What to do · Tivoli
Villa d'Este and its fountain gardens
Information
- Price
- 15
- Duration
- 2 h
- Season
- All year; Mondays afternoon only
- Who it's for
- All ages; many stairs
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.
Tips
- Go in early In mid-morning the groups arrive from Rome and the garden stairs fill up.
- Shoes with a sole The garden is a succession of stone ramps and stairs that are slippery with water.
- Check the calendar Some days of the year the fountains are turned off for maintenance: Villae announces it on its website.
As a familyWith teenagers
