Any of my fellow millennial women reading this will recognize and know the Tivoli Gardens from The Lizzie McGuire movie. Even if you don’t have your own Paolo to whisk you off into the sunset, I guarantee you’ll want to experience the Tivoli Gardens at Villa d’Este located outside of Rome for yourself.
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Getting to Tivoli from Rome
So, unlike the Lizzie McGuire movie, Tivoli is not just a quick Vespa ride away. It does, in fact, require some planning. Depending on your budget and time-allowance, you’ll want to decide if you prefer to opt for a guided tour or self-guided. The Get Your Guide and Viator websites offer guided tours (most include a visit to Hadrian’s Villa, the other nearby villa in Tivoli) and most include transportation from the city center. I will say, if you’re not comfortable or find self-navigating in foreign countries overwhelming, this may be the better option.
If you are getting there are on your own, you play with the trade-off of saving money and temporarily losing your sanity. Ok, in all honestly it is not that difficult, but public transport in Rome is hit or miss meaning it can be stressful even for the calmest of people. From Rome’s Termini Station it will take about an hour and a half (could vary depending on the bus schedules, which will ultimately determine whether or not you leave slightly frazzled or with a pounding migraine). From Termini, hop on the MB line heading towards “Rebibbia.” You’ll exit at the “Ponte Mammolo” stop. Easy? So far, so good.
From the metro exit, you’ll immediately walk out into a parking lot for buses. There should be several options of buses heading towards Tivoli and the front of the bus will state TIVOLI. Unfortunately, these buses are not equipped with the credit card tap option for your ticket, so be sure to have some physical bus tickets purchased in advance. Also, keep in mind that these are commuter buses and the driver will not stop at every point, so make sure you press the red request stop button to get off at “Piazzale Nazioni.” Fortunately, many people will likely be getting off this stop too. Congrats – you made it in one piece!
From here, the entrance of Villa d’Este is about a 5-minute walk down the street and there will be signs guiding you in the right direction.
Ok BUT if you prefer to avoid the headache of this (above is truly a budget-version, but it is not necessarily “easy”), I suggest booking with a tour. I recommend booking this tour of Villa D’Este and Hadrian’s Villa Tivoli Day Tour. This way you can see BOTH Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa without navigating fully on your own.
How Much Time is Needed?
If you’re traveling here with a tour, you may not get much say in how much time you have to enjoy specific parts of the villa and garden. If you come alone, it is entirely up to you! To veer on the safe side I would allow 45-minutes to explore the villa and to listen to all of the information provided about each room from the audioguide. Then, I’d allow another 60-90 minutes to wander the visit the Tivoli gardens. You can purchase your tickets in advance here or on-site.
Visit the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore
Your first stop at Villa d’Este should be a stop inside Santa Maria Maggiore Church. Immediately, you’ll notice the interior shimmering with the reflections of dozens of chandeliers. Do a lap around the church, light a candle, and snap a pic before heading to the villa.
Wander the Villa
Now it is time to make your way inside the show-stopping villa! It was constructed in the 16th Century and remains a staple piece reflecting Renaissance architecture and garden design. Each room in the villa has over-the-top ornate frescoes, paintings, and statues. As you wander room to room each seems to be attempting to outdo the another.
Lose Yourself in the Gardens
If you think these rooms seem breath-taking, just wait until you step foot into the gardens. Drum roll please! Honestly, there is not much I can type because you just need to see them with your own eyes! It is truly serene and magical here. Outside of the hustle and bustle of Rome, it is easy to feel like you can finally unwind a bit.
As you meander the gardens, you’ll stumble upon various ornate fountains. Although some of them are no longer in use, they have peculiar backstories. For instance, the Fountain of the Organ was completed in 1611. It is a hydraulic organ constructed in such a way that when the water flowed, it would play notes on the organ!
I hope this post convinced you that you absolutely SHOULD visit the Tivoli Gardens and Villa d’Este during your trip to Rome.
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