The San Sisto complex was founded by Saint Dominique in the XIII century and soon after became a community of nuns. This monastic establishment, centered on an important garden, survived nearly 600 years until Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Italy. As he attempted to recreate the halcyon days of the Roman Empire, he transformed this beautiful setting into a horticultural campus in order to relandscape the city. Short-lived as his mission was, some plantings survive his project still today .
San Sisto now houses an impressive collection of rare and exotic plants meticulously tended by gardeners with a passion for detail and perfection. The stars of the collection are the hundreds of specimen-size azaleas and rhododendrons that decorate the Spanish Steps every Spring, but the thousands of rare and unusual orchid and carnivorous plants are a not-to-be-missed feature of this private horticultural attraction. Orchids from five continents as well as carnivorous plants from the old and new worlds are beautifully displayed in an array of greenhouses surrounded by a romantic landscape that will delight expert green thumbs and plant novices alike. A two-hour tour that will add an unexpected entry to your Roman diary!
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SAN SISTO
