Rome Day Trip: Escape to Tivoli’s Villa D’Este + Hadrian’s Villa

Rome is one of the most visited cities in all of Europe, and for good reason. After all, Rome is home to the Vatican City, Colosseum, Pantheon, and a plethora of world-class museums and ruins.  Honestly, just strolling around the city feels like walking through a massive, open-air museum!

However, as anyone who has visited Rome (particularly in the summer) can attest to, this bustling metropolis teeming with tourists can quickly become a little overwhelming.  If, after a day or two of walking around the city you are feeling less like you are living “La Dolce Vita” and more like you are caught in a tourist-trap, then I know just the remedy-a quick day trip to Tivoli.

Tivoli is easily reached by Rome and is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Spend a day away from the crowds and enjoy a more relaxed, low-key day exploring Tivoli’s Villa D’Este, Villa Adriana (Hadrian’s Villa), and, time permitting Villa Gregoriana. If you love beautiful gardens, Roman ruins, or are looking for something unique to do outside of Rome, you won’t be disappointed!

Keep reading for my tips on planning the perfect day trip to these UNESCO World Heritage Sites!

 

Getting to Tivoli

Tivoli is easy to get to from Rome, making it an excellent choice for a day (or even half day trip).

• Car: Tivoli is located 21 miles away from Rome, and is about a 50-minute drive
• Train: Trains leave from both Roma Termini and Roma Tiburtina, with trains leaving more frequently from Roma Tiburtina. A one-way ticket is only  €2.60, and the train journey is about an hour. Tickets can be purchased the day of at the station. You can find the train timetables on the Trenitalia website.
• Bus: Take the metro to Ponte Mammolo and hop on the Cotral bus directly to Hadrian’s Villa.

Personally, I chose to visit Tivoli via train, as Roma Termini is located very close to The RomeHello hostel, where I spent the weekend. If you are arriving by bus, you simply have to reverse this itinerary!

 

Getting to the Villa d’Este

If you choose to visit Tivoli by train, you will arrive at the Tivoli train station. The station is an easy 15-minute walk from the Villa d’ Este. Along the way, you will have the chance to see some of the charming historic city center.

You’ll know you’re in the right spot when you reach a square with a church and a beautifully tiled sign which reads “Villa D’Este”. I was a little surprised by the modest entrance, which is a little overshadowed by the church next door, but fear not, lots of beauty lies within!

Entrance to the Villa d’Este costs €8. You can find the opening hours and times here!

 

Visiting the Villa d’Este

The Villa d’Este is a 16th-century villa and UNESCO World Heritage site known for its incredible gardens and beautiful frescoes. As there is quite a bit to see both within the villa and in the gardens, I’d recommend allowing at least 2 hours for your visit.

Upon first entering the Villa, you’ll likely wander straight into the private apartments of Cardinal Ippolito II, who was responsible for the villa’s construction. I recommend viewing these apartments first before visiting the gardens.

As you wander around this upper level of the villa, you’ll encounter some pretty amazing ceilings as well as a beautiful little chapel. It’s pretty crazy to me what incredible condition the apartments are in-I honestly felt like I had stepped back in time and entered the Italian Renaissance!

At this point in my visit, I happened upon a very enthusiastic elderly Italian gentleman who works at the villa, and he excitedly grabbed my arm and proceeded to escort me around the chambers and explained a bit about the Villa d’Este’s history to me in very fast Italian! He was so sweet, and he even offered to take a photo of me at a lovely spiral staircase which seems made for Instagram. Clearly, this man saw my camera and knew what I was looking for! 😉

The next place I headed is another picture-perfect location, an outdoor terrace offering incredible panoramic views of Tivoli. I spent a few minutes out here admiring the views around Tivoli, and also overlooking the gardens below, which is what I really traveled to Tivoli for!

However, before heading down to the gardens, I was pleasantly surprised by a series of truly incredible rooms decked out from floor to ceiling in gorgeous frescos. While the Villa d’Este is most known for its gardens, these frescoes make the interior of the villa just as beautiful as the exterior.

As someone who is completely obsessed with art and art history, I was so excited to have the opportunity to enjoy such beautiful works. I visited in February, which is off-season, meaning that I had these rooms pretty much completely to myself!

After you visit this series of frescoed halls, you can exit the villa and head to what is considered to be the highlight of the Villa d’Este, the gardens.

 

The Gardens D’Este

The gardens at the Villa d’Este are quite remarkable, and what really made the gardens stand out for me were the insane amount of water features within. The garden is home to over 50 fountains, 60 waterfalls, 600 waterspouts/jets, and 200 water basins. You’ll definitely want to allow at least an hour to wander through the gardens, taking in the sights (and the sounds) of the incredible water features, fountains, and sculptures within. The sound of trickling water can be heard throughout the gardens, and as you walk around you will discover hidden details and delights around every corner.

