Tivoli Villa d’Este
Browse through our collection of Tivoli Villa d’Este Tickets and explore the various ticket options we provide for this 16th-century palace in this little town of Italy at discounted prices.
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Visitor's guide
Must-see highlights & key info
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Explore Villa d'Este, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its magnificent gardens and fountains with skip-the-line tickets for quick access.
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As you walk through the grand rooms of the 16th-century villa, don’t miss the striking portrayal of Hercules’ eight labors in the Hall of Hercules.
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If you're planning a visit in the morning, make sure to stop by the water organ, which uses water pressure and reeds to create delightful musical melodies.
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Elevate your experience with a multilingual audio guide, or skip-the-line access to Hadrian's villa home to the remains of Roman baths, spas, and theatres.
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Fun fact: There are over 500 water features in the villa’s gardens, including fountains, waterfalls, and ponds, all utilizing the natural flow of water from the nearby Aniene River.
More details
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Explore Villa d'Este, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its magnificent gardens and fountains with skip-the-line tickets for quick access.
-
As you walk through the grand rooms of the 16th-century villa, don’t miss the striking portrayal of Hercules’ eight labors in the Hall of Hercules.
-
If you're planning a visit in the morning, make sure to stop by the water organ, which uses water pressure and reeds to create delightful musical melodies.
-
Elevate your experience with a multilingual audio guide, or skip-the-line access to Hadrian's villa home to the remains of Roman baths, spas, and theatres.
-
Fun fact: There are over 500 water features in the villa’s gardens, including fountains, waterfalls, and ponds, all utilizing the natural flow of water from the nearby Aniene River.
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Unlock Tivoli's history with a 3-day pass that gives you access to Villa d'Este, Emperor Hadrian's villa, and the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor.
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As you stroll through the Villa d'Este's grand rooms, keep an eye out for the colorful frescoes that depict scenes from Roman mythology and history.
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Explore the remains of a Roman amphitheater and temple complex at the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor, one of the largest sanctuaries dedicated to Hercules.
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Skip the lines at Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa and discover ruins of spas, temples, and an artificial lake at Emperor Hadrian's 2nd-century retreat.
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Fun fact: You can take a walk through the Pecile at Hadrian’s Villa, which was once the emperor’s favorite spot for a peaceful stroll.
More details
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Unlock Tivoli's history with a 3-day pass that gives you access to Villa d'Este, Emperor Hadrian's villa, and the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor.
-
As you stroll through the Villa d'Este's grand rooms, keep an eye out for the colorful frescoes that depict scenes from Roman mythology and history.
-
Explore the remains of a Roman amphitheater and temple complex at the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor, one of the largest sanctuaries dedicated to Hercules.
-
Skip the lines at Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa and discover ruins of spas, temples, and an artificial lake at Emperor Hadrian's 2nd-century retreat.
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Fun fact: You can take a walk through the Pecile at Hadrian’s Villa, which was once the emperor’s favorite spot for a peaceful stroll.
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Bypass ticket lines and wander freely through the UNESCO-listed Villa d’Este, exploring its grand interiors and scenic exteriors at your leisure.
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Discover the history behind the Renaissance fountains and frescoes of this 16th-century villa with an audio guide available in five languages.
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Stroll along enchanting pathways adorned with nymphs, intricate ornaments, musical water features, and ancient Roman grottos.
More details
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Bypass ticket lines and wander freely through the UNESCO-listed Villa d’Este, exploring its grand interiors and scenic exteriors at your leisure.
-
Discover the history behind the Renaissance fountains and frescoes of this 16th-century villa with an audio guide available in five languages.
-
Stroll along enchanting pathways adorned with nymphs, intricate ornaments, musical water features, and ancient Roman grottos.
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Enjoy a quick one-hour tour of the UNESCO world heritage with expert guides and a small group of 10.
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See Ippolito II d'Este's vision come to life with Ovid's Metamorphoses painted wall tapestries, frescoes depicting mythology, and terraced gardens.
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View the 16th-century hydraulic engineering with gravity-powered fountains, waterfalls, and basins, showcasing Renaissance innovation.
