Tivoli is an ancient hill town with villas, waterfalls, Roman ruins, and plenty of charm.

We spent a day in Tivoli on a trip from Rome, planning to see all three villas: Adriana, d'Este, and Gregoriana. Here's how it went.

During our first trip to Rome together, Lucie and I planned to take a few day trips, and Tivoli looked like one of the ideal spots to make that plan work. The only catch was that, even though it looked incredible, the town sat in the Tiburtine Hills, roughly 50 kilometers from the coast as the crow flies. And we both really wanted to see the sea. We had eight days in Rome, and we naively thought there would be room for both.

As the days went by and we still had plenty to see in the capital, we realized that the plan for multiple trips wasn't going to happen, and we'd only have time for one. We talked it through, weighing all the pros and cons before finally deciding, but when all was said and done, Tivoli won. Yes, we had to give up on the sea, but the promise of a place with not just one but two UNESCO sites was too tempting to miss.

One of Tivoli's two UNESCO sites is Villa d'Este.

Once home to Roman emperors and famous for its waterfalls, Renaissance villa, gorgeous scenery, and two UNESCO sites, Tivoli turned out to be our favorite day trip from Rome. The great thing was that most of its top sights were located close to each other, so we figured we might be able to see nearly everything Tivoli is known for in just one day.

The only concern came when Lucie pointed out that there were so many things to see and do in Tivoli that one day might not be enough. So we put some effort into planning, figuring out how to get there and which site to visit first, since both were closely connected. As a result, this Tivoli guide is as practical as possible, following our trip, the places we visited, how we got between them, and the useful tips we picked up along the way. Let's get into it!

Hadrian's Villa is the other UNESCO site.

Taking a Bus to Tivoli from Rome

After a quick search, we decided that taking a bus from Rome to Tivoli would be our best option. The other choices were the train or a tour. But since we planned to visit Hadrian's Villa first (to avoid the heat), which is outside the town, we'd have needed an extra bus between both places, and that just didn't make sense. We left this option open, though, for the return trip.

The Cotral bus to Tivoli leaves from Ponte Mammolo, a station on Metro Line B. At the time, we were staying at the Leonardo Hotel, about a 10-minute walk from Termini, our nearest B line stop. After a big breakfast, we headed out toward Rome's main train station. There, we hopped on Line B toward Rebibbia. It was a smooth morning ride in a nearly empty car, and after about 20 minutes, we arrived at Ponte Mammolo.

First, we took the metro from Termini to Ponte Mammolo.

Once we got off the train, we took the stairs on the left up to the first floor, where the departure platforms are located. It was time to buy the Cotral bus tickets, but that turned out to be a little trickier than getting metro tickets, since the ticket machine wasn't working properly. Or more precisely, it worked, but the option for a single ride ticket was grayed out. Eventually, one of the Cotral staff members sent us back down to the ground floor to buy the tickets from the tabacchi shop.

Back on the metro level, the tabacchi store was just around the corner on the right. We bought Cotral paper tickets between Rome and Tivoli for €2.20 each, and since we didn't want to think about it later, we also got return tickets. That wasn't all, because the clerk offered us tickets for the Cotral bus between Villa Adriana and Tivoli, so we grabbed those too. Then we went back upstairs to the first floor and caught the bus to Tivoli from platform 2.

We had two options for the Tivoli bus. The regular line ran every 15 minutes or so and went directly to the town center. The other line also went to the center but took a small detour that stopped near Villa Adriana. Even though the latter option was more convenient, we picked the regular one since waiting another 25 minutes didn't seem worth saving a short 10-minute walk.

At Ponte Mammolo, we switched to the Cotral bus that was leaving from Platform 2.

Once on board, we tried to validate our tickets, which we managed only with the help of the driver, who clearly didn't think our struggles with the machine were helping her morning schedule. There was a slot on top for our type of ticket, and when she pushed it in with more force than we did, it finally worked.

Anyway, the ride from Ponte Mammolo to Tivoli took about 40 minutes since traffic was pretty heavy that morning. We got off at the Via Tiburtina Via Serena stop and walked the 1.2 kilometers to Hadrian's Villa entrance. We think this is the best way to do it (seeing Hadrian's Villa first), though you could stay on the bus, which eventually reaches Tivoli's historic center near Villa d'Este or Villa Gregoriana.

