Blog - Life in Italy

Villa Doria Pamphili is one of the greatest historical Roman villas. Located on the Gianicolo hill, in an area contiguous the Mura Aureliane's wall, is delimited in a side from one of the ancient tracks, Via Aurelia Antica, which runs parallel to the Acquedotto Traiano Paolo. Nowadays it is the prefered destination for jogging and bicycle lovers and is a short distance from the city centre.

The Quattro Venti arch represents the main entry and it is placed in Porta San Pancrazio. The most important building of the park is Villa del Bel Respiro, so named for his elevated position and the healthy air you could and still can breathe. The sumptuousness of rooms and gardens got the Gouvernament choose it as representative building to receive prime ministers. Villa Doria Pamphili hosts besides the Casa dei Teatri, in Villino Corsini, the ideal place for everyone searching peace and tranquillity for his study.

The Casino del Bel Respiro was ideated by the sculptor Algardi. Inside it has numerous rooms and halls embellished by painted stuccos. Outside it is possible to admire the Giardino Segreto composed by tangled labyrinths of hedges. In the 1800's the Villa was the teather of one of the most bloody battles for the defence of the Roman Republic: the french troops of Napoleon III occupied Villa Corsini and the strife with the garibaldians was inevitable. Towards the half-century the Casino del Bel Respiro was turned into a big agricultural estate. Only after 1870 it was maded over to Roman municipality and became a public park.

There are many fountains in this park, realized thanks to the presence of the Roman aqueduct, that was restructured by Paolo V at the end of XIV century. With regard to it we can cite the Giglio's Fountain. Starting from this fountain a canal spreads in lenght until his waters flow together to the lake called del Belvedere, surrounded by weeping willows. The purpose of Pamphili family was to try to repeat the prestige of the villa which belonged to the Imperator Adrian nearby Tivoli.

The aim has been achieved. The architecural and naturalistic beauties have contributed to make Villa Pamphili the most beautiful park amid the ones that alleviate the urban impact of the big city. Usually the tourists who come to the capital are used to visit Villa Borghese at their arrival, being this even more central. Well, we hope this article could change your preconception.

Be ready. The visit of the whole park will take you half day due to the huge expanse. It is possible to distinguish two macro areas, the former we talked about is the first. The other is the one with the pond, in the depths of wihich is pleasant to make out a various acquatic fauna. The  two parts are cut across lenghtwise by the Olimpica street, even if lately a raised bridge, a pedestrian passage, has been built to connect the two areas.

It remains to wish you a good stroll. If you are a little more athtletic you will be spoilt for choice about running routes. You will have available even a jogging spot (via Vitellia, angolo via Leone XIII) where you will be able to find shower units, dressing rooms and facilities. Good run!

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The 'Estate Romana 2009' is back again!

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When: from 22 may to 13 september 2009

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Rome is a big city and rich of art and history at every corner, although you can easily walk all the top attractions in the city center of Rome it could be tiring after a while.

Bus Tours are a great way to explore the city in relax with an extensive hop-on hop-off itinerary through the heart of Rome. You can get off at any stop, take a walk of the area and then hop on the next bus at no additional cost for the validity of your ticket (1-2 days).

The buses are open top which allows you to enjoy full 360 degree panoramic views as you travel along your route.

This is a very family friendly service and is also a very good idea to jump start your vacation and get acquainted with the city, attractions, places and distances. Just have a tour, see what Rome has to offer, get off at your favourite place if you can't resist :) or take the whole loop and carefully choose your next top attraction to visit.

There are many different companies (up to 7) that operate very similar core routes around the Rome sights.
Although all tours are loops where you can start at any point, nearly all operators start at Termini Station the main central station of Rome, connected to both metro lines A and B.

Generally you have the choice of a 24 or 48 hours ticket with which to make use of the 12 to 20 stops in the most beautiful, cultural and evocative areas of the Eternal city. The tours operate 365 days per year.

Open Top Buses
All of the buses are open-top and equipped with a personalized throwaway audio system which functions more than 8 languages languages, providing recorded commentary throughout the tour. Ofter there is also an English and Italian speaking host onboard each bus to assist with any queries. You will be provided with a set of earphones which you keep and use for the duration of your ticket.

Itinerary
The itinerary usually goes from Termini Station passing the Colosseum and Roman Forum then Circus Maximus and along the River Tiber, where you can walk over to Trastevere. Then back again to the other end of the Roman Forum and then Piazza Venezia. From Piazza Venezia it stop along the way near the Piazza Navona and Pantheon and then straight to the Vatican crossing the River Tiber.
After the Vatican most buses will route through the Villa Borghese, Via Vittorio Veneto, Piazza Barberini, Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. Then back to Termini. Check out the travel map for the specific bus operator of your choice for the detailed route.

Ticketing and Prices
Prices are between 15€ and 20€ for a 1-day ticket and between 23€ and 25€ for a 2-day ticket
Average time for a complete tour and about 2 hours total time departing about every 15-30 minutes usually between 9am to 6pm (last departure from Termini station)
Most operators offer a discounted fare for children aged 6 to 12 years old.

Major Rome Bus Tour Companies

• Open Tour '110 Open'

• City Sightseeing
  

• Green Line

• Ciao Roma
  
• Roma Christiana
• Archeobus
  

A couple of  them are more 'thematic' than the others and specifically:

- Roma Christiana in addition to the standard route has an extended tour that visits many Basilicas to the south of the city, Baths of Caracalla and is the only bus that visits Trastevere itself, even going up the hill behind Trastevere with great views down on the city.
- ArcheoBus goes through the centre of Rome and then along the famous Park of Via Appia Antica, and the Christian catacombs stopping at many of the major archaeological sites.

Enjoy your tour!

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