Villa Farnesina

The Porta Settimiana, the northerly exit from Trastevere was built in 1498 through the old Aurelian walls by Pope Alexander VI Borgia to provide access to the Vatican. A straight street, the Via della Lungara, leads directly to the Papal regime.

A short distance from the gates at Via della Lungara 230 is found the beautiful, Renaissance residence, Villa Farnesina, built in 1508 by Sienese banker, Agostino Chigi and later bought by Cardinal Farnese.

Here's Bill bedazzled by the gorgeous frescoes by Raphael, Sodoma, Sebastian del Piombo and the Sienese architect/painter, Baldassarre Peruzzi that decorate the walls of the Villa.

Here we see him climbing the marble stairs to the second floor of the compact, beautifully balanced building. More aerobic tourism.

We'll leave the Villa here in the Salone delle Prospective in which Peruzzi offered trompe d'oeil glimpses of 16th century Rome seen through faux-marble-columns. Be sure to add the Villa to your itinerary in Rome and pick up several of the delightful packets of 12 postcards of the frescoes for a mere 5 euros. Great gifts!