The Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Spagna; Metro: Spagna) are filled in spring with azaleas and other flowers, flower vendors, jewelry dealers, and photographers snapping pictures of visitors. The steps and the square (Piazza di Spagna) take their names from the Spanish Embassy, which used to be headquartered here. Designed by Italian architect Francesco de Sanctis and built from 1723 to 1725, they were funded almost entirely by the French as a preface to Trinità dei Monti at the top.
The steps and the piazza below are always packed with a crowd: strolling, reading in the sun, browsing the vendors' carts, and people-watching. Near the steps, you'll also find an American Express office, public restrooms (near the Metro stop), and the most sumptuous McDonald's we've ever seen (cause for uproar among the Romans when it first opened).
Great Art in the Stables -- Across from the Palazzo del Quirinale, the 18th-century Quirinal stables called the Scuderie del Quirinale or Scuderie Papali, Via XXIV Maggio 16 (tel. 06-39967500), originally built for the pope's horses, have been transformed into an art gallery that hosts changing exhibitions. Check to see what's on. Recent exhibits have ranged from 100 masterpieces on loan from the Hermitage to Botticelli's drawings illustrating Dante's Divine Comedy. The stables were built on the site of the 3rd-century Temple of Serapis (some of the ruins can still be seen from the glass-enclosed stairs overlooking a private garden). The galleries are open Sunday to Thursday 10am to 8pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 10:30pm. Admission is 9€ ($10.80).
