Why go

The hill town of Tivoli, about 30 kilometres east of Rome, has been a retreat from the city’s heat since antiquity. It holds two UNESCO World Heritage sites that make one of the best day trips from the capital, and they could hardly be more different.

Hadrian’s Villa, Villa Adriana, was built in the 2nd century AD as the emperor’s country residence. It was less a villa than a small city, with palaces, baths, theatres, libraries and pools spread over a huge estate, many inspired by buildings Hadrian had seen on his travels. Villa d’Este, in the town itself, is a 16th-century cardinal’s palace whose terraced gardens cascade down the hillside in hundreds of fountains, pools and water jets.

What to see

  • The Canopus. At Hadrian’s Villa, a long pool framed by columns and statues, inspired by a canal in Egypt.
  • The Maritime Theatre. A circular island retreat surrounded by a moat, where Hadrian could withdraw.
  • The Pecile. A vast walled garden and portico at the entrance to the estate.
  • The Hundred Fountains. At Villa d’Este, a long terrace lined with spouting masks and lilies.
  • The Organ Fountain. A water-powered organ that still plays at set times.
  • The Fountain of Neptune and the fishponds. The grand finale at the foot of the gardens.

Plan your visit

Both villas open daily except 1 January and 25 December, but Villa d’Este opens only at 2pm on Mondays. In November and December, Villa Adriana admits visitors from 8.30am to 3.30pm and Villa d’Este until 4pm, and both must be left by 5pm, so winter days are short.

Tickets are sold on the official VILLÆ site and at the entrances. Recent reports give about €15 for each villa, with EU citizens aged 18 to 25 paying €2, and a VILLÆ Pass covering both villas and the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor for about €30. Both sites are free on the first Sunday of the month and on 25 April, 2 June and 4 November.

Getting there

Regional trains run from Roma Tiburtina to Tivoli in about an hour, and Cotral buses leave from Ponte Mammolo on Metro line B. Villa d’Este is in the town centre, about 15 minutes’ walk from the station. Hadrian’s Villa lies about 5 kilometres below the town, reached by local bus or taxi.

Tips

To see both in one day, start early at Hadrian’s Villa, which is vast and has little shade, then head up to Villa d’Este for the afternoon. Avoid Mondays if you want a morning at Villa d’Este. Wear comfortable shoes for the steep garden paths. If juggling trains and buses sounds tiring, a day tour from Rome with transport and tickets is an easy option. Tivoli’s old town also has good trattorias for lunch.

Between the villas, look into the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor, a huge Roman temple complex included in the VILLÆ Pass, or the Villa Gregoriana park with its waterfall. Check the last train or bus back to Rome before you set off, especially on Sundays and holidays, when services are less frequent.