Day trip to Tivoli: the emperor in the morning, the fountains in the afternoon.

Tivoli has two World Heritage sites 5 km apart, and this day joins them in the order that works best. In the morning, Hadrian's Villa, the emperor's palace-city, which opens at 8:30 and has almost no shade. After lunch, Villa d'Este, the Renaissance garden with hundreds of fountains, at the top of the town. From Rome it is about 45 minutes by car, or by metro and bus.

The day, hour by hour

7:45 · Leave Rome. By car, on the A24 motorway to the Tivoli exit, or along the Via Tiburtina. Without a car, metro line B to Ponte Mammolo and a blue Cotral bus, one of those that go along the Tiburtina, which stop at the Villa Adriana junction; the journey takes around 50 minutes.

8:45 · Hadrian's Villa. Buy the VILLÆ Pass, €30, valid for both villas and the Sanctuary of Hercules for 72 hours. Take the plan and go first to the Pecile, the great wall, then to the Maritime Theatre, the round island where Hadrian shut himself away, the Great Baths and, at the end, the Canopus, the pool surrounded by statues. Three hours without rushing.

12:30 · To Tivoli. The centre is 5 km away, uphill. By car, ten minutes; park in a paid car park outside the old town. Without a car, local bus or taxi.

13:00 · Lunch at Li Somari. On Piazza Rivarola, a Lazio trattoria with a Michelin Bib Gourmand: fresh pasta, roast chicken with potatoes, maritozzi. It is open for lunch on Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday; book on its website.

14:45 · Villa d'Este. Enter by Piazza Trento, cross the frescoed rooms of the palace and go down to the garden: the Fountain of the Organ, the Ovato Fountain, the Walk of the Hundred Fountains and the pools. In winter the last admission is at 16:00.

17:00 · Walk to the acropolis. You leave by Piazza Campitelli; in a quarter of an hour you reach, via the Rocca Pia and the centre, the Temple of Vesta above the ravine.

18:00 · Return. In Rome around seven.

What if it is a Monday or a Tuesday to Thursday?

On Monday Villa d'Este opens only in the afternoon, from 14:00, so the plan works just the same. But from Tuesday to Thursday Li Somari does not serve lunch: eat at the Sibilla, next to the Temple of Vesta, which is open Tuesday to Sunday.

With children

Hadrian's Villa has room to run around and they like the Canopus; Villa d'Este, for the fountains. The garden stairs are not for pushchairs: bring a baby carrier. If they have energy left, Villa Gregoriana, from age 6, with its descent to the waterfall, turns the final walk into a small adventure.