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Tivoli | Palestrina

Tivoli is a five-star draw, its attractions being its two villas—an ancient one in which Hadrian reproduced the most beautiful monuments in the then-known world, and a Renaissance one, in which cardinal Ippolito d’Este put a river to work for his delight. Unfortunately, the road from Rome to Tivoli passes through miles of uninspiring industrial areas with chaotic traffic. Grit your teeth and persevere. It’ll be worth it. In the heart of this gritty shell lie two pearls that are rightly world famous. You’ll know you’re close to Tivoli when you see vast quarries of travertine marble and smell the sulfurous vapors of the little spa, Bagni di Tivoli. Both sites in Tivoli are outdoors and entail walking. With a car, you can continue your loop through the mountains east of Rome, taking in the ancient pagan sanctuary at Palestrina, spectacularly set on the slopes of Mount Ginestro.

Tivoli

36 km (22 miles) northeast of Rome.

Getting Here

Unless you have nerves of steel, it’s best not to drive to Tivoli. Hundreds of industries line the Via Tiburtina from Rome and bottleneck traffic is nearly constant. You can avoid some, but not all, of the congestion by taking the Roma–L’Aquila toll road. Luckily, there’s abundant public transport. Buses leave every 15 minutes from the Ponte Mammolo stop on the Metro A line. The ride takes an hour. Regional Trenitalia trains connect from both Termini and Tiburtina stations and will have you there in under an hour. Villa d’Este is in the town center, and a frequent bus service from Tivoli’s main square goes to Hadrian’s Villa.

Visitor Information

PIT (Punto Informativo Turistico) (Tivoli tourist office). | Piazzale Nazioni Unite | 00019 | 0774/313536 | www.comune.tivoli.rm.it | Tues.–Sun. 10–1 and 4–6.

Exploring Tivoli

In ancient times just about anybody who was anybody had a villa in Tivoli, including Crassius, Trajan, Hadrian, Horace, and Catullus. Tivoli fell into obscurity in the medieval era until the Renaissance, when popes and cardinals came back to the town and built villas showy enough to rival those of their extravagant predecessors.

Nowadays Tivoli is small but vibrant, with winding streets and views over the surrounding countryside, including the deep Aniene River gorge, which runs right through the center of town, and comes replete with a romantically sited bridge, cascading waterfalls, and two jewels of ancient Roman architecture that crown its cliffs—the round Temple of Vesta (or the Sybil—the prophetess credited with predicting the birth of Christ) and the ruins of the rectangular Temple of the hero-god Tibur, the mythical founder of the city. These can be picturesquely viewed across the gorge from the Villa Gregoriana park, named for Pope Gregory XVI, who saved Tivoli from chronic river damage by diverting the river through a tunnel, weakening its flow. An unexpected (but not unappreciated) side effect was the creation of the Grande Cascata (Grand Cascade), which shoots a huge jet of water into the valley below. The Villa Gregoriana is at Largo Sant’Angelo (from the Largo Garibaldi bus stop, follow Via Pacifici—it changes name six times—and veer left on Via Roma to the Largo). There’s a small admission charge to the park, in which it’s a sweaty, steep hike down to the river. You may prefer to head instead to the Antico Ristorante Sibilla, set right by the Temple of Vesta. From its dining terrace you can take in one of the most memorably romantic landscape views in Italy.

Villa Adriana (Hadrian’s Villa).
The astonishingly grand 2nd-century Villa Adriana, 6 km (4 miles) south of Tivoli, was an emperor’s theme park: an exclusive retreat below the ancient settlement of Tibur where the marvels of the classical world were reproduced for a ruler’s pleasure. Hadrian, who succeeded Trajan as emperor in AD 117, was a man of genius and intellectual curiosity, fascinated by the accomplishments of the Hellenistic world. From AD 125 to 134, architects, laborers, and artists worked on the villa, periodically spurred on by the emperor himself when he returned from another voyage full of ideas for even more daring constructions (he also gets credit for Rome’s Pantheon). After his death in AD 138 the fortunes of his villa declined as it was sacked by barbarians and Romans alike. Many of his statues and decorations ended up in the Vatican Museums, but the expansive ruins are nonetheless compelling. It’s not the single elements but the delightful effect of the whole that makes Hadrian’s Villa so great. Oleanders, pines, and cypresses growing among the ruins heighten the visual impact. To help you get your bearings, maps are issued free with the audio guides (€5). A visit here takes about two hours, more if you like to savor antiquity slowly. In summer visit early to take advantage of cool mornings. | Bivio di Villa Adriana off Via Tiburtina, 6 km (4 miles) southwest of Tivoli | 00019 | 0774/382733 reservations | €8 | Daily 9–1 hr before sunset.

