We took the train from Messina to Rome. Around 11, the train was put onto a ferry to cross the Straits of Messina. The partner was excited, I wanted to sleep but we made our way out of the train onto the boat and up the stairs to witness the passing. It was worth being up there, our faces bathed in a sea infused breeze, the lights of Italy across the way.
We awoke to a packaged croissant and an espresso just before we alighted in Rome, then had a better pistachio croissant and coffee at an amazing food market near the station on the way to pick up our rental car. I was nervous to drive out of Rome, a legacy of my back surgery - anxiety and being overwhelmed about things I used do without too much fear.
The partner drove, I directed which was nerve wracking. The daughter usually was my guidance and she was good; I wasn't. But we made it to Tivoli, to our castle hotel on the hill. Torre Sant Angelo. We're lead into a waiting room whilst they see if our room is ready and bring us chilled mineral water. We shower and get ready for our day of visiting gardens that I've arranged as the partner is a landscape designer.
Our first stop was Hadrian's garden, finding it another issue, finding a park another. We did but it was further away than we thought and 42 degrees, in the shade. The grounds were massive, 80 hectares, the most complete estate to have survived the fall of the Roman empire. Hadrian was a ruthless military leader but an intellectual, poet and designer. He had this complex built in 120 AD. Hadrian had travelled extensively in his military days and the buildings are a mixture of different cultural designs. Baths, theatres, libraries and apartments were built here and in his latter years, he ruled from here with a postal service to Rome.
We walk through the searing heat. Because the site is so amazing, we are spurred on by the remains of what once had been. Extraordinary vision the creators had, but the heat eventually wore us down and we found our way back for lunch at a restaurant where fans spun out mist so we could cool down. We shared a radicchio and gorgonzola gnocchi dish but it was too hot to eat more.
After recovering we went to Villa d'Este, a 16th century estate built by Cardinal Ippolito Il D'Este. His ambition to become Pope was thwarted five times as his extravagant lifestyle worked against him. He was made Governor of Tivoli which gave him jurisdiction over Hadrian's villa and other sites of antiquities which enabled him to furnish his villa and gardens with anything he wanted to acquire.
It is a magnificent site, built in the 9th century on an old Roman villa which later became a convent. He wished to extend the convent and design and build gardens that would exceed anything the Romans had built. It was the quintessential Renaissance garden and he stopped at nothing to make it work, even diverting the nearby river to bring water to his fountains. The people of Tivoli brought lawsuits against him to no avail. He had houses, roads and public buildings demolished to accomplish his incredible gardens.
Another couple of hours here and we head home for a swim and a rest and then out for dinner at a place suggested by the manager. It didn't look that exciting as we walked down the stairs but then we were lead outside and found ourselves on a parapet high above a forest park that looks out over a beautiful small rounded temple and a waterfall. The air is full of swallows doing their late afternoon meanderings and divings; the air is still and the sunset is colouring the air with shades of buttermilk and pink.
We dine on a risotto of pear, taleggio cheese and walnuts, a salad and cool white dry wine, watching the shadows darkening the valley and the Temple of Vesta across the way which is lit up as night falls. Italy, you never fail to impress.
Comments