Photo courtesy of Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese
Temple of Asclepius (Tempio di Esculapio) at Villa Borghese Pinciana, Pincian Hill, Rome, Italy
Italy remains a popular summer destination with millions of visitors traveling to the Mediterranean to soak up the sun, arts and culture, and, of course, food. From the mountains to the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas to the bustling cities and idyllic vineyards, there’s plenty to see and do in the European peninsula. And if you’re a garden lover, you definitely don’t want to miss the remarkable Roman gardens.
Photo courtesy of Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese
Settimo, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, offers views of the Villa Borghese Gardens.
Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese invites those who have experienced Rome and her eternal splendors to see a softer side of the city during their next visit. The five-star hotel recently introduced its Gardens of Rome package, an exclusive five-night luxury garden tour in the heart of Rome.
During the day, an expert guide with Stendhal Tours escorts guests on private tours of some of the city’s most iconic gardens, including Borghese, Vatican, and Tivoli, and introduces them to owners of private villas who will provide tours of their own exceptional gardens. Each night, guests return to their elegantly appointed accommodations in the exquisitely restored Roman palazzo, their dreams filled with Roman garden delights.
Here’s a look at a few of the gardens and their fascinating horticultural heritage that lives on.
Villa Borghese Gardens
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The hydrochronometer (water clock) in the Villa Borghese gardens was built by Giovan Battista Embriaco in 1867.
Situated beside Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, and indeed seen from the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Settimo, are the Villa Borghese Gardens. What was once a vineyard was transformed in the early 17th century into an English landscape garden considered avant-garde at the time. A guided tour of the gardens’ wide-open spaces, tree-lined paths, and landscaped spaces peppered with sculptures and other works of art shows guests how the gardens’ design effortlessly blends art and nature into one splendid space enjoyed by locals and visitors year-round.
The Gardens of Lazio
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Wisteria flowering on the historic bridge and ruin walls in the Garden of Ninfa, Lazio, Italy
About an hour south of Rome on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea are the gardens of Lazio: Landriana and Ninfa. Spanning nearly 25 acres, the Landriana Gardens are divided into “rooms,” each with its own botanicals to make it unique. Visitors will see the olive garden, blue lawn, white avenue, and valley of ancient roses. Nearby, the “world’s most romantic garden” is Garden of Ninfa, built on the ruins of a medieval town where more than 1,300 species of flora can be found, including roses, Japanese maples, cherry trees, and even a tulip tree. Seeing the blooms along the river, lakes, trees, and ruins is truly remarkable.
Castello Ruspoli + Centro Botanica Moutan
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The extraordinary Renaissance garden at Ruspoli Castle, with laurel, box, viburnum, and myrtle hedges.
The Renaissance gardens at the medieval Castello Ruspoli in Lazio, about an hour north of Rome, were first created in 1611 and are widely considered to be among the most beautiful and well-preserved examples of Italian garden design. The design is attributed to Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, considered one of the greatest architectural theorists of his time. In addition to water features, da Vignola used laurel, box myrtle, and viburnum hedges to guide visitors through the structured gardens. Guests can enjoy lunch with the owners of the castle and then head to Centro Botanico Moutan for a feast for the senses—an unrivaled collection of peonies that stretches as far as the eye can see.
Villa d’Este
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The gardens at Villa d'Este have influenced European garden design since their creation.
A UNESCO World Heritage site in Tivoli, about 40 minutes east of Rome, Villa d’Este is an impressive representation of Renaissance architecture on its own, but the 16th-century gardens are what wayfarers have been traveling to see for centuries. Considered “one of the most remarkable and comprehensive illustrations of Renaissance culture at its most refined,” the gardens feature fountains and other architectural components, including a hydraulic organ, as well as myriad flora that can easily keep phytophiles entertained for hours.
Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese’s Gardens of Rome package is now available. Pricing begins at $25,000, double occupancy, and includes exclusive tours and activities, daily breakfast, and roundtrip airport transfers.
Photo courtesy of Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese
Suite at the Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese
Photo courtesy of Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese
Balcony outside a suite at the Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese
By Susan B. Barnes
