# Tivoli

A day trip from Rome: the fountain gardens of Villa d'Este, Emperor Hadrian's villa and the waterfall of Villa Gregoriana.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/lazio/tivoli · Revisado: 2026-11-12

Tivoli is the day trip from Rome with the most heritage per kilometre: two World Heritage Sites, Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa, and a park with a 120-metre waterfall right in the old town. It lies about 30 km east of the capital, on the slope of the Tiburtini mountains, and you can reach it by car, bus or train in under an hour.

## What can you see in Tivoli in a day?

Three things, in this order if you're going by car or by the bus that passes along the Tiburtina.

Hadrian's Villa, in the morning. It's the residence Emperor Hadrian had built between AD 118 and 138, on the plain below Tivoli: palaces, baths, libraries, a pool surrounded by statues, the Canopus, and a round island ringed with water, the Maritime Theatre. You visit about 40 hectares. It opens at 8:30 and needs about three hours.

Villa d'Este, in the afternoon. The palace of a Renaissance cardinal and a terraced garden with hundreds of fountains that run without pumps, powered only by the fall of the water. Two hours.

Villa Gregoriana, if you have the legs left and it's the season. A trail that drops into the Aniene gorge to the great waterfall and climbs the other side to the temples of Vesta and the Sibyl. An hour and a half, with many steps.

With all three, the day is full. If you only have half a day, choose: Villa d'Este if you like gardens, Hadrian's Villa if you like the history of Rome.

## How do you get there from Rome?

By car, on the A24 motorway to the Tivoli exit or along Via Tiburtina: about 45 minutes from the centre, depending on traffic. Hadrian's Villa has parking next to the entrance. In Tivoli, park in the paid car parks in the centre and don't drive into the old town.

By bus, from Ponte Mammolo metro station, on line B, Cotral buses leave for Tivoli, about 50 minutes' journey. Those that go along Via Tiburtina stop at the Hadrian's Villa junction. Buy your ticket before boarding.

By train, regional trains leave Roma Tiburtina for Tivoli station, on the other side of the Aniene bridge, ten minutes' walk from the acropolis. For Hadrian's Villa the train is no use: you have to combine it with a local bus or a taxi.

From Spain, you fly to Rome Fiumicino or Ciampino. The usual thing is to sleep in Rome and come for the day; if you want to do the two villas without rushing, sleep one night in Tivoli.

## How much do the tickets cost?

Villa d'Este costs €15 and Hadrian's Villa has its own ticket. If you're going to see both, buy the VILLÆ Pass: €30, valid for 72 hours, with Villa d'Este, Hadrian's Villa and the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor. EU citizens aged 18 to 25 pay €2 per site and €4 for the pass. The three state sites are free on the first Sunday of every month, on 25 April, 2 June and 4 November; on those days there are many more people. Villa Gregoriana belongs to the FAI and is paid separately: €10, €3 for ages 6 to 18.

## What are the opening hours?

Hadrian's Villa opens every day at 8:30. Villa d'Este too, except on Mondays, when it opens at 14:00. In winter you can enter until 15:30 at Hadrian's Villa and until 16:00 at Villa d'Este; in summer, until 18:00 and 18:45. Villa Gregoriana closes from mid-December to mid-February and in November lets you in until 15:30. All three close on 25 December and 1 January.

## Where to eat and sleep?

In the centre, Li Somari serves Lazio trattoria cooking on Piazza Rivarola and has a Michelin Bib Gourmand; from Tuesday to Thursday it opens only in the evening. The Sibilla, next to the Temple of Vesta, is the classic terrace, at the exit of Villa Gregoriana. For sleeping, the Locanda Sibilla has five suites on the acropolis, and the Grand Hotel Duca d'Este, in Tivoli Terme, has a spa and free parking, 6 km from Hadrian's Villa.

## How does it fit into a trip to Rome?

It's the best excursion for a change of pace after two or three days of the Colosseum and the Vatican: hill air, gardens and water. It combines with Rome in the same week and, on another day, with Ostia Antica, on the other side of the city, or with Orvieto, by train towards the north.

