Neptune Fountain in Villa D'este, credit to Richard Mortel through Flickr.com
March and it is already spring here in Rome. Therefore people are willing to be in the greenery of parks and gardens. This reminds me about some of my loveliest clients Brian and Marina and their 3 kids which asked me to take them to a nice place outside of Rome. Here where I took them: Villa D'Este.
I think they considered this place one of the highlights of their trip to Italy and their kids loved it.
Villa D'Este was created by one of a kind man, the Cardinal Ippolito D'Este, son of that famous Lucretia Borgia daughter of the naughty Spanish Pope Alexander VI Borgia. The cardinal tried to become pope for 5 times in his life, without success. In 1550 he became governor of Tivoli a town just 45 miles from Rome and he moved into a convent connected with the church of St. Maria Maggiore. The new residence was inadequate to his high rank so he sent his architect Pirro Ligorio to study the place.
The result after 20 years was the Villa D'Este, a palace decorated by the best artists of that time: Livio Agresti, Cesare Nebbia and Girolamo Muziano and the astonishing Italian garden with 51 fountains, 398 gushes, 64 waterfalls.
I think they considered this place one of the highlights of their trip to Italy and their kids loved it.
Villa D'Este was created by one of a kind man, the Cardinal Ippolito D'Este, son of that famous Lucretia Borgia daughter of the naughty Spanish Pope Alexander VI Borgia. The cardinal tried to become pope for 5 times in his life, without success. In 1550 he became governor of Tivoli a town just 45 miles from Rome and he moved into a convent connected with the church of St. Maria Maggiore. The new residence was inadequate to his high rank so he sent his architect Pirro Ligorio to study the place.
The result after 20 years was the Villa D'Este, a palace decorated by the best artists of that time: Livio Agresti, Cesare Nebbia and Girolamo Muziano and the astonishing Italian garden with 51 fountains, 398 gushes, 64 waterfalls.
| To feed his fountains the cardinal created 3 branches from the aqueduct of the town, which uses the Aniene river water. An hydraulic machine of 500 litres of water per second which still works after centuries. The most amazing fountains are the Fountain of the Organ which produced music thanking to a subterranean hydraulic system which was recently restored. The Fountain of Ovato with a waterfall under which I used to walk when I was a child. |  Ovato Fountain in Villa D'este, credit to Neo_II, through Flickr.com |
 The 100 fountains in Villa D'este, credit to Riccardo Cuppini through Flickr.com | The one hundred fountains which show strange faces of animals. To end with the scenographical Fountain of Neptune the most photographed fountain of the villa, viewed from the great fishing ponds used once to provide the Cardinal with fresh fish. The interior of the villa is also a paradise for the art lovers and the decorations and grotesque were painted to delight the eye of the visitor. |
| The masters involved in the frescoes are the same that can be admired in the Gallery of Maps in the Vatican Museums. Every inch of the interiors are decorated with grotesque and in every corner the family symbol of the cardinal, the lilies and the eagle, can be found as well as the symbol of the grandfather of the cardinal, the bull Borgia. Practical information: You need to be very determined to arrive to Tivoli with public transportation as the train doesn't run too often to here. From the station you will need to walk a while to arrive to the villa. |  Interior decoration representing River Gods, in Villa D'este, credit to jnshaumeyer through Flickr.com |
If you take the bus, like I did many times, you need to be patient because you will find a crowded fauna of commuters. The villa is worth this labour of Hercules though.
With the bus: Reach Ponte Mammolo with the B line of the subway. Here you find the beginning of the buses. They go via highway or via Tiburtina street. It is only known by God if you will find less traffic on one or the other way.
With the bus: Reach Ponte Mammolo with the B line of the subway. Here you find the beginning of the buses. They go via highway or via Tiburtina street. It is only known by God if you will find less traffic on one or the other way.
The 'hidden ticket area' to purchase your 'Cotral' bus ticket is below the bus station, just at the subway station, near the bar. Grab your return tickets and wait for the 'Caron' bus. Trying to find an available seat will be a challenge. I would recommend moving after 10.
I did it several times and I was alone, so I'm sure you can make it!
If you wish to visit Hadrian Villa, there are buses leaving from the gardens at the entrance of the city near piazza Garibaldi. If you have to make a choice I would always go for the Villa D'Este, but this is a very personal choice.
If you need any further information, contact me through http://www.visitrome.guide
I did it several times and I was alone, so I'm sure you can make it!
If you wish to visit Hadrian Villa, there are buses leaving from the gardens at the entrance of the city near piazza Garibaldi. If you have to make a choice I would always go for the Villa D'Este, but this is a very personal choice.
If you need any further information, contact me through http://www.visitrome.guide
View from the top of the Neptune fountain towards the fishing ponds, Villa D'Este, credit to Neo_II through Flickr.com
