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It does not look as if he is retiring, only moving to a more comfortable place in the country. Those old buildings, no matter how wonderful they are, can also be very difficult to live in, particularly if you are not allowed to make any improvements to them. As he rightly says, in summer the heat is unbearable and in winter you freeze to death.

You are so right Gala. It interested me that he lived in the same Palazzo as Joan Marble (American), author of Notes from a Roman Terrace and Notes from an ½ûÂþÌìÌà Garden. She "escapes" to the Lazio countryside.

Large cities, no matter how beautiful, may be a bit too much after a while. And particularly the area where the Palazzo is located. Personally, if I lived in Rome I prefer the Transtevere area. Nevertheless, you do need to go to the countryside on a regular basis.

The Doria Pamphili palazzo, right by Piazza Venezia is one of only a few still in private ownership. When we lived in Rome, we used to know another journalist who rented a garret in what must once have been the servants' quarters, right on the top floor; there was a staircase wide enough, and with a low enough gradient, to ride a horse up. Alas, she had no frescoes, but a cosy fireplace and a tiny balcony, home to a table and her lemon trees, looking out onto the courtyard.

The Doria Pamphili family are the epitome of 'noblesse oblige' and when Peggy moved-out to get married, they rented to house to a friend of hers - a well-travelled elderly lady of impeccable breeding, but modest means.