## Dónde está
- Cerca: Subiaco (a 24.8 km), Castelli Romani (a 26.6 km), Rome (a 27.2 km), Calcata and the Treja Valley (a 42.8 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Villa d'Este and its fountain gardens** (2 h · All ages; many stairs · 15): What it is
The palace and garden that Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este had built in the mid-16th century at the top of Tivoli. The garden descends in terraces down the slope and everything works with water from the Aniene, without pumps: the Fontana dell'Organo, which sounds like an organ, the Ovato, the Hundred Fountains walk and the fish ponds. It has been a World Heritage Site since 2001. First you cross the rooms of the palace, with frescoes, and from the loggia you go down to the garden.
Hours and entry
Open every day; on Mondays, only from 14:00. Entry time changes with the month: in November, December and January you enter from 8:30 to 16:00 and must leave by 17:00; from May to August you enter until 18:45. The ticket costs €15 and €2 for EU citizens aged 18 to 25. It is free on the first Sunday of each month, on 25 April, 2 June and 4 November. The €30 VILLÆ Pass is valid for 72 hours for Villa d'Este, Hadrian's Villa and the Sanctuary of Hercules. Booking is optional, at midaticket.it.
Getting there
The entrance is in Piazza Trento, in the centre of Tivoli, ten minutes' walk from the bus stop at Largo Nazioni Unite. The exit is through another gate, in Piazza Campitelli.
- **Hadrian's Villa, the emperor's residence** (3 h · All ages; lots of walking in the sun): What it is
The villa that Emperor Hadrian had built between AD 118 and 138, at the foot of Tivoli. It once covered at least 120 hectares; today about 40 can be visited. It is a city of palaces, baths, libraries and gardens among olive trees and cypresses. What is remembered most is the Canopus, a long pool surrounded by columns and statues; the Maritime Theatre, a round island surrounded by water where the emperor retreated; the Poikile, with its great wall, and the Great Baths. In the museum are copies of the caryatids of the Erechtheion in Athens that adorned the Canopus.
Hours and entry
Open every day at 8:30. In November and December you enter until 15:30 and leave by 17:00; from April to September, until 18:00. Closed on 1 January and 25 December. Free on the first Sunday of the month. It has its own ticket, bought at the ticket office or at midaticket.it, and is also included in the €30 VILLÆ Pass, valid for 72 hours with Villa d'Este and the Sanctuary of Hercules. There is a bar, bookshop and audio guides.
Getting there
The entrance is at Largo Marguerite Yourcenar, on the plain below Tivoli, about 5 km from the centre. The Cotral buses that run from Rome to Tivoli along the Tiburtina stop at the Villa Adriana junction, a walk from the entrance. By car there is parking next to the entrance.
- **Villa Gregoriana Park and the great Aniene waterfall** (1 h 30 · From age 6, with good legs; not suitable for pushchairs · 10): What it is
A Romantic park inside the gorge of the Aniene river, below the centre of Tivoli. In 1832 Pope Gregory XVI diverted the river through a tunnel to put an end to the floods, and the waterfall that resulted, the Grande Cascata, drops about 120 metres. The path descends through the forest to the bottom of the valley, passes the Grotto of Neptune and the Grotto of the Sirens and climbs back up to the acropolis, where the temples of Vesta and the Sibyl are. It is run by the FAI.
Hours and entry
It opens from mid-February to mid-December, with hours that change by period: from 2 to 29 November, from 9:30 to 16:30, with last entry at 15:30; in summer, from 9:00 to 19:00. It costs €10, €3 for ages 6 to 18 and nothing up to 5. The family ticket, for two adults and two or more children aged 6 to 18, is €23. With a half-hour guided introduction, €14.
What you need to know
There is 82 metres of elevation change and many steps, some without a handrail, which are slippery in the rain. It is not for pushchairs or for those who walk with difficulty; the acropolis area does have step-free access. Only assistance dogs are admitted. You enter by Largo Sant'Angelo and leave next to the Temple of Vesta.
- **The acropolis of Tivoli: temples of Vesta and the Sibyl** (20 min · Everyone): At the top of the gorge, at the end of via della Sibilla, two Roman temples remain: a round one, with Corinthian columns, known as the Temple of Vesta, and a rectangular one, the Temple of the Sibyl. They were one of the most painted views of the Grand Tour, with the waterfall behind. From the street they can be seen free; from inside the Villa Gregoriana park or from the terrace of the Sibilla restaurant, which is right next to them, they look better.
- **Sanctuary of Hercules Victor** (1 h · Adults and teenagers): A great sacred complex of the 2nd century BC, at the entrance to Tivoli coming from Rome, with a theatre, the temple terraces and the via tecta, a stretch of the via Tiburtina that passed under the sanctuary like a tunnel. It has a small antiquarium. It opens every day from 9:00 (in November, entry until 16:00) and the average visit is an hour. It is part of the VILLÆ Pass and is free on the first Sunday of the month. There is little to see and it is appreciated: almost nobody comes this far.
- **Walk through the old town and the Rocca Pia** (1 h · Everyone): Between one villa and the other, walk the centre. The Rocca Pia, the four-towered castle that Pope Pius II built in the 15th century, is next to Piazza Garibaldi, at the exit of Villa d'Este. From there, along sloping streets, you reach Piazza Rivarola, the Gregorian bridge and the acropolis with the Temple of Vesta. It is the natural way from Villa d'Este to Villa Gregoriana, and along the route are most of the restaurants in the centre.
- **Terme di Roma – Acque Albule, the spa at Bagni di Tivoli** (3 h · Spa, adults; summer pools, all ages · Spa €45 (€50 on public holidays) · summer pools €17–22): What it is
Beneath Tivoli, on the plain of Bagni di Tivoli, are the Acque Albule, sulphurous waters that give the area its name. Today they are used by the Terme di Roma, a spa at kilometre 22.7 of the Via Tiburtina, about 20 minutes by car from the centre of Tivoli. The water comes out of the Regina and Colonnelle springs at 23.4 °C all year round: it is lukewarm, not hot, and smells of sulphur.
There are two ways to bathe, depending on the season:

