Through my adventures abroad, I’ve seen a number of beautiful sights, gardens and palaces. When traveling through Italy, I had the chance to tour the 16^th-century gardens and mansion of Villa d’Este in the small village of Tivoli, Italy — one of my favorites to date.

The impressive expanse of Italian Renaissance gardens are famed for its system of fountains run entirely by force of gravity with no pumps. There are 51 fountains, 398 spouts, 354 water jets, 64 waterfalls and 220 basins, all running as if by ancient magic. It’s an engineering marvel of its time.

The pathway leading up to the Fountain of Neptune, the most impressive of the fountains, was enchanting. As these large structures loom above you, you wonder how it is all possibly standing there.

Lush foliage and beauty bloom in each step, while the damp fountains make perfect breeding grounds for overgrown moss and algae.

As I walked through the different pathways and gardens, lined by spouts and fountains, I tried to imagine what it would be like as a 16^th-century Roman. To own all of this must have been a feat, and to not get lost, nearly impossible.

I could have wandered and gotten lost for hours and still been a happy visitor.

—Allie Menzione