Tivoli

Tivoli is worth a day trip – or perhaps even two.

In Roman times “Tibur” was the cool place outside Rome where the wealthy Romans would retreat for peace, quiet, and more comfortable temperatures.

The Emperor Hadrian built here a villa in AD 128, the dimensions of which would make Putin jealous. The model gives an idea of the size and layout of the villa at Hadrian’s time. The ruins remain and testify to the ingenuity and skills of the builders of Roman times, but also to their sense of harmony and beauty.

Some 1400 years later, construction started for a villa belonging to the Cardinal Ippoliti II d’Este. The building, known as “Villa d’Este” contains some remarkable frescos, but is mostly famous for the abundant fountains everywhere in the park.

Note: It is environmentally friendly. There is not a single pump working – all the fountains function by gravity of the water from a stream above the villa.