Overlooking Piazza del Popolo, and adjacent to Villa Borghese’s marvelous park, is the Pincio. If you’re looking for a wonderful view of Rome, this is one of the places to go. Indeed, it’s been the place to go for the view for a very long time, inspiring many artists to paint it over the centuries.
The Pincio that we see today was designed between 1809 and 1814 by the architect-archaeologist Giuseppe Valadier. His name is attached to many places in modern Rome. His design of the Pincio allows some great views.
But the Pincio itself is well worth visiting in its own right. It has a lovely garden area, filled with busts of artists, writers, philosophers, and many more interesting individuals. Spending an afternoon finding these busts and reading about who they represent provides a terrific crash course on Italian history. The one at the top of this post is the venerable sculptor Antonio Canova who made, for example, one of my favorite pieces in Rome, the very in-your-face-sexy sculpture of Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister (who married a Borghese).
The Pincio also has other attractions: little paths for strolling, an obelisk, and more….
It’s a wonderful place for whiling away a fall afternoon in the Eternal City.
