Villa d'Este

Tivoli is a small town on the slopes of the Apennines where the Aniene River meets the Roman plains. The numerous villas and temples were just temporary vacation homes for those coming from Roma. Tivoli remained a holiday spot for the Romans all the way until the Renaissance. Today it is a now a tourist attraction. The most lavish and notable villa in Tivoli is the Villa d’Este. It was originally built as the retirement home for Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este. It is full of elaborate statues, fountains, terraced gardens and pools. The Villa d’Este offers a beautiful example of the Renaissance lifestyle.

Villa Adriano

The Villa Adriano offers a much more authentic Roman taste. Built by the Emperor Hadrian, the villa is a representation of the entire area of the Roman Empire at the time. After his death the villa went to ruins. It wasn’t until the 15th Century that some of the estate was uncovered and in the 19th century the government commissioned the excavation of Tivoli. They revealed a magnificent estate that could have been the most expensive building project in antiquity.

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