The Le Vie del Benessere spa, indoors, open all year, with a covered thermal pool.
The outdoor pool park, large open-air thermal pools, only from June to September.

The spa, all year

Entry: €45 Monday to Friday; €50 on the eve of public holidays and on public holidays.
Treatment circuits: Drenante €75, Decontratturante €90, Idratante €115 and Termale €125. Always book them.
Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:00 to 17:00; Saturdays from 10:00 to 18:00 and Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 to 17:00, by reservation only. Closed on Tuesdays.
Christmas 2026–2027: closed on 9 and 29 December and on 4 January; on 25 December it is open from 10:00 to 19:00, and on 31 December and 1 January in two sessions, from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 18:30.

The website does not publish a minimum age or what to bring: ask on +39 0774 408500 or at info@termediroma.org if you are going with minors or need a swimming cap. Bring swimwear, flip-flops and a bathrobe just in case.
The summer pools
From June to September the pool park is open, every day from 9:30 to 18:00 if the weather allows. In 2026 entry cost €17 Monday to Friday and €22 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays; children under 1.20 m enter free with a paying adult. A sun lounger costs €6, a cabin €10 and a parasol €20, by reservation. The 2026 season has now ended: it reopens in June 2027, and the new rates have not yet been published.
Fitting it in with Tivoli
The baths are on the plain, on the way between Rome and Tivoli along the Via Tiburtina, about 4 km from Hadrian's Villa. In summer, a well-rounded day is Hadrian's Villa first thing, before the heat bites, and the pools in the afternoon. In winter, the spa makes a good finish after Villa d'Este and the old town. If you go at a weekend, book ahead.

## Dónde comer
- **Ristorante Sibilla** (Restaurant, Tivoli, €€€). Qué pedir: carciofi alla romana in season, agnello allo scottadito or the risotto alla pescatora, and the tiramisù
- **Li Somari** (Restaurant, Tivoli, €€). Qué pedir: a fresh house pasta and the roast chicken with potatoes to share

