Rome to Tivoli – the perfect Sunday trip
After I finished university, I lived and worked in Rome for a while. Naturally, I used every ounce of my free time to roam around the city and its surroundings. One of my favorite day trips was going from Rome to Tivoli.
Tivoli is home to an iconic villa with its famous gardens and fountains. No wonder parks and residential projects worldwide are named after it, trying to capitalize on its beauty.
See the real thing and go on a day trip to Tivoli.
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Rome to Tivoli day trip
How to get from Rome to Tivoli
The city is 30 km northeast of Rome, and we took a bus from Ponte Mammolo metro station, which also has a central bus stop. The trip took about 50 minutes, and it was interesting, to say the least.
Prepare for the worst (at least that is how it was some years ago): the smell, the oh-so-crowded bus, and the noise. But it’s all worth it once you get to the final destination.
Busses go every 10 min, and you can check the connections and timetables here.
Another option is to get to Tivoli by train.
Trains leave daily, almost every hour, from Roma Tiburtina station. The ride is between 45 minutes and 75 minutes, depending on the train type. Prices are very affordable, and you can book your ticket here.
The most comfortable option is to book an organized tour from Rome to Tivoli.
What did we do in Tivoli?
Tivoli is a nice small town, typically Italian, with narrow streets, small coffee shops, yummy street food, and even yummier ice cream. It is also a very old town; historical traces of settlement in the area date back to the 13th century BC.
Have a coffee at the Piazza
Our first stop was a coffee place in a Piazza because we needed a refill after the long (or at least so it seemed) trip. The place was packed with Italians who were out for a Sunday mid-day coffee and socialization.
I love how the Italians interact and are rigorous about their morning (after lunch, afternoon, and after dinner) coffee and aperitivo, as well as just getting out there and enjoying a conversation.
Villa D’Este
The next stop, and the most important one—basically the reason we were there—was La Villa D’Este and, even more so, its beautiful gardens.
Beautifully set on a hill, offering an overall view of the surroundings, the Villa dates back to the 1500s and was commissioned by the infamous Pope Alexander VI’s grandson. I guess the powers that be always got away with corruption.
The interior is now a museum, housing paintings, and exquisite frescos. From most of the rooms, the view down the main axis of the gardens and terraces is unbelievable.
Of course, there is also a small terrace where you can sit down, have a coffee, and take in the incredible view.
Once you start to descend into the gardens, you come to understand how amazing this place really is. It is full of trees, flowers, statues, and yes, fountains. There are several levels and many fountains, water splashing all around on this hill.
Cento Fontane (The Hundred Fountains)
I liked the Le Cento Fontane (The Hundred Fountains) most. The wall is filled with moss, and small fountains squirt water from one end to another.
Getting even lower, you come to the basis of the gardens, where you can discover several lovely fountains with sculptures and lakes just by walking around.
Return to Rome and enjoy Italian frozen yogurt
After spending many hours enjoying the Villa and its gardens, we returned to the city to indulge in real Italian frozen yogurt and see Rome at night.
This is what I would call a perfect Sunday! But if you prefer a longer trip during the weekend, check out my 2-day Amalfi Coast itinerary.