What once used to be a railroad in Rome, built in 1929 to connect the Papal State and the Kingdom of Italy and partially removed with the jubilee in 2000, has now turned into a place where you can go take a nice walk: the Walkway of Jasmine (Passeggiata del Gelsomino).
This is the perfect place to visit after your Vatican Tours.
This elevated passageway that currently connects the San Pietro Station to St. Peter’s Square is not so popular among tourists and locals and that makes it the perfect place to enjoy a nice romantic walk away from the frenzy of the city and explore more than just the main tourist attractions like the Colosseum, the Pantheon or the Trevi Fountain.
WHERE DOES IT START?
As mentioned before, the Walkway of Jasmine begins at the train station of San Pietro. You get there by entering the station and going towards platform 1 and then turning right. Just follow the directions for “Passeggiata del Gelsomino”.
Reasons behind its name
You may be wondering what’s the reason behind the name of this walkway. There are actually two main reasons:
- The walkway is full of jasmines during the summer, making the walk even more pleasant and peaceful with their white color and their amazing perfume;
- The route also faces what once was the Valley of the Jasmine that went from the Vatican to Janiculum Hill.
You may wonder why the place where the Walkway of Jasmine takes place was once called the Valle del Gelsomino… Legend says that in that area there used to be an old tavern with this name, chosen by its owner to pay homage to the jasmines brought to Italy by the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Another fun fact according to legend is that this flower became popular because a poor gardener stole it from the gardens of the Grand Duchy in Tuscany to gift it to the woman he loved. This is probably the reason why this flower represents marriage today.
The perfect walk to take with kids
The Walkway of Jasmine, apart from being one of the most romantic places along with Janiculum Hill, is also the perfect place to take a walk if you have kids with you.
On the path, you will, in fact, find FattOrietta, a big farm with many animals like ponies, cows, and pigs surrounded by trees and nature.
The Farm is usually only open in the morning so we suggest taking this walk in the morning when it’s not too hot!
Conclusion
If you’re in Rome and are looking for ways to spice up your trip with less popular places to visit, the Passeggiata del Gelsomino is definitely what you’re looking for! Make sure to bring a water bottle and some sunscreen and don’t forget a camera to take some photos of St. Peter’s Dome from a unique perspective!