Why We Didn't Take the Train from Rome to Tivoli

We also thought about taking a train from Rome since we heard the final stretch of the journey to Tivoli was very scenic, but I eventually found that this option had a few drawbacks for us. I checked and saw that there were trains to Tivoli from either Tiburtina or Termini station. From what I gathered on the Trenitalia website, most direct trains departed from Tiburtina, which we could only reach by metro. That was the first downside, or more precisely, it made no real difference compared to the bus.

There were also a few direct trains from Termini, but they ran only four times a day, starting at 9:00, which was when I had planned for us to already be exploring Hadrian's Villa. The main upside was that this train made the trip in under 40 minutes. Another option was to take a train from Termini to Tiburtina and transfer to the Tivoli-bound train, but the whole journey would take between 75 and 90 minutes. That wasn't exactly a time-saver either.

Later on, we saw the train from one of Tivoli's viewpoints.

The train from Tiburtina ran roughly once an hour, but again, there were some downsides. We'd have to take the metro on the B line to get there, and the train itself was slower than the bus, which was kind of odd. Another funny thing was that the fare was just €3, almost the same as the bus fare. But as mentioned earlier, the train didn't stop at Hadrian's Villa, which was too big of a drawback for us, even with the promise of scenic views.

So, in the end, we took the bus. For the return trip, though, we were a bit torn between the two options. In the end, we stuck with the bus for practical reasons. We chose it not only because it seemed faster at that point, but also because the train's main appeal, the scenic views, didn't feel as exciting anymore after spending the whole day surrounded by them at every site we visited.

Driving to Tivoli

We didnt really consider renting a car in Rome to drive to Tivoli, since all the sites were close together and the town was easy to reach by public transport. Still, it's a solid option, especially because it makes getting between the two main villas much simpler. We noticed a large parking lot next to Hadrian's Villa (not free, though), so that should be fine. Parking in Tivoli might be a bit harder, but both main lots in the historic center, Parcheggio Piazza Matteotti (Villa d'Este) and Parcheggio Piazza Massimo (Villa Gregoriana), looked quite spacious too (but also not free).

Since Tivoli restricts cars in the historic center, make sure to park outside.

Visiting Tivoli in Summer

Before diving into Tivoli's main attractions, I want to talk about the local climate first. We visited Tivoli at the beginning of September, which was still the summer season. After spending around six days in sweltering Rome, we had gotten somewhat used to the high temperatures. Well, at least mentally, since there was really no escaping those scorching streets. When I heard that Tivoli was nestled in the hills, I got excited that we might finally escape the heat and enjoy cooler weather. That turned out to be another naive idea.

On the day we went, the forecast for Rome was around 33 degrees Celsius, while Tivoli showed about 30 degrees. I checked the weather later that afternoon and saw it had climbed to 32. The point is, it was scorching in Tivoli too, which made sightseeing a bit tougher than we expected since we spent nearly the whole day outdoors. The upside was that the daylight hours were still long, giving us plenty of time to explore.

Even toward the end of summer, Tivoli was still quite hot.

Temperatures can get even higher here during a major heat wave (we narrowly missed one), but that's just summer in central Italy. Once summer ends, the weather turns much more pleasant in early fall, and again in late spring, making those two seasons the best times to visit Tivoli, at least weather-wise. Just keep in mind that winter in Tivoli and the Lazio region tends to be cooler than you might expect, so pack a few extra layers.

When it came to packing for Tivoli, we kept things light because we knew it would be a hot, sunny day. We took sunscreen, a hat, our trusty water bottle, and a small daypack for all of it. One thing we loved about Rome was how easy it was to find drinkable water, and Tivoli was no different. In both Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este, there were plenty of public fountains, so one bottle was all we needed since we could refill it anytime.

We filled our water bottles at this fountain in Villa d'Este.

Hadrian's Villa was where this mattered most since it's the biggest and most open site of all. Thankfully, we picked up a paper map at the entrance that marked every water fountain, so we just used it to find the closest one when we needed to. The other two sites were smaller, so staying hydrated there wasn't really an issue.

And here's one of the water taps we used while at Hadrian's Villa.

