Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of this oval radiate three long, straight streets - the famed Il Tridente - offering hero-
ic and breathtaking vistas through the chaotic fabric of the city.
Via del Babuino
The Via del Babuino is named after an ancient statue that since the 16th century has
lolled halfway along its length and is deemed to be so ugly that it's called babuino,
the baboon. In the past Romans let off steam by 'talking' through these statues, on
which were hung satirical verses that mocked the ruling elite of the city.
Via del Corso
Running almost due south from Piazza del Popolo is the Via del Corso. It cuts laser-
like through the very heart of the city, following the course of the 2200-year-old Via
Flaminia, the route along which the legions marched heading north and along which
they returned, proclaiming Rome's glory. Go to the east, along Via delle Muratte, and
you suddenly find yourself in front of the triumphal façade and fresh waters of the
Trevi Fountain, which still manages to rise above the hordes of tourists that engulf it.
Via di Ripetta
The third spoke of the Piazza del Popolo's Il Tridente is the Via di Ripetta, heading
southeast, towards the River Tiber and on to the sacred city of the Vatican. The Via di
Ripetta also leads to my favourite Rome, the Rome where the past and the present
coexist in a most dramatic and intimate manner: narrow rows of artisan shops nest-
ling within the shadow of a rearing palazzo; a mighty church juxtaposed in dramatic
contrast with cramped alleys; swirling patterns of eager pedestrians and scooters
throbbing and revving as they weave through the city.
