Villa d'Este

     One afternoon, some friends and I took a short train ride from Rome to Tivoli.  Villa d'Este, a beautiful 17th century home and garden, is located there.  It was commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este, the grandson of Pope Alexander VI.  It is a wonderful example of an Italian Renaissance garden.  It is filled with beautiful fountains, pools, and troughs.  More about Villa d'Este

The Fountain of Neptune is easily the most impressive fountain in the garden.  With its Roman architecture, cascading waterfalls, and jet fountains it is incredibly beautiful.  Leading up to the Fountain of Neptune there are three gorgeous reflection pools.

  The Oval Fountain is the second biggest fountains in the garden. 

The trees were exotic and some were big enough to get inside! 

Many of the walkways were lined with bushes taller than me. 

The railings on one of the staircases was a beautiful cascading trough.

  

 The One Hundred Fountains is one long piece made up of one hundred different fountains.  Many of the fountains are faces like this one.

Villa d'Este in Tivoli is definitely the most incredible garden I've ever seen.  The architecture, fountains,  and sweeping view are amazing.  The peaceful atmosphere makes visiting here a wonderful experience.  If you're ever near Tivoli, you have to visit the incredible Villa d'Este!

Ostia Antica

     Ostia Antica is a large archeological site of the old port town of Rome.  It's very easy to get to Ostia Antica; it's only a 20 minute metro ride away.  Ostia, which means "mouth" in Latin, is located at the mouth of the Tiber River.  The ruins of Ostia Antica are different from most because you can wander through them and actually go inside the buildings.

      We went inside the ancient houses, ate lunch in the amphitheater, and even got inside a huge bathtub!  We walked through the old city imagining what life was like here.  One of the most impressive things we saw was the mosaic floor inside one of the houses.  It was almost completely intact even after all this time!

     When we were done exploring Ostia Antica, we took the train two stops farther to Ostia Lido Beach.  It was our first glimpse of the Tyrrhenian sea!  The ruins were amazing and the beach was beautiful; it was a wonderful day!   

More information on Ostia Antica

Discovering Rome

     I did a study abroad program in Rome, Italy during the spring semester of 2012.  I spent four months there and I did a lot of traveling during that time.  In this blog, I will share with you the best of those travels.  Of course, the first place I explored was Rome! 

     Rome is the capital of Italy and it is also referred to as "The Eternal City."  There are so many amazing things to see in Rome.  Among the most famous are the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and St. Peter's Basilica. I saw all of these things during my few weeks in Rome. 

     The Trevi Fountain, or Fontana di Trevi, is my personal favorite.  Can you see why?

Source

     The Trevi Fountain is something that I'd wanted to see for years and it did not disappoint! It's absolutely gorgeous!  Legend says if you throw a coin into the fountain and wish to return to Rome, someday you will.  I certainly hope I do! More information on the Trevi Fountain.

     The Pantheon was originally built as a temple to the gods of Ancient Rome.  Now, it is a Catholic church and the burial place of two Italian kings.  There is an opening in the top of the dome that lets sunlight in.  It's really amazing to go to the Pantheon when it's raining.  The rain comes down right in the middle of the room!  More information on the Pantheon.  

Pietà

     St. Peter's Basilica is a Catholic church inside the Vatican City.  It is the Pope's principle church.  St. Peter is buried here as well as many other Popes.  This church is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.  Almost everything is made of marble and it is truly breathtaking.  Michelangelo, Bernini, Bramante, and Carlo Maderno helped design the church.  St. Peter's Basilica also houses Michelangelo's sculpture Peità. More Information on St. Peter's Basilica.

     If you visit Rome, these are three monuments you must see!