Written by A little sleep in, some cuddles and a late-ish breakfast was very much needed for day twelve in wonderful Italy. Today’s adventures consisted of a day trip out to Tivoli to explore the gardens and ruins of Villa d’Este and Villa Adriana. Tivoli is a town in Lazio, 30km north-east of Rome. The train took FOREVER, stopping for approximately four minutes at each station. We passed the time learning Italian words and phrases through the Microsoft App.
Jumped off the train and took a fifteen minute stroll into the middle of town towards Villa d’Este. After buying a ticket, we made our way through the palace, admiring the beautiful paintings that covered every space on the walls. The path then spits you out into the top section of the incredible gardens, where you can wander around the park at your leisure, taking in the fresh air, mind blowing water features and scenery. Villa d’Este is home to the Avenue of the Hundred Fountains which leads you straight to the famous Fountain of Tivoli.
After spending a solid amount of the afternoon cruising around the park, we remembered the time and got our butts into gear. Once back up on the main street, we caught the bus, by literally one minute, to travel down the mountain to Villa Adriana. HOLY FREAKING MOLY! I forgot just how big this place was. No more than ten minutes away from Villa d’Este, lies the enormous, and totally underrated UNESCO World Heritage site, the size of a small village, full of glorious gardens and the most amazing ruins you have ever seen. Villa Adriana needs a larger part of the day than what we spent there, but it was incredible nonetheless. Hours and hours can be spent getting lost in this ancient, mystical place.
Unfortunately the day ended way too quickly and we had to trudge back to the train station before we knew it. If we had stayed any longer, we would have been walking back to Rome! Back at the hotel, we washed up and got a bite to eat at the restaurant downstairs. They had delish pasta and limoncello to finish – Pop shotted his..
To re-iterate, if you are ever travelling to Rome, let alone Italy, Tivoli is worth the time, money and the effort. Tivoli is a wondrous place full of culture and heritage. Before this lesser-known place becomes discovered by the masses, I urge to spend the day here, getting lost in the peaceful, awe-filled sanctuary.