DK Travel : Rome : The Spanish Steps and Villa Borghese

Here is rome at its most orderly and elegant, carefully laid out under 16th-century papal urban planning schemes. Baroque popes such as Leo X and Sixtus V redeveloped the all but abandoned area around the Corso, the extension of the ancient Via Flaminia from northern Italy, for their rapidly growing city. Romans now call it the Tridente after the trident of streets - Corso, Ripetta and Babuino - diverging from Piazza del Popolo. It’s an area stamped by a love of theatricality: the beautifully symmetrical Piazza del Popolo; long vistas that stretch down arrow-straight roads; the carefully landscaped Pincio gardens and the lush expanse of Villa Borghese; the stage-set backdrop of the Spanish Steps; the oversized and overwrought Trevi Fountain. It’s also Rome’s most stylishly self-conscious district, famous for its boutiques hawking frighteningly expensive high fashion. Artists have long made their home along Via Margutta, as numerous galleries and antiques shops attest, and Rome’s most elegant passeggiata (the traditional early evening see-and-be-seen stroll) unfolds down the length of Via del Corso.

Spanish Steps

Located in the heart of Rome, this vibrant and elegant square is surrounded by 18th-century buildings augmented by the colorful flowers that adorn the Spanish Steps
The Spanish Steps

Rome is a wonderful place, full of beauty and majestics sights to see, but sometimes it can be overwhelming and a place to relax is just what you need. The Spanish Steps are the place to sit and soak up the vibes. They may seem unremarkable at first, but they have a fantastic view of the bustle of the high street, a beautiful fountain at the bottom and it is a fantastic place to watch the sun set and reflect on everything.
Villa Borghese Park & Gardens

For a perfect romantic stroll in the city head to the Villa Borghese Park & Gardens away from the biz and noise of the streets of Rome you can stroll hand in hand through these beautiful gardens peppered with roman ruins, statues and fountains. Stop at one of the cafes, visit a museum, relax and enjoy the company or hire a boat on the lake before ending up on a balcony over looking Piazza del Popolo with spectacular views of the Roman skyline. This is the ideal mini escape from a wonderful city.