Along Rome’s GRA—the ring road encircling the capital—there are many spots that Romans rush past while traveling from one part of the city to another, never pausing and often unaware of their very existence. Such is the case with the small lake along Via Collatina, a natural pool of water situated just a few dozen meters from the massive highway, in an area dotted with natural springs. It is no coincidence that the 16th-century Acqua Vergine aqueduct originates here.
The pond provides irrigation for the surrounding fields, and occasionally, someone even ventures there to fish. I visited during a misty dawn that lent the entire landscape an enchanted quality—a small gem set within an otherwise drab suburban periphery.
