While going through my Rome files, I came across a tip, and would like to know if anyone has done this:

"If you are at the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps), but don't feel like walking up (hill) to the Borghese Gardens, take the 'secret passage' to the via Veneto. Go into the Metro stop for Piazza di Spagna, and you'll see a passageway with signs for the via Veneto.

Ride the escalators until you exit at the via Veneto. Take a left at the old gate, and you'll see the entrance to the Borghese Gardens at viale S. Paolo del Brasile."

Yes, it is accurate. The "secret passage" isn't so secret, and is filled with a lot of shops, as well as folks heading to the attached underground parking garage.

BC

bookchick,

Have you ever taken this route and, if so, is it a time saver? We will be in Rome June 29 - June 2 and it may be hot, would you recommend using the escalators?

Our other options would be walking up the via Veneto or taking a taxi cab, but there will be ten of us, and cabs would certainly be the most expensive choice.

The underground route is quick and cool. It is like walking through a long shopping mall, or those long places underground in major subway stations.

It seems like there is some kind of highway up above that makes it impossible to walk from Borghese to Spanish Steps above ground.

The directions in your tip are accurate.

Cabs with 10 people? Not a good option.

It's not *impossible* to walk above ground from the Spanish Steps to the Borghese Gardens, but it's a fair hike and uphill most of the way...

Sounds like this is a good tip, I hope other Fodorites who don't know about it open this posting: It may help someone planning a trip to Roma.

You guys are joking right? I'm 40 lbs overweight, old and wilt in the heat but even I could make it up the Spanish Steps on a mid-July afternoon with temps near 100 degrees. Please don't tell me you're Americans - we take enough crap about being fat and lazy without having to take escalators instead of utilizing the historic steps. What's next? A chair lift to the top of Neuschwanstein?

Zeus,

Who asked you?

Zeus, it's not just a way to bypass the Spanish Steps themselves, it covers quite a distance up to the top of the Via Veneto. So in this case it's justified!

They're just steps, not sacred, not ancient, full of teenagers, tourists, and litter. There's no additional credit for climbing up, and someone may prefer to save their energy for some other walking. It seems the locals and the shopowners in the underground passage might skip that climb.

Well, actually we found the underground route when we were attempting to walk from the park in front of Borghese back to our apartment (which was actually in Campo De Fiori). We were sort off the beaten path, attempting to walk "as the crow flies," hit a highway (or whatever it was - a very busy road, sort of elevated) and then followed signs to the underground passage. We were happy about it!!!

Save the climb but sacrifice the view from the top of the Steps, one of the best in Rome. I'll take the Steps any/every time. And I'm older than Zeus (the poster, not the mythical god).

And not only is it quicker and cooler , but there is a great supermarket there to pick up all sorts of everyday goodies to take home.

I agree with jean the view from the top is lovely, but if you are making the trip several times or have been many times before ...quicker might be better for some of the times!

Jody! Where on earth is the supermarket? I was there in April and looked and looked for it based on info from this board. I asked several people, but no one seemed to know anything about a supermarket. If you stand at the bottom of the Spanish Steps, there's an entrance to the metro on the left. We elevatored up and down and walked all around, but absolutely could not find that market.

ttt for Betsy

It's at the top of the passageway near the stairs to the Via Veneto on the left hand side

I must have been near the store several times. Is it difficult to discern that it's there or what? I missed out on some things I wanted to bring back because I saved this shopping experience for our last day in Italy.

It's very visible...are you sure you went all the way up the passageway to the stairs leading to the Via Veneto..there is even a shopping cart drop off at the base of the stairs.

It's the last shop before you get to the stairs

Sorry , I hit reply too soon! We haven't been to Rome in 2 years but this is a large store and always crowded, I can't imagine that it would have closed.

I, too discovered this "secret passage," but from Via Veneto. One thing you didn't mention - there is no need to surface at Via Veneto and cross the busy streets to get to the Borghese Gardens. Watch the signs in the tunnels for Borghese Gardens and you will find one passageway that leads under the streets and comes up inside the Borghese Gardens.