The highlight of our trip to Rome was spending time again with Isabella and Luigi, whom we described meeting at the UofM Law Paris Reunion last year in an earlier blog post. They are such wonderful people and "incroyable" hosts.
They invited us to their city club for dinner. Little did we know it was in the former Borghese Palace constructed in 1560. Here is a description we found of the club:
"Beyond dispute, however, the most stately and luxurious club in the world is the Circolo della Caccio (Hunt Club) in Rome. It was founded by three Roman aristocrats in 1869, just a year before the papal state was overrun and forcibly incorporated into the state of Italy. It's premises are the Borghese Palace, the historic home of the senior princely family of Rome: The present Prince Borghese still occupies apartments within the building. The palace is enormous, with three facades and nicknamed the "Harpsichord" because of its irregular design. It has a colonnaded loggia and the whole place is a glory of sculpture and statuary. Inside, there are two staircases and such is the artistic splendor of the artistic heritage it embodies that the palace is known as one of the four wonders of Rome ... A descendant of of the most famous poisoners in history (Borgia) may be welcome on the Caccia's membership list, but money and fame are not considered adequate credentials: J. Paul Getty was blackballed when put forward for membership in the Caccia, a personal blow that made international news at the time." Secret Places, Hidden Sanctuaries.
Here are a few shots of the aforementioned façades
Upon arrival, we were treated to cocktails in a truly magnificent receiving room.
The original ceiling
Look carefully at the painting behind the four of us
Here is a close up of the painting. The woman in the middle in the black riding habit is Luigi's great grandmother. There is a placard identifying each Hunt Club member in the painting.
You might recognize another famous current member below
And his father
Our visit concluded with a ladies lunch at Isabella's golf club - the oldest in Rome. Golf is not a common sport in Italy.
The building and grounds are meticulously maintained
The course itself is rimmed with ancient roman ruins
After a truly memorable visit, we literally sang "Arrivederci Roma."
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