Villa Borghese, Rome

We then made our way to Villa Borghese, Rome’s largest public landscape park. Covering 148 acres, it contains many historic buildings, a lake, a temple, statues and museums. While we didn’t walk the entire 148 acres, it certainly felt like it. The views overlooking Rome from the gardens are expansive and the various structures are elaborately adorned with amazing stone and marble sculptures.

We made sure to check out the Hydrochronometer, a type of water clock. It uses the force of water to move the pendulum and wind the clock and there are only two of these extremely rare clocks located in Rome, one in the Villa Borghese, and the other in Piazza Bernardino. Father Giovanni Batista Embriaco created this hydrochronometer in 1867, and after its completion, it was sent to the Paris Universal Exposition, where it received several awards. The clock returned to Rome in 1873 and was placed in the Villa Borghese gardens where it still stands today.

While it was hot, it was worth the stroll - we think. We don’t know that we would strongly tell people that they must rush out and visit the Villa Borghese, but it was a pleasant way to send the morning. Unfortunately, I hadn’t pre booked tickets to the Gallery Borghese and that might have made all the difference.

After a well-earned lunch in the park we decided to head home for an afternoon siesta. We totally get the concept and are embracing it, and it was that hot we needed it.Read more