Orto Botanico di Roma

Climbing the slopes of the Janiculum above Trastevere, Rome's botanical garden harbours 2,500 plant species across 12 hectares of terraced hillside. The Japanese garden with its koi pond and bamboo groves offers a jarring but welcome contrast to the Baroque city below. Centuries-old palm trees, a sensory garden designed for the visually impaired, and monumental plane trees planted in the 17th century create pockets of deep shade perfect for escaping the summer heat. The greenhouse collection includes carnivorous plants and tropical orchids. Most tourists never find this place despite it being five minutes from the centre of Trastevere.