The last thing I want to mention about when to visit Tivoli is that I sound super positive throughout this post, often pointing out how quiet the sites were, which was one of the main reasons we loved it. But I imagine it gets very busy on weekends, given its proximity to Rome and the fact that it has two UNESCO sites. To us, Tivoli felt like the ultimate weekend getaway, so we planned our visit for a weekday to steer clear of the crowds.

I assumed Tivoli would be packed on weekends. I wasn't sure about weekdays, especially since Rome was full of tourists everywhere we went, from the Forum Romanum to St. Peter's Basilica. People, ourselves included, travel when the plans allow, after all. In the end, though, our plan paid off, and Tivoli was wonderfully peaceful during our visit.

Tivoli's Brief History

One of our favorite things to do in Tivoli was learning about its history, because understanding its past helped us better appreciate everything we were seeing around us. Believe it or not, Tivoli, originally called Tibur, is even older than Rome.

According to legend, it was founded by a Greek named Catillus the Arcadian and his three sons, Tiburtus, Coras, and Catillus, around the 13th century BCE. That's almost 500 years before Rome, which eventually conquered it in the 4th century BCE. The most significant event from ancient times, apart from its founding, came when Emperor Hadrian built his enormous villa here in the 2nd century CE.

Tivoli predates Rome by roughly five to six centuries.

After the fall of Rome, Tivoli's importance declined but was revived during the Renaissance. In 1550, Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este became Governor of Tivoli and started building the magnificent Villa d'Este, which once again put the town on the map.

Over the next few centuries, Tivoli held on to its image as a place of striking scenery and ancient wonders, making it an essential stop on the Grand Tour for artists and travelers during the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, the town is home to two UNESCO sites, a charming old center, and the same stunning landscapes we were about to explore.

Combo Ticket vs. Separate Tickets for Tivoli's Villas

Before continuing, I wanted to quickly talk about tickets, since all of Tivoli's main attractions required an entry fee. We planned to visit Villa Adriana, Villa d'Este, and Villa Gregoriana. For Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este, we bought a combo ticket for €30 that also included the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor, which we actually heard about for the first time from the clerk who sold us the tickets. Villa Gregoriana had its own separate ticket for €10 per person.

So altogether, we each spent €40 just on entry fees, which made it quite an expensive day. Still, this was one of the rare times when we felt the prices were totally worth it. The only thing we would do differently is skip the combo ticket, since we never made it to the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor. Buying separate tickets for the two villas would have made more sense.

At both UNESCO villas, we got tickets these useful paper brochures that included maps.

In that case, Villa Adriana would have cost €12 and Villa d'Este €15, totaling €27 and saving us €3 each. Not a big deal, but still, why pay extra? We bought the ticket on the spot, but it was also possible to book it in advance on the official site or through GYG. Both Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este tickets include an audio guide, which can be helpful if you want to explore on your own. Anyway, now that we had arrived in Tivoli, or at least what seemed like its outskirts, we were ready to start exploring. So let's get into it.

Our Favorite Things to Do in Tivoli

As we hinted earlier, there's a lot to see and do in Tivoli, but our plan was to focus on the main sights: the Roman ruins, the Renaissance villa, the park with caves and waterfalls, and of course, a walk through the historic town center. There was definitely more to explore, but with only one day in Tivoli, this already felt like an ambitious plan. And it really was. After all, the town is home to three villas.

Villa Adriana

Our first stop was Villa Adriana, known as Hadrian's Villa in English. I figured these Roman ruins would be pretty interesting, but this was one of those places that completely blew me away. I expected to see an emperor's residence and maybe a few other structures. But Hadrian's Villa turned out to be more like a complete city, with all the infrastructure and facilities of a real one.

Hadrian's Villa was huge, and we ended up spending more than three hours inside the complex.

The villa was built by Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century CE as both his residence and a seat of power, though it also served as a peaceful escape from Rome. It was created in a way that allowed him to govern from here, which he actually did quite often. Hadrian was one of Rome's greatest emperors, so it makes sense that this place was so impressive. His frequent travels across the empire also influenced the design, mixing Roman style with strong Greek and Egyptian touches.

The only minor issue was that I thought Hadrian's Villa opened at 9 AM, so we timed our arrival for then, just to realize it actually opened at 8:15. It didn't really cause any problems, but it would've been nice to have that extra 45 minutes to explore.

