Bar and eating area of the Garden of Ninfa
What to order: something simple on leaving the visit; book if you want lunch
geocalia
Day itinerary · 41.57° N · 12.97° E
Day trip to Ninfa and Sermoneta: the garden among ruins and the castle of the Caetani.
Only on the days it opens: the Garden of Ninfa with a booked visit, lunch on the way out and, in the afternoon, the Caetani castle and the village of Sermoneta.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Roma fromBarcelona 1 h 45Alicante 2 h 15Bilbao 2 h 15Valencia 2 h 15Zaragoza 2 h 15Madrid 2 h 30Asturias 2 h 45Málaga 2 h 45Sevilla 2 h 45Fuerteventura 4 h 30
Part of Garden of Ninfa and Sermoneta
Add to my trip
Total time9 h
By car1 h 15 each way
BookingNinfa and castle, at giardinodininfa.eu
WalkingAbout 3 h
DifficultyEasy
Best timeApril – June · September – October
Best dayDays the garden is open
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Rome 1 h 15 by car
SS148 Pontina towards Latina; free parking at the garden
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1
Garden of Ninfa
Guided group visit in a reserved slot · 1 h · under-12s free
- 5 min on foot
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2
Pantanello Park, the wetland beside Ninfa
If it is open that day: the wetland beside the walls, with binoculars
- 5 min on foot
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3
Bar and eating area of the Garden of Ninfa
Bar with dining area at the exit · € · book by WhatsApp
Via Provinciale Ninfina, 68, 04012 Cisterna di Latina · +39 351 562 6270
Café €Book - 30 min by car9 km
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4
Caetani Castle in Sermoneta
One-hour guided visit · slot booked on the website
- Carry on on foot
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5
A walk through Sermoneta
Stroll round the village and viewpoints over the Pontine plain
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Back home
About an hour and a quarter to Rome
Approximate cost
About €10–20 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Garden of Ninfa
The Garden of Ninfa is one of the most coveted day trips from Rome and one of the hardest to fit in: it opens only on set days from March to November, and always with a booked guided visit. This plan is designed for one of those days: the garden in the morning, lunch on the way out and, in the afternoon, the castle of the Caetani and the village of Sermoneta, half an hour away.
First of all: booking
Check the calendar at giardinodininfa.eu and book the garden slot and the castle slot on the same day you fix the trip. The 2026 season has ended and the garden returns in spring 2027. Under-12s do not pay, there are visits in English at 10:30 and 15:30 and dogs are admitted on a short lead. Take a screenshot of the booking: in the garden there is no guaranteed signal.
The day, hour by hour
8:30 · Leave Rome. By the SS148 Pontina, about an hour and a quarter. Free parking at the garden entrance.
10:00 · Garden of Ninfa. Guided group visit, about an hour: the river, the bridges, the ruined churches covered with rose bushes. You cannot bring in food or leave the group.
11:15 · Pantanello. If it is open that day, the wetland beside the walls, with birds and a pond that reflects Ninfa.
13:00 · Lunch at the garden bar. At the end of the tour; book a table by phone or WhatsApp.
15:00 · Caetani Castle. Half an hour by road to Sermoneta. A one-hour guided visit through towers, walls and frescoed rooms.
16:15 · Sermoneta. A walk round the stone old town and the viewpoints over the Pontine plain as far as Circeo.
17:30 · Return. About an hour and a quarter to Rome.
Time1 h
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Ristorante Al Castello
What to order: something with fresh truffle, which the owners hunt themselves, and in winter the polenta
Molino 7Cento restaurant
What to order: whatever the season brings from the kitchen garden, with a wine and the house oil
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Garden of Ninfa and Sermoneta
Only on the days the Garden of Ninfa is open, set by the foundation from March to November; the 2026 season has ended. April and May are the rose-bush months. With the garden closed, the castle and Sermoneta open at weekends.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book both visits at once
The garden and the castle are bought on the same website.
- 2Choose April or May
It is when the rose bushes bloom.
We'd skip it
Going without a booking: the ticket office sells only if there are cancellations.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
When does the Garden of Ninfa open?
On set days from March to November, with a booking. The 2026 season has ended.
Can you get to Ninfa by train?
To Latina Scalo and then a taxi, about 10 minutes.
How long does the garden visit last?
About an hour, in a guided group.
What can you do if the garden is closed?
The castle of Sermoneta, the village and the walls of Norba.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/italy/lazio/garden-of-ninfa-sermoneta/itineraries/rome-ninfa-garden-sermoneta-day-trip
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.