Villa Borghese Gardens

For the first time since my arrival in Rome, I have taken a step outside the city and into the wild (or as close as you get to it in Rome). It is truly refreshing. This past weekend, I meandered into Rome's two biggest parks, the Villa Borghese Gardens and the Villa Doria Pamphili. This post is about the first because I find it more interesting and because I really only poked my head into the latter.

I ventured out into the Gardens with two of my friends, Caitlyn and Lesley. We were lucky to be there on two amazing days (Friday and Saturday). The first day, we just walked around, stopping at different statues and fountains. The place is truly extensive. I haven't seen much of it, and out of the two days we spent there, I feel like I've seen enough to fill my brain. Many beautiful statues and fountains are arranged and scattered throughout the park. The picture below is the pathway to the beautiful "Temple of Aesculapius" which is situated on a small man-made lake and seems to pop out of nowhere.

Throughout all the adventures, it is most striking to realize that this was once personal property (the gardens were only officially opened to the public in 1903. Until then, it was the personal gardens of the very powerful Borghese family, patrons of Bernini and huge collectors of art). All the statues and gardens are, in a way, very private. Now they serve the needs of the Roman public, and indirectly (as a priceless spot of history, art and architecture) the world as a whole. But because of its private background and because of the way many of the scenes are hidden within corners of the park, the place can seem very intimate.

I was compelled to take a picture of this old man and his dog because he acted like there wasn't anyone else in the park - this bench might of been right outside his front door. He just slumped down on the bench, lost in his thoughts while his dog watched vigilantly.

We especially liked this fountain, nestled in a low spot in the park and accessible only by a dirt path. We refer to it as "our fountain" and we spent a good thirty minutes hanging around it.

On our second trip to the park, we decided to kick it up a notch (as Emeril would say) and rent some bikes. Now there were five of us and we were on a mission. This time, it was a bit more crowded but it didn't matter because we were lions in a hyena's playground (if you understand my Disney references). Below is a picture of our very intimidating biker gang.

I can't wait to do more things in the Park. I think I've seen enough here to have a solid starting point, but not nearly enough to have exhausted its mystery. It's great to find some breathing room in such a crowded city.

Ciao!
Matt