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Home » Travel » City Guides

Villa Borghese: A Break from the Bustle of Rome

By: Claire  On: April 10, 2015  Updated: January 23, 2025   8 Comments

After two full days of intense tourist activities, I decided it was time for a bit of a break. I started my day by strolling around the grounds of the Villa Borghese. The gardens here are immense, making it the largest public park in Rome. It’s comparable to New York City’s Central Park, complete with families playing on swing sets, vendors selling gelato, and worn out tourists looking to relax for a bit. I absolutely loved spending my morning here. It was easily the most relaxed morning up to that point, and I loved discovering all the fountains and statues tucked away all over the grounds. You could actually spend most of your day on the grounds if you wanted to as there’s a museum and a zoo on the grounds as well.

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The gardens of the Villa Borghese were my favorite part of the grounds, partially because I’d never seen a lemon or orange tree before. I don’t know what type of lemons they were growing though, because I saw some that were the size of a softball! The grounds have a gorgeous overlook of the city and you can walk down to the Piazza del Popolo from there as well.

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Not the softball-sized lemons in question, but pretty nonetheless.

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After a morning in the park, I wandered about Rome with various piazzas and fountains vaguely in mind. The great thing about Rome is that there’s always something to see. Just when you think you’ve escaped “the touristy part” of the city, you find yourself in another crowded square. I personally love this aspect of Rome because I never feel like I have to have a set destination in mind. Throughout the afternoon, I stumbled upon the Spanish Steps (I actually wasn’t sure if they were the steps or not. I had to double check my map). The Steps were pretty, but I’m not exactly sure how they’ve become a “must see” in Rome. They were nice to sit on, but other than getting a break from walking I wasn’t over the moon about them.DSC_0034

On the other hand, I LOVED Piazza Navona. With a huge obelisk rising out of the center fountain and surrounded on all sides by street vendors and tourists, this piazza is definitely a place I’d revisit. It was such a beautiful square, and it had three fountains in total (the center fountain stole the show though). On one side of the piazza is Sant’Agnese in Agone, a beautiful Baroque-style church that is worth visiting. I actually entered this church on a whim, not really expecting much as the outside sort of blends into the surrounding buildings. Once inside, I was floored. It’s a small space, but the vaulted ceilings and ornate decor give it a certain majestic air that’s singular to churches of this time period.DSC_0056

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I revisited Piazza del Popolo later in the day as well, and although it doesn’t rank as high as Piazza Navona in my book, I still loved seeing it. Piazza del Popolo is much more open than Piazza Navona, and is a better place to visit if you’re looking to just sit down for a while. While there, I enjoyed watching a man blow huge bubbles for a crowd of excited children and later on seeing a Michael Jackson impersonator give a brief performance.

Piazza del Popolo as seen from the Villa Borghese grounds.
Piazza del Popolo as seen from the Villa Borghese grounds.

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There are so many obelisks in Rome! I’m assuming they were taken from Egypt when it was conquered. Other ideas??

I also saw Trevi Fountain, but it’s under construction until the end of the year so I had to admire it without water. On the plus side, I bet there aren’t very many people who can say they’ve seen Trevi Fountain up close and personal before! With the help of scaffolding and a ramp set up courtesy of the city, that is…DSC_0040

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Day three in Rome was a definite success! Which of today’s sights would you most like to see? Don’t forget to like TGBW on Facebook and Bloglovin‘ and visit my ‘About’ page for my other social media platforms!

Signing off,

Claire

Check out my other adventures in Rome:

  • Day 1: Vatican City
  • Day 2: Roman Forum and Colosseum  

posted in: City Guides, Europe, Italy, Rome, Travel

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The Colosseum and the Roman Forum: The Perfect Day in Rome
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Written by Claire

Hiya! I'm the writer and photographer behind Tall Girl Big World. After being laid off from my corporate editorial job in NYC, I spent a year building up my freelance writing business before moving to Berlin, Germany in 2019. As of 2025, I've just received my permanent residence permit and can now officially call Berlin home. I've traveled extensively throughout Germany and share my top tips and recommendations in my detailed travel guides. I also write guides to my favorite European destinations (when my freelance schedule allows, that is!). Meet Claire.

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. mintnoti says

    April 10, 2015

    Your photos are absolutely stunning and bringing back so many good memories of when I went to Rome. It’s too bad the Trevi Fountain was under construction, but at least you got to see some of the other wonderful sights the city has to offer 🙂

    http://www.mintnotion.com

    Reply
    • Claire says

      April 10, 2015

      Thank you! The fountain was a bit of a bummer, but in the end it was pretty cool to be able to literally walk right up to it on the scaffolding 😉

      Reply
  2. Helena says

    April 10, 2015

    Such amazing photos! My mom and brother just got back from home – if they had only read these incredible tips before their departure! I’ve never been to Rome, but shall be sure to save this post when I do visit sometime in the future ♥ Thank you for these wonderful tips.

    simply-mode.com

    Reply
    • Claire says

      April 11, 2015

      Thanks so much! Rome was an absolute dream; I’m already trying to figure out when I can visit again!

      Reply

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Hiya, I'm Claire!

After being laid off from my corporate job in NYC, I packed up my bags and moved to Berlin in 2019. Tall Girl Big World is where I share my adventures in Berlin and beyond. You'll find detailed guides on my favorite European cities as well as my top tips and resources for living abroad.

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