Impressive entrance to a building in piazza Mincio

For those of you whose hearts sink at the thought of facing the hordes of people around the Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, or other “Top 10 sights” in Rome; let me entice you away to a calm, tranquil, and above all, largely undiscovered spot. Tucked away in a residential area northeast of Villa Borghese, the area consists of a small square (Piazza Mincio) and some nearby fascinating buildings in an architectural style all their own. You can get there using public transport, but don’t try to slot this quartiere in between other visits: the buildings, the atmosphere, as well as some excellent eating and drinking establishments make this an ideal, crowd free, lazy Sunday afternoon destination.

Background

Quartiere Coppedè is named after the architect Gino Coppedè, who constructed the buildings between 1917 and 1927, with unusual architectural features. Originally hailing from Florence, Coppedè’s main influences were predominantly the Art Nouveau style, but ancient Greek, medieval, and baroque styles can be detected in his work. He was also the architect of Villa La Gaeta on Lake Como, which was a film location for the James Bond film Casino Royale.

Wander

When you arrive at Piazza Buenos Aires (the closest stop for Trams 3 and 19), take Via Tagliamento past the church on your right. You cannot fail to notice the dramatic and imposing archway with a chandelier on the corner with Via Dora. Look closely for the detail and you will be rewarded – mythical figures, animals, crests of important Italian families, and even cherubs!

If you walk under the arch (which joins the Palazzi degli Ambasciatori – some of the Embassies to Rome are housed here), you will see two more eye-catching and utterly whimsical pieces: the Villini delle Fate (The Little House of the Fairies) and in front of it, the Fontana delle Rane (Fountain of the Frogs). The more eagle-eyed visitors may notice a similarity between this fountain and the one in the Jewish Ghetto (the Fontana delle Tartarughe or Turtles). Certainly it continues to delight – rumor has it that the Beatles felt the need to cool off in it after a particularly raucous gig at the Piper Club in the 1960s (the police were less severe on that sort of behavior back then)!

Fontana delle Rane with Villini delle Fate behind

The Villini delle Fate is a wonderfully haphazard building, which consists of romantic turrets and arches and looks exactly like something out of a fairy tale. Coppedè nods to his Florentine heritage with a fresco of Florence on one side of the house and to Rome with a painting of Romulus and Remus, the twins suckled by a she-wolf (Romulus being the legendary founder of Rome). Returning to the fountain, turn 360 degrees to admire the other buildings in Piazza Mincio and remember to look up. Can you spot the gigantic golden spider? The snails made of stone? The bees representing the Barberini family? They are all there, I promise you! It is evident to what extent Coppedè’s unique architecture was truly inspired by nature.

Eat

In my opinion, the best, most relaxed sightseeing is done after lunch and before aperitivo, and that is what I recommend here. If you have had your fill of pizza and pasta, head to Va Sano for an enticing range of French meats, cheeses, and wines. Va Sano is found in Piazza Buenos Aires, is incredibly well priced and the owners give valuable advice if you need help making up your mind. You will find real French croissants for your perfect Sunday breakfast!

Va Sano

Piazza Buenos Aires 22

tel: 06 855 4971

www.vasano.it

Another alternative is Santi Sebastiano e Valentino, situated one block off Piazza Buenos Aires on Via Tirso and advertised as a panificio (bakery), but it is so much more. The smell of freshly baked bread will draw you in, but stay for the delicious pasta and meat. There is outside seating available here, should the sun be shining – which it usually is!

Santi Sebastiano e Valentino

Via Tirso 107

tel: 06 8756 8048

Drink

If you have managed to spot all the buildings and animals mentioned above, why not reward yourself with a refreshing aperitivo? While this is not an overly strenuous excursion, aperitivo (hour) – in truth it extends over several – is a wonderful aspect of the Italian lifestyle. Dietro le Quinte is a particularly good example of how to do aperitivo. It has a wide range of wines, excellent cocktails, and a spread of stuzzichini (snacks) to make you forget you ever had lunch! There are tables outside and it is just a minute’s walk away from Piazza Buenos Aires, meaning you don’t have far to go to get the tram to your next stop. However, if you want the evening to continue, there is the infamous Piper Club on Via Tagliamento where you can follow in the Beatles’ footsteps (apparently)!

Dietro le Quinte, Via Tirso 85, tel: 06 4542 1672
Piper Club, Via Tagliamento 9, tel: 06 855 5398

How to get there

Find your nearest stop for Tram 3 or 19 and take it as far as the stop named ‘Buenos Aires’. This brings you to the piazza mentioned above.