## Car-free: Without a car: bus or train from Rome
Tivoli works well without a car. The centre, Villa d'Este, the acropolis and Villa Gregoriana are all walkable. The only place that is far is Hadrian's Villa, 5 km away on the plain: the Cotral buses that come from Rome along the Tiburtina stop nearby, so it is best to visit it on the way out or the way back.
Presupuesto orientativo: 60–200 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Locanda Sibilla** (Small hotel): Five suites next to a temple
The Locanda Sibilla is at via della Sibilla, 40, at the tip of the acropolis of Tivoli, door to door with the Sibilla restaurant and the Temple of Vesta. It has five suites, each named after a traveller who passed through Tivoli: Chateaubriand, Goethe, Casanova, Armstrong and D'Annunzio. They are spacious rooms with wooden beams, antique furniture, velvets and bathrooms with a walk-in shower. Some have a sitting room and the Casanova has its own terrace facing the columns.
What it offers
Breakfast served on the terraces, a personal concierge 24 hours a day, pick-up in Rome or at the airports, restaurant bookings, private visits, in-room massages and babysitting. Pets are accepted. Arrival is from 15:00 to 21:00; if you arrive later, they charge €50 extra.
Who it is for
For a special night in Tivoli: you wake above the gorge, see Villa Gregoriana before anyone arrives and walk to Villa d'Este. Without a car it works well, because the whole centre is done on foot and they offer a transfer from Rome.
- **Grand Hotel Duca d'Este** (Spa hotel): A large hotel with a spa at the foot of Tivoli
The Duca d'Este is in Tivoli Terme, on the plain below the town, beside the via Tiburtina. It is a four-star with 180 rooms and suites, with a restaurant and bar, a conference centre and free parking, also for coaches, and a charging point for electric cars. Tivoli Terme station is about 800 metres away, and Rome's thermal baths, the Acque Albule, 400.
The spa
The Tibi Sensory Wellness & Spa covers more than 1,200 m²: pool with hydromassage, sensory bath, Finnish sauna, steam bath, Kneipp circuit and treatment rooms. They sell day tickets and overnight packages with spa.
Why sleep here
If you are going by car, it is the most practical: Hadrian's Villa is about 6 km away and Villa d'Este 9, without entering the centre of Tivoli looking for parking. Exit 13 of Rome's ring road is about 10 km away. After a day of ruins in the sun, the spa is welcome.
### Servicios
- **Cotral bus from Rome (Ponte Mammolo)**: Regional bus from Ponte Mammolo metro station (line B) to Tivoli, with a stop at Hadrian's Villa.
- **Regional train Roma Tiburtina – Tivoli**: Trenitalia regional train from Roma Tiburtina to Tivoli station, on the far side of the Aniene bridge.

## By plane: Fly to Rome, then train or bus to Tivoli
You reach Tivoli by flying to Rome: there are direct flights to Fiumicino from Madrid, Barcelona and many other Spanish cities, and to Ciampino from several. From Rome it is about 30 km: under an hour by car, around 50 minutes on the Cotral bus from Ponte Mammolo, or by regional train. The easiest option is to stay in Rome and come for the day, or spend a night here to see both villas without rushing.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Locanda Sibilla** (Small hotel): Five suites next to a temple
The Locanda Sibilla is at via della Sibilla, 40, at the tip of the acropolis of Tivoli, door to door with the Sibilla restaurant and the Temple of Vesta. It has five suites, each named after a traveller who passed through Tivoli: Chateaubriand, Goethe, Casanova, Armstrong and D'Annunzio. They are spacious rooms with wooden beams, antique furniture, velvets and bathrooms with a walk-in shower. Some have a sitting room and the Casanova has its own terrace facing the columns.
What it offers
Breakfast served on the terraces, a personal concierge 24 hours a day, pick-up in Rome or at the airports, restaurant bookings, private visits, in-room massages and babysitting. Pets are accepted. Arrival is from 15:00 to 21:00; if you arrive later, they charge €50 extra.
Who it is for
For a special night in Tivoli: you wake above the gorge, see Villa Gregoriana before anyone arrives and walk to Villa d'Este. Without a car it works well, because the whole centre is done on foot and they offer a transfer from Rome.
- **Grand Hotel Duca d'Este** (Spa hotel): A large hotel with a spa at the foot of Tivoli
The Duca d'Este is in Tivoli Terme, on the plain below the town, beside the via Tiburtina. It is a four-star with 180 rooms and suites, with a restaurant and bar, a conference centre and free parking, also for coaches, and a charging point for electric cars. Tivoli Terme station is about 800 metres away, and Rome's thermal baths, the Acque Albule, 400.
The spa
The Tibi Sensory Wellness & Spa covers more than 1,200 m²: pool with hydromassage, sensory bath, Finnish sauna, steam bath, Kneipp circuit and treatment rooms. They sell day tickets and overnight packages with spa.
Why sleep here
If you are going by car, it is the most practical: Hadrian's Villa is about 6 km away and Villa d'Este 9, without entering the centre of Tivoli looking for parking. Exit 13 of Rome's ring road is about 10 km away. After a day of ruins in the sun, the spa is welcome.
### Servicios
- **Cotral bus from Rome (Ponte Mammolo)**: Regional bus from Ponte Mammolo metro station (line B) to Tivoli, with a stop at Hadrian's Villa.
- **Regional train Roma Tiburtina – Tivoli**: Trenitalia regional train from Roma Tiburtina to Tivoli station, on the far side of the Aniene bridge.