Fodor’s Choice | Villa d’Este.
Created by Cardinal Ippolito d’Este in the 16th century, this villa in the center of Tivoli was the most amazing pleasure garden of its day: it still stuns visitors with its beauty. Este (1509–72), a devotee of the Renaissance celebration of human ingenuity over nature, was inspired by the excavation of Villa Adriana. He paid architect Pirro Ligorrio an astronomical sum to create a mythical garden with water as its artistic centerpiece. To console himself for his seesawing fortunes in the political intrigues of his time (he happened to be cousin to Pope Alexander VI), he had his builders tear down part of a Franciscan monastery to clear the site, then divert the Aniene River to water the garden and feed the fountains—and what fountains: big, small, noisy, quiet, rushing, running, and combining to create a late-Renaissance, proto–Busby Berkeley masterpiece in which sunlight, shade, water, gardens, and carved stone create an unforgettable experience. To this day, several hundred fountains cascade, shoot skyward, imitate birdsongs, and simulate rain. The musical Fontana dell’Organo has been restored to working order: the organ plays a watery tune every two hours from 10:30 to 6:30 (until 2:30 in winter). Romantics will love the night tour of the gardens and floodlit fountains, available on Friday and Saturday from July until September. Allow at least an hour for the visit, and bear in mind that there are a lot of stairs to climb. There’s also a café on the upper terrace leading from the palace entrance, where you can sit and admire the view. | Piazza Trento 1 | 00019 | 0774/312070 | www.villadestetivoli.info | €8 | Tues.–Sun. 8:30–1 hr before sunset.

Where to Eat and Stay in Tivoli

Fodor’s Choice | Antico Ristorante Sibilla.
$$$ | ITALIAN | This famed restaurant should be included among the most beautiful sights of Tivoli. Built in 1730 beside the circular Roman Temple of Vesta and the Sanctuary of the Sybil, the terrace garden has a spectacular view over the deep gorge of the Aniene River, with the thundering waters of the waterfall in the background. Marble plaques on the walls list the royals who have come here to dine over 2½ centuries. The food, wine, and service standards are all high, and in recent years there’s been more and more emphasis placed on seasonal produce and local dishes. Be sure to sample the speciality of the house—a lavish choice of antipasti served on individual triple-tiered trays that resemble old-fashioned cake stands. Dishes for the first course may include pappardelle made with spelt and dressed with garlic, olive oil and tiny “datterini” tomatoes. For the second course, local lamb; sucking pig; and a salad with ricotta, herbs, honey, and prunes may all make an appearance. The desserts are equally strong contenders for your attention. | Average cost: €50 | Via della Sibilla 50 | 00019 | 0774/335281 | www.ristorantesibilla.com.

Adriano.
$ | B&B/INN | At the entrance to Hadrian’s Villa, this small inn is a modest but comfortable place to overnight and a handy spot to have lunch before or after your trip around the ruins. The à la carte restaurant offers delicacies such as risotto ai fiori di zucchine (with zucchini flowers) or grilled porcini mushrooms in season, while the coffee shop offers a set lunch menu ($). There’s a garden for outdoor dining in summer. In a converted 19th-century mansion, the guest rooms tend to be small, with an overabundance of chintz drapes, but the view from the windows over the ruins of the Emperor Hadrian’s palatial residence is ample compensation. Pros: wonderful location; peaceful garden; attentive service. Cons: busloads of tourists disembark under the windows; restaurant can be crowded. | Rooms from: €120 | Largo Yourcenar 2, Via di Villa Adriana 194 | 00019 | 0774/382235 | www.hoteladriano.it | 10 rooms | Closed Mon. and from Nov–mid-Feb. | Breakfast.

