We awoke on our third day in Rome and, as usual, we were anxious to get outside.  Today, we were going to revisit one of my favorite places: Villa Sciarra.  Villa Sciarra has a long and rich history.  The site was once home to the gardens of Julius Caesar and, according to legend, the emperor entertained Cleopatra here.  The villa we see today was built by the Colonna di Sciarra family, and the grounds took on their current design once the place was owned by George Wurts and his wife, Henrietta Tower, who not only renovated the house, but also adorned the property with statues and fountains, turning the green area into a beautiful garden.  Henrietta later left the property to the Italian government, on the condition that it became a public park.  Of course, over the years, the property has become a bit rundown.  Some of the fountains no longer sprout water.  The statues are chipped, and areas of the park are slightly overgrown.  Still, whenever I visit the villa, my soul finds a sort of peace and contentment that I do not normally get from other city parks.  I love it there!  In order to get to the villa, we retraced our steps from the day before, up the hill.

Once you are inside the gates of the property, it seems as if the modern city of Rome were miles away.  You could be in the country somewhere.  All city noise is gone.  There is nothing but nature and birdsong, and of course, one or two Romans walking their dogs, or pushing strollers, with children in tow.

A recent addition to the park were signs found near the base of trees, informing the visitor on the type of tree it was, as well as where it originated.

We stumbled upon an unusual art piece, which is pictured above, titled “Not One Less.”  I guess the artist was referring to the fact that there were two pairs of red shoes on the bench, one slightly different from the other.  Who knows?  Your guess might be just as good as ours was!

 

Next up: We continue exploring Villa Sciarra, and then, later, it is off to Somo, a Japanese fusion restaurant in Trastevere!

 

Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations that may appear.  If you have enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for more posts from Rome, as well as other Italian destinations.  Grazie!