The Great Baths were one of the highlights of Hadrian's Villa.

At this point, we had seen tons of Roman ruins, so Hadrian's Villa didn't hold many surprises in that sense. I was especially eager to see the imperial palace, but honestly, time had worn it down, and its history turned out to be more interesting than the actual remains. The baths were spectacular, though. There were several of them scattered across the site, and they were easily some of the most impressive ones we'd seen after visiting the Baths of Caracalla and Diocletian in Rome.

There were also guest houses, libraries, private retreats such as the Maritime Theater, gardens, courtyards, and even underground passages, though those weren't really accessible. The site also had an Antiquarium with sculptures and other items uncovered during excavations, along with a small house featuring a model of how the complex looked during Hadrian’s rule.

The Maritime Theater was Hadrian's private retreat within the imperial palace.

We did a ton of walking and exploring here, and we recommend checking out our complete guide to Hadrian's Villa, which covers all the essentials. We ended up spending about three hours there, and if it hadn't been for the rising temperatures and our need to move on, we would've easily stayed another hour or two. What we loved most wasn't just the ruins but also the setting. The villa was built in such a beautiful location that it was easy to see why Hadrian spent as much time here as he could.

Once we finished exploring Hadrian's Villa, it was time to head to Tivoli's town center. The two sites are about 3 to 4 kilometers apart, and since it was scorching hot, we didn't feel like hiking for an hour, so we hopped on the local 4X CAT bus. We actually made a full guide about this trip, packed with useful tips on how to get from Hadrian's Villa to Villa d'Este, so be sure to check it out for more details.

This was the local bus that took us from Hadrian's Villa to Tivoli's historic center.

Villa d'Este

Once in Tivoli, we were ready to explore Villa d'Este. But first, we grabbed some pizza because we were starving and needed a short break from the sun and all the sightseeing. There was a small pizzeria right on Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi, just a stone's throw from where the bus dropped us off. It was super convenient since the entrance to Villa d'Este was only about 100 meters away.

One of my favorite things about our Tivoli trip was how different each site felt. After visiting the Roman ruins, the first impression of Villa d'Este couldn't have been more striking. Of course, a lot had changed in the 1,400 years separating the construction of both sites, but even so, this villa was nothing like the previous one.

Built in the 16th century for Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este, Villa d'Este is a true masterpiece of Renaissance architecture and garden design. We explored it on our own, visiting both the villa, which served as the cardinal's residence, and the gorgeous gardens. First, we went inside, where we found richly frescoed rooms spread across two elegant floors.

The palace rooms were adorned with stunning frescoes.

Walking through rooms like the Hall of the Fountain, the Tiburtine Rooms, or Ippolito's Bedchamber, we noticed that the frescoes were pretty much the main thing left to admire (apart from the stunning views from the windows), since the furniture was long gone. While the frescoes were beautiful, it was really the gardens that made Villa d'Este a must-see. And once again, they weren't quite what we expected.

The terraced gardens of Villa d'Este were set on a hillside and filled with fountains, grottoes, pools, and winding paths. On our recent trips to Paris and Bavaria, we saw plenty of gardens, but none quite like these. Unlike Versailles, for example, all the waterworks here were powered naturally by the flow of the Aniene River. No pumps, no electricity, just pure gravity doing the work.

The garden was the highlight of the entire Villa d'Este experience.

The gardens, like the villa itself, were smaller than we expected. But that worked in our favor because it meant we could explore everything without worrying about missing any beautiful fountains, as they were all close to each other. My favorite was the Oval Fountain, where we could walk behind the water curtain, while Lucie loved the promenade called the Hundred Fountains, which actually had 300 spouts.

The Neptune Fountain was simply stunning.

Then there was the Neptune Fountain, easily the most impressive one, along with the Water Organ, which played music using only its hydraulic mechanism (usually every two hours). But there was still more to see, so check out our detailed guide on Villa d'Este for all the essentials. After finishing here, we were ready to explore Tivoli's historic town center.

Tivoli Historic Center

From Villa d'Este, we made our way toward Villa Gregoriana, though not right away. We had some time to spare and felt like doing a bit of old-fashioned exploring without a map. So for the next couple of hours, we had nothing better to do than wander aimlessly through Tivoli's old town.

