Located 20 km outside of Rome in the town of Tivoli are the ruins of Hadrian’s Villa. Once a retreat for the Roman emperor Hadrian in the early second century, this is one of the most spectacular archaeological sites that you will find in Italy. Despite the pillage and removal of much of the marble and statues over the last 1500 years, Hadrian’s Villa is still one of the most important examples of Roman building techniques and one of the best illustrations of every day life among the emperors of ancient Rome. After touring the grounds at Hadrian’s Villa, we will take a break for lunch at a local restaurant and sit nearby second century B.C. temples in the restaurant’s outdoor garden. The visit continues as we make our way to Villa d’Este, the 16th century residence of the Cardinal Ippolito d’Este. The Villa d’Este palace and garden is one of the most outstanding examples of the Roman 16th century style and includes a remarkable display of fountains and gardens commonly referred to as Italy’s “masterpiece garden”. This is the perfect way to spend the last couple of hours of this full day tour and dedicate some time to relax and enjoy the countryside of Rome.
