A Not-So-Secret Garden

During a free evening in Rome, two of us decided to trek to Gianicolo Hill, where you could see a magnificent view of the city. It was challenging to find this hill, though, using GoogleMaps. We kept running into dead ends but eventually we came to this garden, from which we thought we would be able to find the hill. We entered and were so surprised! It turned out to be the Museo Orto Botanico di Roma, which is a botanical garden operated by the Sapienza University. Being horticulture majors, we were in heaven. There was such a great diversity of plants and many different types of gardens within. Large palms towered over us, leading to a peaceful fountain, where many people were picnicking. We decided to climb in the garden uphill to try and find the view. Unfortunately, the top edge was fenced off and we realized we would not be able to reach Gianicolo Hill. Instead, though, we came across a beautifully designed Japanese garden that had a just as spectacular view! We sat near a small stream and snacked on a baguette with salami and cheese, looking out over the city. You never really know what you will come across just wandering!