The historic part of Tivoli had tons of charm.

When we were finally ready to explore Tivoli's historic center, I already had a few images in my mind of how I thought this part of town would look. Above all, I expected it to be beautiful. And it really was. Though interestingly, not quite in the way I had imagined.

I pictured a classic hill town with a maze of narrow cobblestone streets, alleys, and stairways, filled with churches, squares, and traditional Italian architecture. I got that part right. But I also imagined it to be more "polished." Instead, the backstreets we stumbled through were slightly rough around the edges, and we absolutely loved that.

The best part was that there were almost no tourists around. Just us and the quiet streets of Tivoli, occasionally crossed by a local. One of our favorite moments came when we wandered back near Piazza del Plebiscito and realized that the town wasn't as sleepy as we'd thought. At least not on Via Trevo, one of Tivoli's main shopping streets, which we later followed on our way back to catch the bus to Rome. But before that, we still had to explore Villa Gregoriana.

No matter where we walked, Tivoli's town center was stunning.

Now, as for what we actually saw in Tivoli's historic center, besides Villa d'Este and Villa Gregoriana, which are part of it, we visited two churches. The first was the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, right next to Villa d'Este, and the second was the Basilica of San Lorenzo. In Villa Gregoriana, we also saw the Temples of Vesta and the Sibyl, two small ancient temple ruins built around 2,000 years ago as part of the old acropolis overlooking the Tivoli valley.

Rocca Pia is a 15th-century fortress right in the heart of Tivoli, though it's more interesting from the outside than the inside.

There were also a few smaller but interesting landmarks, such as Rocca Pia (which we actually noticed right after getting off the bus earlier), Casa Gotica, Mensa Ponderaria, and Tivoli's City Museum. We only saw them from the outside, though. Still, as I mentioned earlier, our favorite thing to do in Tivoli's old town was simply to wander without any particular goal.

In total, we spent about two hours wandering through Tivoli's medieval streets, which was more than we'd planned. The old town wasn't huge, but there was always another charming corner or narrow alley to discover, and we couldn't help exploring them all. We took our time, soaked in the atmosphere, and took way too many photos.

Beyond the main tourist street, Tivoli felt quite quiet.

Villa Gregoriana

Next on our list was Villa Gregoriana, a beautiful park dating back to the early 1800s when the River Aniene was redirected to prevent the floods that had plagued Tivoli for centuries. The park, filled with waterfalls and grottos, spreads across the steep slopes below the old town. It was neglected for years, but today it's beautifully restored and open to the public.

The funny thing about our visit to Villa Gregoriana was that we actually decided to skip it the first time we reached the entrance. Neither of us knew much about it, and I honestly thought it was just a regular public park. Well, it was open to everyone, but for €10, which at first seemed like too much just to see a couple of waterfalls, or so I thought.

Our curiosity eventually got the better of us, so we reluctantly paid the entrance fee and set off on our last Tivoli adventure. I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical at first, wondering if it might just be another overpriced tourist spot. While I still think the ticket could cost a few euros less, I have to say that Villa Gregoriana turned out to be absolutely beautiful.

We had no idea we would find such beautiful waterfalls in Tivoli.

Unlike the other villas, Villa Gregoriana was all about nature. It did have a couple of ancient temples, the Temple of Vesta and the Temple of Sibyl (or what remains of them), but they weren't the main attraction, especially since they're located near the entrance and can even be seen for free. The real highlight was the natural scenery. But before that, a quick word about its history, as it really helps to understand what Gregoriana is.

The park was built around a steep natural gorge known as the Valley of Hell, carved by the Aniene River. The river had caused floods in Tivoli for centuries, so in the 19th century, engineers built the Gregorian Tunnels beneath the town to redirect its flow. This project led to the creation of the 120-meter-high Grand Cascade, where most of the river now flows. The rest still winds through the original gorge.

At 120 meters, the Grand Cascade is Tivoli's tallest waterfall.

Surprisingly, the tallest waterfall in the park, while impressive, wasn't what amazed us most. It was the entire gorge itself, the dramatic views from the zigzagging trail, the grottos carved by the Aniene River, and the smaller waterfalls scattered throughout.

