On the Arizona in Italy Summer Study Abroad Program, we take a lot of field trips. My favorite is always to Tivoli. We spend the morning at Hadrian’s Villa, which is a sumptuous second-century residence. Then we spend the afternoon at the Villa d’Este, which is a tribute to decadence. No wonder people love it!
Built by a cardinal (what else was he going to do with all that money?), the villa has beautifully painted rooms…. But the real draw are the lovely, luscious gardens.
There are waterfalls, water pools, lions sprouting water, rocks sprouting water, a horse statue with water, an eagle statue with water, and a stairway with water. As you walk along trying to take everything in, you forget about any problems and just concentrate on the sheer beauty.
The vegetation includes grass, huge trees, and flowers. While those might seem mundane to anyone living in Italy, they represent special beauty to anyone who lives in the desert!
Every time I go to the gardens, I discover a new statue or a quiet corner I’d overlooked before. On a hot day, the gardens are a triumph of the serenity achieved through the simple sounds of gushing water. For the true romantics, a piece of Only You (Robert Downey Jr. and Marissa Tomei) was shot by the corridor of fountains.
The whole sight is a tribute to imagination and luxury. I’ve got the imagination all right… but I’m not sure I can afford the luxury!
What are your own favorite gardens, decadent or otherwise?
Built by a cardinal (what else was he going to do with all that money?), the villa has beautifully painted rooms…. But the real draw are the lovely, luscious gardens.
There are waterfalls, water pools, lions sprouting water, rocks sprouting water, a horse statue with water, an eagle statue with water, and a stairway with water. As you walk along trying to take everything in, you forget about any problems and just concentrate on the sheer beauty.
The vegetation includes grass, huge trees, and flowers. While those might seem mundane to anyone living in Italy, they represent special beauty to anyone who lives in the desert!
Every time I go to the gardens, I discover a new statue or a quiet corner I’d overlooked before. On a hot day, the gardens are a triumph of the serenity achieved through the simple sounds of gushing water. For the true romantics, a piece of Only You (Robert Downey Jr. and Marissa Tomei) was shot by the corridor of fountains.
The whole sight is a tribute to imagination and luxury. I’ve got the imagination all right… but I’m not sure I can afford the luxury!
What are your own favorite gardens, decadent or otherwise?
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