Tivoli Day Trip from Rome: Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este
Description
This is the perfect custom tour that will take you away from the bustling city of Rome and offer an enriching cultural experience in Tivoli. Located just 50 minutes from Rome, this charming town is home to two UNESCO World Heritage sites, Villa Adriana (Hadrian’s Villa) and Villa d’Este. These magnificent structures are not just examples of opulence, but also masterpieces of design and wonder. Your knowledgeable private tour guide will take you on a journey through history and share the story of how Hadrian’s Villa, once referred to as the “Ancient Versailles,” was left to nature after the fall of the Roman Empire and how its various marbles were repurposed to build other structures. You will walk where thermal baths and dining halls once stood, now transformed into lush greenhouses, and feel the romance that the Emperor sought as he marked the land with beauty for eternity.
You will then visit Villa d’Este, a true masterpiece of Renaissance landscape design. Cardinal Ippolito d’Este commissioned architects to design a garden that would impress, and they did just that, channeling a creek between thousands of fountains before it cascaded into a valley. The intricate water patterns and marble tiles create a magnificent waterfall, sometimes producing rainbow effects and even playing music on a water organ at set times. This is a unique opportunity to learn about the lavish lifestyle of wealthy noble families during the Renaissance.
Start Times:
9:00 am
Meeting Point
At check-out, before your purchase is confirmed, you will be kindly asked to leave the written address of your accommodation or potential meeting point. This implies the name of the hotel, bed & breakfast or residence in which you will be staying as long as it is situated within the city centre. Such requirements are necessary for pick-up and private services only.
What's Included
- Admission tickets for Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Private English-speaking driver with luxury transportation
- Private Professional Licensed Guide
What's Not
- Optional gratuities
- Lunch or snacks
Languages Available
English, Spanish, Italian, French
What You'll Do
- Enjoy a complimentary pick-up from your accommodation and drive east towards Tivoli
- First stop is Hadrian's villa where you will gasp at the lavish home of the emperor
- Visit the well preserved courtyard of the "Canopo" with its egyptian decorations
- Explore the complex "Maritime theater": A villa within a villa being the emperor's private retreat
- Your private driver will then take you to Villa d'Este
- Explore the beautiful gardens and its iconic fountains
- Enter the villa and learn about its major 16th century frescoes
- Transfer back to Rome and hotel drop-off
What To Remember
- The driver or tour guide will meet you at the start time and location you have indicated and will wait for a maximum of 30 minutes. Missed tours cannot be refunded.
- Comfortable shoes and clothing are recommended since this tour involves a fair amount of walking.
- Please remember to bring with you a bottle of water.
- This tour is wheelchair accesible. Please advise if assistance is needed.
- The tour operator is not responsible for last minute, unpredictable closures, strikes or union meetings. Nevertheless, the tour operator will be happy to offer customers an extended tour for the remaining time.
- The tour is free of charge for children under the age of 6.