Last day in Rome

For the last day, we had a train leaving around 4p, so we had a chill day.

Le Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini

In the morning, we took a tour at Le Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini. It was just some site that I found on google with a really good rating (4.7), so I booked a tour a few days before (good to book a tour just in case). It was pretty cheap (12 euros), but it was one of my favorite places in Rome! It is located near the Alter of the Fatherland, Piazza Venezia, and the Trajan Column. It consists of a tour of ancient Roman excavations beneath a 16th century building with multimedia features. The multimedia features included projections, virtual reconstruction, hologram, showed what life might have been.

The Palazzo Valentini itself was built by a cardinal in the 16th century. But recent excavations of the palazzo's basement found the remains of an ancient patricia "domus" or home of Imperial Rome. It likely belonged to powerful families with its beautiful intricate mosaics, decorations, bathing spaces, and many more.

The first room we entered involved a large bath and also an area where the slaves worked to keep the bath hot. There were channels beneath the tiles that created heated flooring. There was also a balcony with intricate roof tiles and mosaic on the floor with marbles of 4 different colors.

In another room was a cold bath, while another had a grand staircase as the narrator describes what might have been. In the kitchen, there were remnants of plates and bowls with unfinished food within as well. In another area, it seemed as though a road ran straight through the house. The road gave insight to how roads were made in ancient Rome where gigantic rocks of 10-25kg were paved across Italy, all leading to Rome. Through really cool hologram/lighting, it showed a potential cause to the end of this beautiful house - fire.

In a separate exhibit, through hologram, a narrator tells the tale of the Trajan's conquest of Dacia, present day Romania, through the exquisite details on the Trajan column. The carving was magnificent in itself, but it had so much detail, such as depicting the different clothing of the different ranks, the god's helping Trajan from above, and much more.

There is a gallery of some of the sites: http://www.palazzovalentini.it/domus-romane/index-en.html#gallery

Villa Borghese

For the rest of the time, we spent some time biking and walking around in the Villa Borghese. After walking all the time, it was nice to get on the bike and breeze through the Villa. This is a lavish Villa designed by Ponzio and Vasanzio. It was used by Cardinal Scipione Borghese as a party villa and as a place to house his art collection.

The Pincio hill on the south side of the park offers a beautiful view of Rome.

Within the villa is also a museum - Galleria Borghese, a replica of Shakespeare's Globe Theater, a zoo (even the outside of the zoo looks ancient and grand), an equestrian arena (Piazza di Siena), and various lakes including one that holds the Temple of Aesculapius.

Can you believe this is the entrance to the zoo?

Spanish Steps

For the rest of the time, we picked up our bags and hung around the Spanish Steps that led up to eh Villa Borghese. It was soooooo crowded, and we slowly made our way to the top. Afterwards, we wandered around and looked at all the expensive shops in that plaza (Tiffany's, Luis Vuiton, Versace, Gucci, etc.).

Spanish steps!

Phew! Made it to the top!