SPQR Fellowship

Yet again, I was truly amazed by all that Rome has to offer. I left my day (Tuesday) slightly unplanned, except for the last activity – the Borghese Gallery. Reservations are mandatory for entry, and each entrance is only for two hours. I had an evening reservation and a wonderful day leading up to that exciting culmination for the day!

I began by walking along Via del Corso, one of the main thoroughfares of Rome. Along the way, I found a couple treasures, such as the beautifully detailed second-century column in Piazza Colonna, and across from it, the 19th century mall. I browsed a couple of stores along the way as I headed for my first destination – the Spanish Steps. It was a wonderful area for enjoying the afternoon and people watching.

The Spanish Steps are a place where you can see just about everything. There are people young and old, shops, dining, and activity abounds. Just sitting on the steps and observing everyone was a wonderful way to pass the time. The means transportation are also interesting. People filled the streets and sidewalks, moving only when a car was right on their heels. Taxis and horse-drawn carriages shared the streets, awaiting their next customers, as mopeds whizzed by. The fountain at the bottom of the stairs drew people to its water to cool off in the sweltering hot mid-afternoon sun.

It was interesting to observe how people used the steps. It was about mid-day, and there was not a cloud in the sky, so it was hot! The few areas of shade were a hot commodity. Planters divide the steps into three parts horizontally, and given the sun and time of day, people organized themselves into convenient areas for leisure and passage. (See diagram below) Where there was shade, people filled the areas entirely. The middle area was moderately populated, and the side opposite the shade was very sparse with people sitting – it mostly consisted of people moving up and down the stairs.

After leaving the Spanish Steps I made my way toward Piazza del Popolo. I was slightly disappointed with my experience in that Piazza because it was filled with temporary scaffolding and structures that were in the process of being taken down. It was noisy and there were not many people. However, I climbed the stairs to get a view of the piazza from a higher vantage point, and that was beautiful, despite the clutter. I climbed further and entered into the Villa Borghese. I had read and seen on the map that it was a large, beautiful park, but I was not prepared for how wonderful it was – a place of refuge among the bustling city. The park provided panoramic views of Rome and countless tree-lined paths throughout gardens, lawns, and monuments. Being there emphasized how important it is to have areas of respite in cities, and how wonderful the parks can be. My map was not very specific, so I spent the next several hours wandering the gardens and heading towards the Borghese Gallery. It was a wonderful stroll. As it started to sprinkle, the time for my reservation was near, and I got ready to enter one of the very best art collections in the world. To read more about my thoughts on this visit, please visit the next blog post, Borghese Gallery.

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