My favorite features were:

The Oval Fountain｜Fontana dell’Ovato

This is the first major fountain I stumbled upon while walking around the garden. I was particularly charmed by the beautiful tilework done at the base of this appropriately-named oval-shaped fountain.

The Fountain of the Organ｜Fontana dell’Organo

This musical fountain is a real showstopper. Not only is it beautiful, but it actually plays music, thanks to the power of air and hydraulics. When you enter the villa, the times that the water organ plays should be listed at the entrance.

The Fountain of Neptune｜Fontana di Nettuno

When I first began looking for easy day trips from Rome, I found several photographs of this fountain and knew I simply needed to visit this gorgeous spot. This tiered fountain creates an impressive cascade tumbling from the Fountain of the Organ into a series of fish ponds below. I have to confess I took way too many photos here, but can you blame me?

The Hundred Fountains｜Cento Fontane

This series of almost 300 waterspouts line a lovely passageway through the gardens leading from the Oval fountain to the Fountain of Rometta. Among the moss and plants that cover the fountains today, you’ll spot decorative sculptural details such as eagles and masks which appear to “spit” the water into the basin below.

Once you’ve enjoyed the gardens, you can make your way back through the villa and head back to the entrance to make your way to the next stop of the day, Hadrian’s Villa, or the Villa Adriana.

 

Getting to Hadrian’s Villa

Once you exit the Villa d’Este, you can then work on making your way to Hadrian’s Villa. While it is possible to head to the main square and catch a taxi, the bus is a much cheaper option! I was unsure about where to catch the bus, so I simply asked the woman working at the Villa d’Este where I could find it.

Luckily, the bus stop is super close to the Villa d’Este, and in less than 10 minutes, I had walked out of the villa, down the street, and to the nearest main piazza.

You’ll then want to purchase a bus ticket at a local tabaccheria before boarding the bus, as is common in Italy. The man at the tobacco shop pointed me over to the bus stop and told me to board bus number 4.

The bus ride lasts around 20 minutes and costs less than €2. Be sure you catch the proper bus that drops off directly at the villa, or else you’ll have a bit more walking to do! If you are unsure, just ask the bus driver if he is headed to the Villa Adriana.

 

Visiting Hadrian’s Villa

Once you’re off the bus, you’ll be dropped off directly in front of the ticket office for the Villa Adriana.

Tickets to enter are €8. While you are at the ticket office, I recommend taking a photograph of the bus times back to Tivoli’s center, so you can plan what time you’d like to leave around.

The Villa Adriana ended up being far larger than I originally expected, and I wish I had allowed more time to see the expansive ruins! However, I had to make it back to Rome on a 3:33 train, so I had to do quite a bit of power walking to cover the grounds.

If you have the time, I’d say to allow at least 2 hours to visit this site as well.

The Villa Adriana was built by Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD and took over 15 years to complete! While Hadrian first occupied the villa in 128, the complex was later used by several other Roman emperors such as Marcus Aurelius, Septimius Severus, and Caracalla.

The villa was once a lavish retreat from the city, as it was built with close proximity to Rome. Today, the extensive grounds contain the ruins of over 30 structures, and the grand estate is believed to have held over 400 statues. Emperor Hadrian was a lover of arts and culture, which is totally reflected in the villa’s design.

Today, visitors can view the remains of the ornate baths, libraries, theatres, temples, gardens, and fountains which make this site an impressive testament to Rome’s economic, cultural, and political might.

I had a pleasant afternoon walking through the ruins, exploring the vast grounds with relatively few visitors-yay for the off-season!

The highlight of my visit was the Serapeum and Canopus. The large pool of water is named after the Egyptian city of Canopus. This pool is surrounded by a colonnade and a few surviving sculptures, which lead the visitor to the Serapeum grotto, which inspired by was a temple to Serapis located in Canopus. I had previously learned about this structure in one of my college art history courses, so to see it in person was truly incredible.

As the grounds are quite large, I recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes and bringing along water, snacks, and sunscreen, especially if you are visiting during the summer!

I really enjoyed my time exploring this ancient wonder, I only wish that I would have had a bit more time to walk around! However, there were other adventures calling my name in Roma.

Villa Gregoriana

If you have more time than I did in Tivoli, then you can consider heading to the Villa Gregoriana, a park featuring waterfalls, walking paths, and greenery perfect for nature lovers. The park is just a 7 minutes from the train station, and would be an easy addition to any Tivoli day trip itinerary!

 

Overall Thoughts

I really enjoyed this day trip! The two villas were so easy to get to with public transportation, and it was certainly nice to have a respite from the tourist-rich Rome! I also enjoyed having the opportunity to see something new so close to Rome. While I only visited for a quick half-day trip, I think a full day would be a better option and allow for more time to leisurely wander the grounds of both villas, as well as squeeze in a visit to the Villa Gregoriana.

I visited during February, which was nice as there are very few crowds, but I can only imagine how gorgeous the gardens are in full bloom during the summer!

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What do you think? Will a visit to Tivoli make it on your Italy itinerary? Let me know in the comments!

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