Once inside, we learned that the main trail of Villa Gregoriana was designed as a one-way hike. It began with a winding descent from the top of the valley down to the bottom, about 90 meters below, before climbing back up to town. The path was well-maintained and offered incredible views of waterfalls and the gorge beneath Tivoli.

This is the view from the Cave of the Sirens, the lowest point of Villa Gregoriana.

We did have a few chances to take alternate paths, but with limited time, we decided to just stick to the main route to finish before closing. Technically, it wasn't a true one-way trail, as we could always turn around and walk back if we wanted.

While the waterfalls in Villa Gregoriana were absolutely stunning, our favorite spots were the Cave of Sirens and Neptune's Cave. These natural caves were carved by the original, much stronger flow of the Aniene River, which surfaces through Neptune's Cave only to disappear again into the Cave of Sirens a few hundred meters downstream. The best part was that we could actually see this spectacle with our own eyes since parts of the caves were open to visitors. We created a comprehensive guide to Villa Gregoriana that covers everything you need for your visit, so be sure to check it out.

The paths at Villa Gregoriana were amazing too.

After climbing the zigzagging path that led us back up to town, it was time to say goodbye to Tivoli. We had seen everything we wanted, and as the sun slowly began to set, we walked once more through the historic center to Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi to catch the bus back to Rome.

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Sanctuary of Hercules Victor

There was really just one more place in Tivoli that we considered visiting, the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor. We actually learned about it the very morning we arrived while buying the combo ticket, which included this site. Our biggest challenge was time, as we tried to squeeze it into our day, but there just wasn't any room left.

The funny thing was that while we were in Villa d'Este, the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor was right in front of us. When we reached the lowest part of the gardens, it was practically within reach across the road. But there was no easy way to get there. To visit, we would have had to walk all the way around the site, a 10 to 15-minute walk one way, plus at least an hour just for the actual visit.

There was no quick access from Villa d'Este to the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor.

So what exactly was the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor? This former temple complex was built in the 2nd century BCE for both religious and economic purposes. It was dedicated to Hercules, who served as a civic protector and patron of commerce. The site wasn't just the temple with surrounding porticoes. It also included a theater built into the hillside, a crucial underground street called Via Tecta, and even a commercial center. Back then, it was one of the largest Republican-era sanctuaries in the Roman Empire, especially in the Latium region.

Sadly, we only got to see the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor from outside.

The post-Roman history of the sanctuary was rough. Parts of it were scavenged for building materials for Villa d'Este, similar to what happened at Hadrian's Villa. Since the 16th century, the site had also housed various industrial operations, taking advantage of the nearby Aniene River. It functioned at different times as a foundry, a nail and screw factory, a paper mill, and finally a hydroelectric power station.

I have a feeling that many day-trippers to Tivoli will face the same problem we did. And I'm not sure how many overnight visitors make it here either, since the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor just isn't as exciting as the two main UNESCO sites, especially for those with limited time. Still, if you do visit, chances are you might have the place nearly to yourself. For anyone who likes venturing off the beaten path, it could be a really enjoyable spot.

Is One Day Enough for Tivoli?

There really was a lot to see in Tivoli, but we think one day is enough, at least if you have a solid plan like we did. We knew that if we wanted to visit all three villas, we needed a clear order to see them. That's why we took the bus, which runs frequently between Rome and Tivoli, and why we stopped at Hadrian's Villa first. Once in Tivoli, it was easier to plan the rest since both remaining villas were just a 10-minute walk from each other, with the historic center in between.

We managed to see all three villas in Tivoli, but it was a long day.

The good thing was that Villa Gregoriana and Villa d'Este were on the smaller side, which meant we spent about two hours at each site (a little more at d'Este and a little less at Gregoriana). Hadrian's Villa, however, was much larger, so it took us over three hours to explore, and we probably would have stayed longer if it hadn't been for the rising heat.

Of course, if you're short on time but still want to see Villa d'Este and Villa Adriana, you can always join a guided tour from Rome to Tivoli. These tours are ideal since they go straight to the main attractions, which in this case are both villas. While we had no trouble exploring on our own, a guide would have made things smoother.

We could easily spend hours exploring the old town.

