When you find yourself in Villa Gregoriana you will feel as if you’re in a big maze all to be explored. The garden is full of Mediterranean flora and the beautiful 120 meters waterfall cascading into a small lake is a unique beauty.
This is a clear example of a romance garden because of its beauty and the era in which it was built.

The gardens of Villa Adriana were built by order of the emperor Adriano to be sure his personal power would stand out. This has a great historical value since it is full of ruins from the I Century A.D. These ruins are all proof of the Roman skills in architecture. The number one attraction is, doubtlessly, the 119 meter long pool, surrounded by columns and fountains.

Last but not least, there is Villa d’Este, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. It was built in the year 1556 for cardinal Ippolito d’Este. It is a Renaissance masterpiece. It is full of ornamental ponds and luxurious trails. However, what makes it so special and unique, are the numerous fountains to be found everywhere and the troughs that were once used to raise fish and are now, with their reflective qualities, part of the luminescence and harmony of the garden.

I know it seems absurd to think that a statue could talk, but back in the day, when technology was not yet even a fantasy, people really did use statues to communicate. All people, regardless their position or rank, could leave notes to be read by all the passers-by. It was, so to speak, a public online blog of its time.

The best known is definitely Pasquino, the statue that expressed people’s sorrows and thoughts becoming their spokesman. This statue is found in Piazza del Pasquino, near Piazza Navona.  It mainly talked about politics and politicians, in a typical roman style. It used strong irony, but was never too mean. It talked about everyone, even the pontiff.

There is also the talking statue in Via Lata, Il Facchino, which is quite fascinating though sad. Even though it nowadays shows the marks of time, it has served well for centuries.

Another talking statue is the Abbot Luigi, not very respected. It was often defaced and damaged. Its name comes from the statue’s resemblance to a nearby church. Same thing if we talk about Il Babuino, a weird statue representing silence, whose name comes from its similarity to the baboon.

There are two other talking statues. One, Marphurius, is found near Palazzo Nuovo. And the other, Madama Lucrezia, is found in Piazza San Marco. If you see them, listen carefully. They might tell you something too.

Capri is located on the south end of the Gulf of Naples. Due to its extraordinary nature, to its
extraordinary colours and to the beauty of its sea, Capri has been a very well-known place to visit
for people all over the world. It has seen writers, poets, musicians and many others fall in love with
its beauty.
There are many things to do here. Nature is the main attraction of the island. In fact numerous
activities that you will enjoy will allow you to find the most amazing views you have ever seen.
The Roman emperor Tiberio Claudio Nerone ruled for over 11 years from Villa Jovis, the largest
residence of the island which covers about 7.000 square meters. The top of this castle is the second
highest point on the island.
The highest spot is atop Monte Solaro, definitely a must to visit. It can be reached by chairlift.
It starts from Anacapri ( via Caposcuro 10) and will take you all the way up to the top of Monte
Solaro. The trip lasts about 20 minutes and will present you with marvellous visions of the island
and surrounding seas. When you get off the chairlift you will find yourself standing on the highest
peak of the island completely surrounded by the most beautiful landscape and seascape imaginable.

In a hilly area not far from Pisa stands a former Carthusian monastery known as “Pisa Charter House”. Up until the 1970’s the Cistercians lived here. Nowadays it is possible to visit inside and see its church, the monks’ chapel and one of the cells where they used to live.

Since 1981 it has also held the natural history museum, well recommended if you are travelling with kids. It not only shows a lot of stuffed animals, but your children will also be able to study the history of humanity’s evolution. There is also a small section dedicated to geology.

The “neat” thing about this museum is that you will realize there are things you didn’t even know. For example, did you know that 300 million years ago Pisa was on the equator?

If you happen to be in town on June 16^th you mustn’t miss the “Luminara di San Ranieri”, the patron saint of the city. Every year approximately 100.000 lights are turned on. All the monuments are illuminated, including the Leaning Tower. People stay up late, bars, pubs and clubs are full of music and by the river there are many little stands where you will be able to find all kinds of things. In the present day this event does not only conserve its religious meaning, but it has also become a way for people to get together and enjoy the beautiful lights and fireworks of the city.

Now, don’t you think you should plan a trip to Pisa?

However, if you would like to step away from the common path, there are less touristy places to visit that you probably have never even considered.

 1- Sunday mornings can sometimes be quite boring. If you are looking for something typical to do, we recommend Porta Portese, the most well-known market in the city. Here you will be able to find clothes, furniture and everything you could possibly think of. However, if clothing is all you are interested in, then the market of Via Sannio is probably a better choice for you!

