| KarenW |
Sep 1st, 2003 06:36 AM |
For over two years, my daily walk to work was this one. It's still a wonderful choice. I lived near Piazza Margana, just around the corner from the Campidoglio, so I walked towards the Campidoglio, turning right and following the walls of the Capitol, past Piazza Campitelli and Teatro Marcello on the right. I then followed the road around towards the ancient Roman temples on the right (I forget their names; one is the temple of the vestal virgins, I think, the round one) and past Santa Maria in Cosmedin (Bocca della verita)on the left. Just past this church, still following the main road, there is a salita (very steep walkway), which leads up between old walls to the Orange Garden at the top of the Aventino. The terrace at the edge of this beautiful walled garden has a breathtaking view of the city. The ancient basilica of Santa Sabina adjoins the garden, and just down the street is the famous keyhole of the Knights of Malta, with its perfect view of Saint Peter's dome. Of course, when I was on my way to the nursery school where I taught, I didn't stop to sightsee! I cut quickly through the garden (one of our favorite places to bring the children on walks) and down the hill to Via di Sant'Alessio, where the school was located on the ground floor of a lovely 3-story walled villa. Later, we outgrew this home and moved our little school to the outskirts of the city, on the Via Ardeatina, forcing me to drive daily in Rome, an experience which made city traffic anywhere in the U.S. tame by comparison. But this walk is still one I recommend to visitors to Rome. It's easy to add the Circus Maximus, just behind Santa Maria in Cosmedin, if you have lots of time, or to walk down the other side of the Aventino towards Testaccio, where some of the best restaurants in Rome can be found. In a few weeks, I'll be there again, staying with a friend on the Aventino, and walking my favorite path back towards Piazza Margana once again.
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