Casina delle Civette Rome

Ever wondered what it'd look like if the eccentric head of an aristocratic family decided to build a house in a park in Rome, throwing together all imaginable architectural styles and materials? No? Well let me go ahead and answer that anyway...

The Casina delle Civette was originally built in 1840 to resemble an alpine chalet, at the behest of an important Roman aristocratic family. Only after another 50 years it took on its modern-day aspect, when his nephew took over and decided to modify the chalet, and he went bonkers with it.

The result looks like it's straight out of Disneyland, with the difference that this is a real little mansion that has been inhabited for almost 50 years by its owner. Shortly after his death though it was abandoned until it was bought by the city, renovated and transformed into a little museum.

Now, to be perfectly honest with you, the museum is not worth its €5, there's little left of the original furniture and I personally just think they used this beautiful space in the worst manner imaginable, inside that is. Fortunately you can visit the house from the outside and the park it lies in (that makes up the perfect setting) completely for free.

So don't you miss out on the Little House of Owls (due to the repeated motif of owls on the windows) and a walk through the gorgeous park, it'll make you become a little child again, where we all dreamed of living in an enchanted house.