By Lakshmi:

Our Roman holiday was filled with so many adventures and memories that it will fill many a Pauper post.  Among all these beautiful memories, our multiple visits to Piazza Navona will always hold a special place in my heart.

So, what was so special about this city square, built at the site of a stadium in the first century AD?  To me, the first time naive visitor to Rome, it represented the ultimate microcosm of everything the city had to offer.

We first set sight on this magnificent square over a weekend and it drew us in immediately.   Was it the beautiful Fountain of the Four Rivers (Nile, Ganges, Danube and Rio della Plata)? Or was it the Obelisk of Domitian? Or was it all the artists displaying their creations or better yet creating them at this very spot?  Or was it the “La Dolce Vita” that surrounded us at restaurants and gelato shops?  It is hard to pinpoint one reason above all others that pulled us in.  But, I can certainly say that we felt like we had arrived at some place special and were truly enveloped by the spirit of Rome.  The girls had their caricatures done by an artist and I regret not getting their charcoals done as well.  We walked around to see the art displays, got some of the best gelato we tasted in Rome from Gelateria Tre Fontane, seated ourselves on a bench and people watched for hours.

A few days later, we returned with more family members for lunch and ate at one of the cafes at the square.  The food was simple, but very good.  We ended the meal with another gelato, this time stopping by to take in the Neptune and Moor fountains and also spending time admiring the architecture of the Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone.

I know for a fact that my writing does not bring justice to the true beauty of Piazza Navona.  If you are in Rome, please do spend some time here.

To learn more about Piazza Navona, click here:

http://www.italyguides.it/us/roma/rome/renaissance_and_baroque/famous_squares_fountains/piazza_navona_square/piazza_navona_square.htm