Private Rome Day Tour to Tivoli, Hadrian's Villa and Villa D'Este

Begin your private day tour with a personalized Rome hotel pick up. Your English-speaking guide will be waiting with a private car. Your journey to see Tivoli, Hadrian's Villa (Villa Adriana in Italian) and Villa D'Este begins with a 45 minute drive east to an archaeological park, set in a vast green area at the foot of beautiful green hills. Here, in the 2nd century AD, Emperor Hadrian decided to build his suburban Villa, and created the most sumptuous and sublime settings for his Imperial Court of about 15,000 people. The many palaces, lakes, temples, nimphaei, pools adorned with Greek statues and Egyptian beasts were dedicated to Antinoos, Hadrian's handsome lover who drowned in the Nile during one of the Emperor's voyages to the Greece he loved so deeply. A painstaking archaeological recovery has taken place over the last two centuries, yet you can still feel Hadrian and Antinoos' presence, Hadrian's aesthetic sense and his love for beauty.

Next, enjoy some free time for lunch (not included), before continuing the afternoon tour of Tivoli. Visit Villa d'Este, built for Cardinal Ippolito d'Este, Lucrezia Borgia's son. The Villa, which used to be a convent, was turned into a luxurious Villa d'Otium for the Cardinal who was governor of Tivoli. Built by Pirro Ligorio, it took most of the hill surrounding it and the town quarter underneath was destroyed to create the most beautiful fountains, well over 100 of which were meant to enact jets d'eau at the sound of the organs and music created by Palestrina. An incredible setting not be missed on your next trip to Rome! Emperor Hadrian would have approved.

This in-depth private tour is hosted by an English-speaking guide specializing in art history. Please list any special interests you have (art, architecture, history, culture) at time of booking to alert our guide, so that he or she can better prepare for your private tour.

Schedule Details Departs:

Daily

Unavailable Dates:

• January 01
• April 12 (Easter Sunday)
• May 01
• August 15
• December 24
• December 25 (Christmas Day)

Departure Point: Tour departs from your centrally located Rome hotel Departure Time: Departs at 9:00am. Please be ready at 8:50am. Return details: Tour returns to original point of departure in the late afternoon Hotel Pickup: Hotel pick-up is available from most central Rome City hotels. Please advise the name and address of your hotel at time of booking and call the operator 24 hours prior to reconfirm the details. If the operator is unable to collect you from your hotel, you will be advised of the nearest pick up point in that area.

Additional Information