Villa Torlonia consists of a small palace and associated buildings set in in 14 hectares of…read morelandscaped parkland beside the Via Nomentana, about 2Km north of Rome city centre. (The number 90 bus from Termini will take you there for about €1.50)
Built in the early 1800's for a wealthy banking family, to a classical design by the architect Valadier, it became Mussolini's residence in the 1930's, later falling into disrepair, before being bought and restored by the city of Rome in the 1990's. Admission to the park is free, but admission to the buildings was €12, as of 2013, which I thought was good value.
We were impressed by the quality of the restoration and the well-maintained and tranquil palm-shaded parkland. The main villa is surprisingly small and manages, I thought, to fall just the right side of ostentatiousness, and have a degree of charm. Among the other buildings are the Casino dei Principe, used as an art gallery, and the Art Nouveau 'House of Owls' - a faux Swiss cottage with lavish stained glass windows. There's also a restaurant with outdoor dining in a delightful setting - La Limonaia - though it's best to stick to the wood-fired pizza and salads, if our experience was anything to go by.
If you need to get away from the bustle and pollution of Rome's centre, this is a great place to relax, even though it is a little further out than the obvious option, Villa Borghese.
