While Rome abounds with incredible museums, churches, palaces, fountains, sculptures, architectural gems, unexpected surprises, grand monuments, ancient ruins, and much more besides, while there are truly endless things to see and do, you might find yourself in need of a moment of peace and quiet while on vacation in Rome. If so, we have just the thing for you, a truly magical little corner of the Eternal City, the Orto Botanico dell'Università di Roma "La Sapienza", also known as the Orto Botanico di Roma.
Offering peace and a moment of respite among the tourist crowds, the endless stimuli, and the general hubbub of the city, Rome’s botanical gardens are less visited than the famous grounds of the Villa Borghese and the expensive but impressive Vatican Gardens but are actually rather wonderful in their own right and well-worth a visit.
Spread over a little under 30 acres and located at Largo Cristina di Svezia 24, the garden is run by the biology department at the Sapienza University of Rome and is open daily. The successor to the Papal Botanical Gardens in Rome, the current iteration was born in 1883 with some remnants of those Renaissance gardens still existing within them. A merging of the private former gardens of the Palazzo Corsini with the Papal Botanical Gardens, they were combined when the state purchased the palazzo and then were given their current layout.
Containing over 3,000 different species, there is a lot to be seen and various different areas to be explored from the bamboo forest to the Japanese Garden, the Belle Époque French greenhouse to the citrus grove, the rose gardens to the sensory garden to the butterfly house, and beyond. In fact, one can almost travel the whole globe while in Rome as they explore these rich and fascinating gardens but be sure to also keep watch for Rome’s own green parakeets.
A charming place to spend either a whole day or just a few peaceful hours during your time in the city, this gem is a less well-known wonder for those who book a holiday rental in Rome!
Orto Botanico di Roma
Largo Cristina di Svezia, 23 A - 24, 00165 Roma
+39 06 4991 7107
Opening hours:
Daily, 9am – 5.30pm (last entrance 4.30pm)
Tickets:
Full price – €5.00
Reduced price (those 6-18 years of age, over 65s, students) – €4.00
Free for children under five and disabled guests and their companions.