2- Trastevere after nightfall is one of those neighbourhoods where, no matter which day of the week it is, there will always be people wandering around and numerous pubs ready for your arrival. Starting at Piazza Trilussa, there are many abutting alleyways that lead to various pubs. Also, no matter how late at night it is, you will always find a “pizzeria” or a “trattoria” where to eat!

 3- What better way to finish off a night of bar-hopping than with a delicious “maritozzo con panna”? On Via Ettore Rolli 50, these typical Roman pastries full of whipped cream are served at any time of the night. They are always fresh, which makes it even more enjoyable. Now your night is truly over!

 4- If when you wake up the sun is shining, you will probably wonder where to go to enjoy the weather. Well, Villa Borghese is definitely a must. It is the 3^rd largest park in Rome (after Villa Doria-Pamphili and Villa Ada), and it covers a large part of the Pincian district and a small part of Campo Marzio. If you are also into some culture, you just need to find the Galleria Borghese inside the park (Piazzale Scipione Borghese 5), which is full of Berninis, Caravaggios, Raffaellos and the works of many others.

5- Last but not least, take a stroll through the Coppedè district! It is found between Piazza Buenos Aires and Via del Tagliamento. It gets its name from the architect who designed it, Gino Coppedè. The center of the district is Piazza Mincio and, in the middle of this square, there is the “Fontana delle Rane” (the fountain of the frogs). Due to its diverse architecture this neighbourhood was chosen as the background to some of Dario Argento’s best known movies.

We recommend you start from the center, where you will find the Cathedral, Piazza della Signoria, an L-shaped square and Ponte Vecchio.

If you would like to view the city from above, the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower (Florence Cathedral), designed by Brunelleschi, is a must. From whichever street you enter the Piazza, it will seem as if the Cathedral is just about to fall out of the sky. It is the tallest building in the city. Entrance is free. However, you will have to pay to walk up the numerous steps that lead straight to the lantern: Florence, now, is at your feet.

Via dei Calzaiuoli, right next to the Cathedral, is full of great ice cream places and stores. But don’t let the crowd of people scare you because less than 1 km away are the Palazzo Vecchio (the city offices), La Loggia dei Lanzi (also called Loggia della Signoria), the Uffizi Gallery and Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge left undamaged during World War II. In the afternoons it fills up with couples who take vowels of fidelity to each other, put a padlock on the fence and throw the key in the water. Even though the City Government keeps taking the padlocks away it seems as if they magically reappear.

Right next to Campo de’ Fiori is Piazza Farnese. The French Historical Roman institute and the French Embassy are found here.

Just a few steps away, across Corso Vittorio Emanuele, you will find Piazza Navona, one of the most well-known squares of Rome. It was built under the direction of of Pope Innocent X, and its shape is that of a stadium. In Piazza Navona you will find sculptures by GianLorenzo Bernini (the fountain of the Four Rivers of the great continents, the Nile, the Danube, the Ganges and the Plate) and Francesco Borromini. The “gelateria i Tre Scalini” is found here, an amazing ice-cream place famous for its black truffle flavour. Not so well-known is the fact that it was used as a safe house by the resistance fighting the Nazi occupation during World War II.

Not far from here you will find Piazza della Rotonda, well-known for the massive Pantheon, a great Pagan church before becoming Christian, where two important kings of Italy are buried: Victor Emmanuel II and Umberto I.

At this point stands the statue of Marcus Aurelius (by the way, the statue is a copy; the original is found inside the Palazzo Nuovo, the museum to the left.)

To get off the beaten path we recommend that you walk to the back of the square and look to your left. You will see some steps that go to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Altar of Heaven. If you then take the next flight of stairs you will step out onto a broad terrace. To your right you will see the world-famous Coliseum with the Imperial Fora below and Piazza Venezia to your left. Here you will find a bar, and we suggest you stop and have a coffee or a cocktail on the beautiful terrace.

Continue walking around the terrace and you will suddenly find yourself standing on top of the imposing “Vittoriano” where the tomb of the unknown soldier is found. Look straight ahead across the square and along the narrow Via del Corso to the obelisk framed at the end of the street. This is one of the few true obelisks found outside of Egypt. It stands in Piazza del Popolo, one of Rome’s most beautiful places.

Walking down the imposing steps of this monument you will see the guards who are at their post 24 hours a day every day of the year. It is quite interesting to watch the daily changing of the guard.

Continue down the steps and you will find yourself at the top of Piazza Venezia with Rome at your feet.