Tivoli

A daytrip to the town of Tivoli can uncover not only one but four different destinations worth visiting: Villa Adriana, Villa Gregoriana, Villa d'Este and the thermal baths in Tivoli. Beautiful art works spanning from Roman time to Renaissance can be found here.

Our first destination is Villa Adriana, a magnificent retreat build during the reign of Hadrian in 2nd century AD. He loved his new residence so much that very often he was found ruling the Roman Empire from this idyllic place rather than Rome. The most famous landmark here is Maritime Theater, a circular pool surrounded by a fancy colonnade that would remind you of the splendour of the era bygone. During that time Villa Adriana was used as a warehouse (what a fabulous deposit!) until it was sacked of most of its statues and marbles. Some of those materials were used to rebuild our second point of interest, Villa d'Este, which is about 4 km away. Villa d'Este was commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este, member of one of the most powerful Italian aristocratic families, and designed by Pirro Logorio in the 16th century AD. Protected by UNESCO, the main reason for you to come here is to admire the amazing terraced-gardens with hundreds of pools, sprays and allegorical fountains. Just 800 m away is Villa Gregoriana, a man-made park recently restored where nature and waterfalls create a beautiful view. A good way to finish the day is to relax in the thermal baths―5 km west of Villa Adriana, with natural cold water rich in sulphur. Just 30 km away from Rome, Tivoli is well connected by public buses from the hub of Ponte Mammolo, or by suburban train, line FM3.