Today (our last full day in Italy) we visited two different sites outside the city of Rome. The first was Hadrian's Villa. Hadrian was emperor from 117-138 CE. Calling this place a villa is like calling a mansion a little shack. It is HUGE. It is the size of a small city and completely self-sustaining. Some of the notable things inside it are a gigantic mysterious pool (Olympic size) and Hadrian’s own private island that he had constructed on his man made lake for his “me time.”




The next site we visited was the Villa d’Este. This site was built by the Cardinal Ippolito d’Este in the 16th century and required the redirection of a tributary of the Tiber River to power its many large fountains. One of these spectacular fountains was a self-playing organ that was completely powered and played by water. Overall, the site not only provided many striking views but also a peaceful journey through its numerous paths. More than a full hour was given to explore the entirety of the garden which was barely enough to see it all at a brisk pace. It was a wonderful way to finish our trip to Italy. 



Buona notte!

Chris and Catie

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