Villa d'Este

If you visit Rome, you should not miss this Renaissance villa in Tivoli. It was built in the second half of the 16th century by the Este family and it is a truly unique and remarkable place to visit. While the villa itself is definitely worth seeing, it is the gardens that are the most imposing feature of the complex. Both the villa and the gardens are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

There are 50 fountains in total in the villa gardens. Among the most impressive ones are the gigantic Fountain of Neptune, the Fountain of the Dragons (according to the legends it was built over one night), the Hundred Fountains or the Fountain of the Organ which plays music several times a day.

You should consider reserving the whole day (or at least half a day) for the trip to Tivoli. You can get there from Rome easily by bus (from Ponte Mammolo station) or by train (from Tiburtina Rome station). The journey takes about an hour.