## As a family: Fountains, ruins and a waterfall

Tivoli works with children if you alternate: the water of Villa d'Este, the open ruins of Hadrian's Villa, where they can run about, and the ravine of Villa Gregoriana. Two half days are better than one long one.

### What works best
The fountains of Villa d'Este: the Organ Fountain, the Hundred Fountains, the ponds

The Canopus and the Maritime Theatre at Hadrian's Villa, with lots of open space

Villa Gregoriana, from age 6: going down to the waterfall is a small adventure; family ticket €23

### Where to stay
Grand Hotel Duca d'Este, with parking and a spa

Locanda Sibilla, with babysitting on request

### Where to eat
Li Somari, with a children's menu for celebrations

Grand Hotel Duca d'Este, with a restaurant and bar

### Good to know
Villa d'Este and Villa Gregoriana have lots of stairs: a baby carrier is better than a pushchair

There is almost no shade at Hadrian's Villa; bring water and a hat

### Qué hacer as a family
- Villa d'Este and its fountain gardens
- Hadrian's Villa, the emperor's residence
- Villa Gregoriana Park and the great Aniene waterfall
- The acropolis of Tivoli: temples of Vesta and the Sibyl
- Walk through the old town and the Rocca Pia
- Terme di Roma – Acque Albule, the spa at Bagni di Tivoli

## With teenagers: An emperor's villa and a ravine

Teenagers get hooked on Hadrian's Villa if they arrive knowing who Hadrian was, and on Villa Gregoriana because it is a proper descent, with steps and grottoes.

### What works best
Hadrian's Villa: the Maritime Theatre, the Canopus and the baths, with the map in hand

Villa Gregoriana: an 82 m drop to the great waterfall

The Sanctuary of Hercules, almost empty, with its covered street

### Where to stay
Locanda Sibilla, in the centre, so they can get around on foot on their own

Grand Hotel Duca d'Este, with a spa

### Where to eat
Li Somari, fresh pasta and roast chicken

Sibilla, on the terrace next to the temple

### Good to know
EU citizens aged 18 to 25 pay €2 at Villa d'Este and €4 for the VILLÆ Pass

A day with both villas is tiring: leave Villa d'Este for the afternoon

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Villa d'Este and its fountain gardens
- Hadrian's Villa, the emperor's residence
- Villa Gregoriana Park and the great Aniene waterfall
- Sanctuary of Hercules Victor

## Consejos

### Hadrian's Villa first
It opens at 8:30 and has almost no shade: do it in the cool and leave Villa d'Este for the afternoon.

### Buy the VILLÆ Pass
With two villas it already pays for itself, and it's valid for 72 hours.

### Avoid Monday morning
Villa d'Este doesn't open until 14:00.

### Wear shoes with a grip
The steps at Villa d'Este and Villa Gregoriana are slippery with water.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### Can you see Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa in one day?
Yes. Hadrian's Villa in the morning, about three hours, and Villa d'Este in the afternoon, about two. Between the two there are 5 km: car, bus or taxi.

### How do I get from Rome to Tivoli without a car?
On metro line B to Ponte Mammolo and a Cotral bus, about 50 minutes, or by regional train from Roma Tiburtina.

### How much does the joint ticket cost?
The VILLÆ Pass costs €30 and is valid for 72 hours for Villa d'Este, Hadrian's Villa and the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor.

### Which day is free?
The first Sunday of every month, and also 25 April, 2 June and 4 November.

### Can you go with a pushchair?
To Hadrian's Villa, yes, with patience on the dirt paths. At Villa d'Este and Villa Gregoriana there are many steps: a baby carrier is better.

### Is Villa d'Este open on Mondays?
Yes, but only in the afternoon, from 14:00.