Villa Celimontana

Villa Celimontana occupies the Celio hill a short walk from the Colosseum, its winding paths passing Roman-era fragments and an Egyptian obelisk relocated here in the 16th century. It's smaller and less manicured than Rome's grand villas, valued instead as a genuine escape from the crowds around the ancient monuments nearby. In summer the park hosts an open-air jazz festival that draws locals well beyond its usual daytime visitors.