Tivoli has always been a bit of a retreat from the city, sitting in the countryside, perched on a hill catching the breeze. In classical times it was a retirement spot for wealthy Romans and during the Rennaissance became the playground of the moneyed classes. Our train headed east out of the city with tickets just costing just €3 each and an hour later we were in Tivoli.
Our B&B, Le Pietre Larghe was a short walk and very pretty with a courtyard and a romantic room.
We then headed straight out to Villa d’Este, once a convent then transformed in 1550 into a country villa for Cardinal Ippolito d’Este.
The villa itself contains a number of Mannerist frescos, but most people come for the gardens, which descend from the villa in a succession of terraces with some amazing fountains along the way.
Next morning, we started with Villa Gregoriana, which isn’t a villa at all, but landscaped gardens created when Pope Gregory XVI diverted the river to reduce flooding in 1831 and surprisingly free with our National Trust card! The path zigzagged down past a couple of stunning waterfalls, The Grand Cascade and the Bernini Waterfall, then climbed the other side with views of the Temple of Vesta.
We were going to get the bus out to Villa Adriana, but Antonio insisted on driving us there, which was incredibly kind. This was probably the most sumptuous villa in the Roman Empire, built in 135AD as a retirement home for the Emperor Hadrian. Having walked through Hadrian’s Wall (ha, ha) we reached the Pecile or huge pool.
The Canopus was another huge pool with a banqueting area, complete with statuary and a crocodile.
The site was huge, with lots of ruins, and it was really peaceful walking round, but unfortunately the splendid Teatro Marittimo, with an island within a circular pond surrounded by columns was closed for renovation.
There is always time for gelato and today Marianina’s won our custom … liquorice flavour was certainly a first for me!
Early evening and we went for an Aperol spritz and some cheese to nibble on before dinner at Vino Tinto, a small local restaurant serving rich Roman food. We ordered far too much – a pasta dish each, both with asparagus but one with tomatoes and the other with porcini and truffle then Chris followed with smoked cheese and porcini and I had pork with truffles and walnuts – we rolled home!
Tomorrow we catch the train back to Rome …
Off Travelling Together 