Villa d’Este History and information for visitors
The Villa d’Este was commissioned and built by Cardinal Ippolito d’Este, son of Lucrezia Borgia and grandson of Pope Alexander VI. Pirro Ligorio spent 17 years designing the garden. Thomaso Chiruchi worked at Hydrolics and Claude Venard, a Burgundian and highly respected hydraulic organ maker, also worked on Villa d’Este’s most spectacular achievement: the Fountain of the Hydraulic Organ (Fontana dell’Organo Idraulico). The cardinal only wanted a villa and a garden worthy of “one of the richest ecclesiastics of the sixteenth century.” The garden, like many other forms of art, is designed to encourage exploration, stimulate imagination, and provoke surprise.
You can explore here for hours, but remember that there are elevation changes that can make it tiring to see it all.
Gardens and hydraulic works
The gardens of the Villa are a place that is not visited for flowers. People are mainly amazed at the clever application of Renaissance pipes in fountains and waterworks, and how they blend in with the landscape. There are about 500 fonts here. Many statues, some taken from nearby archaeological sites like Hadrian’s Villa, complete the picture. The gardens are the perfect illustration of Renaissance culture expressed in the countryside. For the rest of the Renaissance culture, as expressed in the city environment, you should plan a trip to Florence, of course.
How to get to Tivoli
The Villa d’Este is located in Piazza Trento, Viale delle Centro Fontane, in the Italian region of Lazio, right next to the town of Tivoli, 20 miles east of Rome on the S5 highway. A Renaissance gem, the villa is perhaps the best example of Mannerist residences in Europe. The Villa has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. Just beyond Tivoli is Hadrian’s Villa. A local bus connects the two main sites.
Most tourists do Villa d’Este and Villa Adriana as a day trip from Rome. By car, take the S5 from Rome to Tivoli. The Villa d’Este is on the west side of the city. If you are staying in Rome, the easiest way is to take a tour that combines the two destinations. Viator offers: Half day excursion to Adriano Villa and Villa d’Este from Rome (direct book).
Tivoli has a train station, which connects with Roma Tiburtina station. You can take a train on the Roma-Pescara line from Rome’s Tiburtina station to Tivoli. It takes about half an hour. You will then take a shuttle bus to the city center and Villa d’Este.
The blue COTRAL buses leave the terminal at the Ponte Mammolo stop in Rome on the metro line that meets in Tivoli every 15 minutes. It takes about an hour. There is a bus service from Tivoli’s main square to Hadrian’s Villa. (Hadrian’s Villa is not in Tivoli, but in the plain below, a bus ride away.)
Tourist office in Tivoli
The tourist office in Tivoli is located in Piazza Garibaldi, near the main bus stop and Villa d’Este. You may be able to collect maps and information even after closing.
