The authentic nature of Villa Ada could perhaps be suggested by the imagination of Niccolò Ammaniti. In his novel “Let the games begin” the writer imagined the park sold to private individuals, to host not only walks but also safaris, complete with wild animals and predators.
Even if it is difficult to accept the idea that behind the bushes threatening people of the catacombs are lurking, or that on the edges of the lake you can be prey to a satanic sect, the perception is strong, that Villa Ada will never reveal itself completely. What's in the depths of the hill overlooking the Via Olimpica? The bushes are dense, and it almost seems like a choice.
Ph. Roberta Venditti
For those who look out from the lower entrance, on via di Ponte Salario, the first impression is the most deceptive: the park is only the garden of the Romans, the giant carps of the pond are company for the fathers busy with radio-controlled toy boats, the benches seem made especially for mothers' chats, the lawns to allow children, too long shut in houses, to play freely. But it soon becomes clear: this is the mask. An unspoken atmosphere, an almost mysterious air you breathe in the park, and you just need to go under the oaks to feel it.
Ph. Roberta Venditti
To those who listen to the fears of the soul, the small decadent amusement park seems the perfect element for a high-tension thriller. And looking at the dark water it can even come to mind that something disturbing might come up someday.
Ph. Roberta Venditti
In reality, the sun, the soundtrack of the kids playing on the lawns, the people's desire to party is enough to deny the place to any nightmare. But even so, the conviction that Villa Ada is not all there is inevitable: it does not bare in front of visitors, but always keeps something to discover for the more attentive.