"Villa Aldobrandini" in Rome is not just a park for a break from the sun -- it gives me a unique view of the city & every time is like the first time...

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I don’t come here that often, but when I do, I feel like I’m stumbling across it for the first time. This secluded little park is high above street level and overlooks the shopping street of Via Nazionale. It feels like a haven from the crowds and traffic – a peaceful place to sit and rest in the shade, and rehydrate from the fountain. The park is filled with fragments of statues – a headless torso reclining beneath a palm tree, or a mysterious bust of a man who seems to be stabbing himself in the chest – which adds to the mysterious atmosphere.

The southern end of the park (with the suicidal statue) also offers great views towards Piazza Venezia, allowing you to appreciate the jumbled mix of architecture, including the Baroque façade of the Church of Saints Dominic and Sixtus, the medieval slanting tower known as the Torre delle Milizie, and of course the big white neoclassical “wedding cake”, the Vittoriano Monument.

I’d recommend Villa Aldobrandini simply as a respite from the sun and a place to take a break while you’re sightseeing, but I think the park also gives you a unique perspective of Rome. And while you admire the view, keep in mind that you’re also literally standing on top of history; the park was originally a private garden, built in 1566 on top of the remains of an ancient Roman building.

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