Tivoli is a reasonably-sized town, located just outside Rome, and is built on the side of a (quite steep!) hill. It is most famous for the two villas there, being a favourite retreat, since Roman times, for the rich and famous inhabitants of Rome.
Villa Adriana lies a little distance outside the centre of Tivoli, however, there are buses linking it to Rome, and to the town centre (and the Villa d'Este). It was built by the Emperor Hadrian, and covers acres of grounds, mostly in ruins, the remaining site retains a fascinating interest, especially if you are interested in ancient history, and if you are not, it's a really great place for a picnic! There is a lot of walking involved, so if you go, be prepared. The entrance cost is 8000L (about £2.60) and you can easily lose a few hours here. It opens until dusk so remember if you go in the winter, that it will close early. There is a small car-park if you chose to make your own way.
As you go up to the main town, the Villa d'Este is located nearer the city centre. It is quite unassuming as you approach, and again, it also costs 8000L to go in. The Villa itself was built by Ippolito d'Este in the 16th Century, a member of the famous (or rather, infamous) Borgia family. The Villa itself is fairly sparse now, although there are some great mosaics, the main feature of Villa d'Este, are the gardens. For anyone with even a passing interest in gardens and/or fountains, this really is a must-see place. It has some of the most beautiful fountains in Italy (which is saying a lot!), and now, the fountains are working again. It really is an amazing sight, because there are masses of the things!
As for Tivoli itself, it is quite a small and pleasant town. There are a few great restaurants in which to have lunch, and a small cathedral, it probably isn't worth going out of your way to see.. there is a positively labyrinthine network of small streets, so if you do venture out to explore, a map would be a good investment (I learnt this lesson the hard way!).
It is a great place for a day trip and definitely recommended, if you are holidaying in Rome.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
very helpful by (73%):
helpful by (27%):
