Caldwell Curates: Borghese Gardens

One of the top rated museums to visits in Rome is the Borghese Galleries, while it was not my favorite, the gardens are. I had cut through the gardens on my way to the National Gallery of Modern Art and promised I would spend some more time on my way back. The gardens are massive. Although I visited a couple of times a week, I always felt I was discovering some new part of it.

While the gardens have a terrific view of Piazza del Popolo (and the rest of the city for that matter), you must keep walking further back, this will also help you get away from the tourists. As you keep walking there are beautiful fountains galore. Also any trip to the garden would not be complete without visiting the pond, I never did it, but you can rent boats to paddle around.

On the weekends, many Italian families will pack picnics for the park and I would sometimes come here to sit with my kindle either on the grass or in one of the cafes that are scattered throughout. The people watching here is fantastic because it is a real haven for Italians to escape the narrow winding streets for a bit. On my last weekend, when my friend Nolan came to visit we rented a two person bike and rode around the park, which is a new way for me to see it.

I have to come back to the gardens soon because they are in the process of restoring two of the gardens and the aviary house to resemble what they looked like when the Borgheses lived there. The Borghese gardens easily were my favorite place in Rome and may be even rival Hazard’s Beach for my happiest place on earth.

One of numerous spectacular views from the gardens.

Storybook scenery

One of the numerous fountains...there should be a scavenger hunt to find them all.

Some of the gardens they are in the process of restoring. 

I don't think it's any coincidence that the park is shaped in a heart.