Villa Borghese, Piazza del Popolo, and Flaminio

While it may not feel like it amid the dense warren of cobblestone streets in the centro storico (historic center), Rome is actually a very green city. All around the immediate city center are a number of vast public parks, the most central of which is the city's giant green lung: the Villa Borghese park, where residents love to escape for some serious R&R. But don't think you can completely avoid sightseeing—three of Rome's most important museums are inside the park, and Piazza del Popolo, which has more than one art-crammed church, is close by.