Villa d'Este

Tivoli


In the hilltop centre, the steeply terraced grounds of Villa d'Este are a superlative example of a Renaissance garden, complete with monumental fountains, tree-lined avenues and landscaped grottoes. The villa, originally a Benedictine convent, was converted into a luxury retreat by Lucrezia Borgia's son, Cardinal Ippolito d'Este, in the late 16th century and later provided inspiration for composer Franz Liszt, who wrote The Fountains of the Villa d'Este after spending time here between 1865 and 1886.

Before heading out to the gardens, take time to admire the villa's rich mannerist frescoes. Outside, the manicured park features water-spouting gargoyles and shady lanes flanked by lofty cypress trees and extravagant fountains, all powered by gravity alone. Look out for the Bernini-designed Fountain of the Organ, which uses water pressure to play music through a concealed organ, and the 130m-long Avenue of the Hundred Fountains.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Tivoli attractions

1. Rocca Pia

0.19 MILES

Dominating the centre of town, Tivoli's castle has been a local landmark since Pope Pio II had it built in the late 15th century. With its formidable…

2. Parco Villa Gregoriana

0.39 MILES

This scenic park, laid out by Pope Gregory XVI in 1834, cascades down a steep, thickly wooded gorge overlooked by a 2nd-century BC Roman temple. Paths…

3. Villa Adriana

1.81 MILES

The ruins of Hadrian's vast country estate, 5km outside of Tivoli proper, are quite magnificent, easily on a par with anything you'll see in Rome. Built…

5. Tusculum

12.16 MILES

The remnants of ancient Tusculum lie littered on a hilltop a few kilometres outside Frascati – you'll need a car to get to the site. The main ruins of…

6. Chiesa Dio Padre Misericordioso

12.21 MILES

If you're a contemporary architecture buff, it's well worth searching out this modern, minimalist church in the suburbs. A Richard Meier creation built…

7. Cattedrale di San Pietro

12.23 MILES

Frascati is a long way from Scotland but it's here, in the town's 16th-century cathedral, that the heart of Charles Edward Stuart, aka Bonnie Prince…

8. Scuderie Aldobrandini

12.35 MILES

The former stables of Villa Aldobrandini, restored by architect Massimiliano Fuksas, house Frascati's single museum of note, the Museo Tuscolano…