GARIBALDI’S ROME TOUR – 11K

Escape the chaos of the city centre and run with me in Villa Pamphilj, Villa Sciarra and over the Janiculum Hill. We will run in the biggest city park and in a hidden gem of Rome, enjoying some architectural beauties and historical places. Furthermore, we get to follow Giuseppe Garibaldi and his Redshirts’ footprints in their defense of the Roman Republic, from Villa Pamphilj all over the Janiculum Hill, where we can enjoy the best scenic view of the city.

Our tour starts and finishes in Largo 3 giugno 1849. It’s Villa Pamphilj’s main entrance, its square named after the day of the Siege of Rome ended with the toppling of the Roman Republic, a short lived constitutional government that was part of Risorgimento, the long road to the Unification of Italy. Before going into Villa Pamphilj, we’ll run to the Janiculum Hill. First, we’ll encounter the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola. We’ll turn our back and cross the street to the Belvedere, which offers views over the city. In the small park across the street, the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino is a travertine monument dedicated to fallen soldiers who perished in the 19th century Unification battles. Returning to Via Garibaldi and continuing uphill, we’ll run the Passeggiata del Gianicolo, reaching Piazzale Garibaldi, where a broad terrace showcases Rome’s dome-studded panorama.

Our tour will go forward to Villa Sciarra, a little park adorned with fountains, statues, and palm trees, where we’ll enjoy a run on a gravel footpath. Then, we’ll run to Villa Pamphilj. A Seventeenth-century noble country residence, today Villa Doria Pamphilj is the largest park and one of the best-preserved villas in Rome. Its 184 hectares are the ideal setting to enjoy an all-round experience of running through nature, history, and art. After a brief uphill at the start of our tour, we’ll cross the majestic Arco dei Quattro Venti. Then, a shady downhill will bring us along the Trajan-Paul Aqueduct, on the northern border along Via Aurelia Antica. The architectural masterpiece of the Villa is the magnificent Baroque-style Casino del Bel Respiro, built starting from 1644. Outside is the enchanting Secret Garden, a true jewel of landscape architecture. From the top of the stairway along the Casino del Bel Respiro, we can also catch a far glimpse of St. Peter’s Dome. A little further on is a small lake at the bottom of a canal, which brings us to a waterfall and two magnificent fountains, the Fontana della Cascata and the Fontana del Giglio.  Before ending our tour, we’ll run through the 17th-century Giardino del Teatro, embellished with fountains and a nymphaeum.