Hotel Torre Sant’Angelo.
$ | HOTEL | This deluxe hotel 1 km (½ mile) outside Tivoli has a magnificent view of the old town, the Aniene Falls, and the Temple of the Sybil. For many centuries the building housed a monastery, which became the summer residence of the Massimo princes in 1700. A hotel since 1994, it has guest rooms with a Jacuzzi, minibar, air-conditioning, safe, and satellite TV. The elegant restaurant serves Italian and international cuisine. In the garden there’s a swimming pool, and there’s a golf course nearby. Pros: 21st-century comfort in a historic mansion house; highly competitive rates. Cons: isolated location two miles out of town. TripAdvisor: “beautiful location,” “not bad,” “classic Italian.” | Rooms from: €120 | Via Quintilio Varo | 00019 | 0774/332533 | www.hoteltorresangelo.it | 25 rooms, 10 suites | Breakfast.

Palestrina

27 km (17 miles) southeast of Tivoli, 37 km (23 miles) east of Rome.

Getting Here

COTRAL buses leave from the Anagnina terminal on Rome’s Metro A line and from the Tiburtina railway station. Alternatively, you can take a train to Zagarolo, where a COTRAL bus takes you on to Palestrina. The total trip takes 40 minutes. By car, take the A1 Autostrada del Sole to the San Cesareo exit and follow the signs to Palestrina. Expect it to take about an hour.

Visitor Information

Palestrina Tourism Office.
| Via Barberini 24 | 00036 | 06/9534019 | www.comune.palestrina.rm.it | Daily 10:30–noon and 3–6.

Exploring Palestrina

Except to students of ancient history and music lovers, Palestrina is surprisingly little known outside Italy. Its most famous native son, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, born here in 1525, is considered the master of counterpoint and polyphony. He composed 105 masses, as well as madrigals, Magnificats, and motets. But the town was celebrated long before the composer’s lifetime.

Ancient Praeneste (modern Palestrina) flourished much earlier than Rome. It was the site of the Temple of Fortuna Primigenia, which dates from the 2nd century BC. This was one of the largest, richest, most frequented temple complexes in all antiquity—people came from far and wide to consult its famous oracle. In modern times no one had any idea of the extent of the complex until World War II bombings exposed ancient foundations occupying huge artificial terraces stretching from the upper part of the town as far downhill as its central Duomo.

Palazzo Barberini.
Large arches and terraces scale the hillside up to the imposing Palazzo Barberini, which crowns a flight of steep, stone stairs. The palace was built in the 17th century along the semicircular lines of the original temple. It now contains the Museo Nazionale Archeologico di Palestrina, with material found on the site that dates from throughout the classical period. A well-labeled collection of Etruscan bronzes, pottery, and terra-cotta statuary as well as Roman artifacts must take second place to the main event, a first-century BC mosaic showing ancient Egyptian pleasure craft and African animals. This delightful, highly colorful and detailed work is worth the trip to Palestrina by itself. But there’s more: a model of the temple as it was in ancient times helps you appreciate the immensity of the original construction. | Piazza della Cortina 1 | 00036 | 06/9538100 | €5 | Museum: daily 9–7. Archaeological zone: daily 9–1 hr before sunset.

Where to Eat in Palestrina

Il Piscarello.
$$$ | ITALIAN | Tucked away at the bottom of a steep side road, this elegant restaurant comes as a bit of a surprise. The yellow damask table linen and the deep gold curtains give the spacious dining room a warm and sunny look. There’s a trim patio overlooking the garden for alfresco dining in good weather. Specialties on the menu include seafood and dishes anointed with black and white truffles. | Average cost: €50 | Via del Piscarello 2 | 00036 | 06/9574326 | www.ristoranteilpiscarello.it | Closed Mon.

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