When I said this would be a practical guide, I meant it. So here's some simple math. We spent two hours in each smaller villa and three in the larger one, giving us seven hours just for the villas. Traveling between them took about 20 minutes (a 10-minute bus ride and a 10-minute walk), and another 20-30 minutes was spent in a local pizzeria for food. The historic center was compact, but we still spent about two hours wandering around.

Our day in Tivoli started around 9 AM and ended near sunset, around 7 PM. By my calculation, we spent about 10 hours in total, which makes for a full day, especially considering the hour it took to get there and the hour back to Rome.

For a slower pace, two days in Tivoli should be about right.

On paper, it might seem like too much, and honestly, we weren't sure we could pull it off. But after visiting both main villas and the historic town, there was really no reason to skip the third one. Even though it was a packed day and we were pretty tired at the end, our pace was fairly relaxed the whole time.

The only thing we sort of missed was the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor, but that was only because our combo ticket included it, and time didn't allow a visit. Otherwise, we saw everything we wanted, which is why we think one full day is enough for Tivoli if you start early and finish late.

Places to Stay in Tivoli

After a full day in Tivoli, we kind of wished we could stay overnight. The historic center was as charming as these old Italian town areas can be, and the idea of wandering its cute streets was very tempting. We even checked out a few hotels just to see what Tivoli offered, and some of them looked really great.

The historic center is by far the best place to stay in Tivoli.

Like I said before, there were several reasons to spend more time in Tivoli, and if our trip had been different, we surely would have. From all the places we looked at, Palazzo Santori and Al Palazzetto were probably the best hotels in the historic center. Since this area is beautiful and close to two of the three villas, it's also easily the best area to stay in Tivoli.

We also looked at Villa Adriana Hotel and Hotel Cristallo Relais, both about a 15-minute walk from Hadrian's Villa. We'd keep them as backups if the hotels in the historic center were full. On the bus from Rome, we also passed Tivoli Terme, a wellness suburb with hotels like Victoria Terme Hotel. Since it's a few kilometers from the historic center, we'd only consider it if you want a spa experience along with your stay.

The nearby Tivoli Terme even has wellness hotels.

Taking a Bus Back to Rome

Earlier, I mentioned that we left the decision on how to get back to Rome open. And while we were tempted to take the train just out of curiosity, we decided there was no real reason to make the return trip more complicated than necessary and chose the bus again.

The trip back was smooth and uneventful since the bus followed the main highway, but the ticket validation gave us the usual bit of trouble. We boarded through the front door, where the validator was right in front of us, but no matter what we tried, it wouldn't work. Even the driver gave it a shot, but it still didn't go through.

Here's the Cotral bus that took us from Tivoli's town center back to Rome.

Because this was a regular service and delays weren't really an option, the driver just waved us off and told us to move along since more people were boarding. A small group of tourists behind us ran into the same problem, but the driver didn't even bother trying and just quickly gestured for them to go ahead. Once we got back to Ponte Mammolo, we hopped on the metro to Termini Station, right where our day had begun.

Is Tivoli Worth Visiting?

During the ride back, we finally had time to reflect on everything we'd seen in Tivoli, and since there was a lot to talk about, we spent the whole journey chatting about it. We were exhausted but full of fresh impressions. One thing was clear. Tivoli surprised us, and definitely in the best possible way.

Tivoli was just stunning, and all three villas were fascinating and wonderfully different. But since the town had not one but two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, we were kind of expecting that. What we didn't expect was the overall laid-back vibe of the whole place. I actually thought Tivoli would be packed with tourists, which seemed like a reasonable assumption after spending six days visiting Rome's top attractions, like the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums, both crowded with people.

If you have some spare time in Rome, make sure to visit Tivoli.

Tivoli felt refreshingly different in that sense. I honestly can't recall another time we visited such a beautiful place with UNESCO status and so few visitors. It was almost quiet enough to feel unreal, but in the best way possible. Maybe it was just because we came on a weekday, but either way, we were really happy it worked out that way. And to answer your question, yes, Tivoli is definitely worth seeing. The trip from Rome was super easy, and there was so much to explore.

Travel Resources

Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.

Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.

Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.

We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.

Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.

Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.

Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.

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How We Visited Tivoli on a Day Trip from Rome