Rome is, of course, a wonderful city full of great sights and exciting activities. But if you need a break from the Colosseum and the bustling city life and are looking for something different, then just hop on the train to Tivoli for a magical experience of nature and grand historical villas.
Tivoli was founded in 1215 BC under the name Tibur and has been one of the most important cities on the outskirts of Rome. Now, this charming little Italian town is a perfect destination for a day trip from Rome. To make the most of your day, we recommend getting up early to catch one of the first train departures from Rome.
The train ride itself is a pleasant experience, taking you through a beautiful and unique landscape on the way to Tivoli. There are three major villa complexes in the town, and it might be tight on time to explore all three. For us, visiting two was more than enough.
Villa d’Este
We chose to start with Villa d’Este, which is located a little further into the town from the train station. The villa, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was built in the mid-1500s by Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este, who was Tivoli’s governor at the time. It is especially the garden that makes Villa d’Este so impressive, with its many spectacular fountains.
The rooms in the villa are beautifully decorated by some of the most important Italian artists of the time. The style is called Mannerism and is characterized by elegance and harmony.
The Old Town of Tivoli
After admiring the beautiful garden in Villa d’Este, it was time for lunch. Naturally, we had some authentic Italian food at a small cozy restaurant in the old town called La Fraschetta Da Neno. Here, we had what must be Tivoli’s best panino with porchetta.
Villa Gregoriana
We ended the day in Villa Gregoriana Park, located by the waterfall of the Aniene River that flows through the town. Villa Gregoriana was built by Pope Gregory XVI in 1835 to restore the riverbed of the Aniene, which had been destroyed by a flood in 1826. The new waterfall was constructed by channeling the river through Monte Catillo, thus preventing another devastating flood.
**Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli, Italy**
In the grand park, you can wander along paths that take you to the ancient Roman Temple of Vesta, the caves of Neptune and the sirens, and the large waterfall.
**Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli, Italy – Here Starts the Waterfall**
Villa Adriana
If you have time, you can also visit Villa Adriana. It takes about an hour to walk there from Villa d’Este, which was too far for us when we visited the town. The villa complex was built in the 2nd century by Emperor Hadrian and features elements from both ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian architecture. Like Villa d’Este, Villa Adriana is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Also, read our guide to Trastevere and Testaccio. (Only available in Norwegian at the moment)
Here you can check out Tivoli’s Official Website. (Only in Italian.)
