew exactly where we were going, closed one eye and took a peep. Words cannot describe the joy of that first simple peep through a keyhole.

And so, now we join the many who flock to have a look through the keyhole and the amazement on each face as they look once and look again twice is worth the wait. The view is one we will never tire of and it has become a custom to take a wander up the Aventine Hill. The joy of being a simple traveller!

Footnote: This photo does not do the scene justice. It is truly spectacular when seen with the naked eye!