More details
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Enjoy a quick one-hour tour of the UNESCO world heritage with expert guides and a small group of 10.
-
See Ippolito II d'Este's vision come to life with Ovid's Metamorphoses painted wall tapestries, frescoes depicting mythology, and terraced gardens.
-
View the 16th-century hydraulic engineering with gravity-powered fountains, waterfalls, and basins, showcasing Renaissance innovation.
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Leave behind Rome’s bustling streets and immerse yourself in Tivoli’s rich history and stunning natural scenery.
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Travel in comfort with air-conditioned, round-trip transfers, eliminating any hassle of navigation.
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Breeze past queues with skip-the-line access to two of Tivoli’s top sites — Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa.
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Marvel at Villa d'Este's magnificent fountains and gardens, then explore the ancient ruins of the 2nd-century Hadrian's Villa.
More details
-
Leave behind Rome’s bustling streets and immerse yourself in Tivoli’s rich history and stunning natural scenery.
-
Travel in comfort with air-conditioned, round-trip transfers, eliminating any hassle of navigation.
-
Breeze past queues with skip-the-line access to two of Tivoli’s top sites — Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa.
-
Marvel at Villa d'Este's magnificent fountains and gardens, then explore the ancient ruins of the 2nd-century Hadrian's Villa.
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Similar things to do in Tivoli
About Villa d’Este
Step into Villa d'Este's rich history and artistry in Tivoli, Italy. Marvel at Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este's Renaissance legacy—a treasure trove of gardens, fountains, and palaces crafted by architect Pirro Ligorio. Trace its transformation from a Benedictine convent to a cultural hub, once frequented by composer Franz Liszt. Book top-rated tickets now to relive centuries of ancient Italian luxury at Villa d'Este.
The villa's walls are decorated with cool paintings that trick your eyes! They change depending on where you stand, a neat artistic technique from the Renaissance.
Villa d'Este features a unique "water organ" (Fontana dell'Organo) that uses water pressure to create music through reeds. In the past, bellows even boosted the effect!
The name Hundred Fountains in the gardens refers to a long, channeled wall with numerous water spouts, but the actual number is closer to 500! It creates a captivating display of cascading water.
The Villa d'Este gardens hold a secret – the Grotto of Venus. This richly decorated grotto with sculptures and water features was a private retreat, offering a cool and captivating escape during the hot Italian summers.
Composer Franz Liszt resided in the top floor of the villa from 1865 until his passing in 1886. His stay inspired some of his compositions, adding a musical chapter to the villa's rich history.
Why visit Villa d’Este?
Highlights
Villa
Entrance to Villa d'Este is through a doorway on Piazza Trento, adjacent to the Church of Santa-Maria Maggiore. The main building is divided into 2 floors wherein the top floor is the living quarters of the self-indulgent d’Este. The lower floor opens up to an unending series of halls, each with its own religious or historical theme.
Courtyard
Today, the courtyard stands at the same place as the cloister of the original convent upon which Villa d'Este is built. Its most striking feature is the fountain of Venus by Raffaelo Sangallo, showcasing a remarkable statue of the sleeping Venus. The fountain is straddled by Doric columns and topped with a marble bust of the Roman emperor Constantine.
Salon
The salon offers uninterrupted views of the billowing garden below. The vaulted ceiling displays a frieze and a wide array of frescoes that were designed in 1568 by Livio Agresti. The walls, once brightly colored in gold and green shades and marked with eagles, which are the emblem of the d’Este family, which are sadly completely bare today.
Hall of Fountain
The spacious room boasts of a beautiful mosaic fountain and an alluring fresco showcasing a banquet of Gods, including Jupiter and the gods and goddesses of Olympus on the ceiling.
Upper Garden
Undoubtedly, the most rewarding part of visiting Villa d'Este is the upper garden and its breath-taking structures like the Fountain of the Bicchierone, Loggetta of the Cardinal, Loggia of Pandora, Grotto of Diana, and the Grotto of Aegle and Aesculapius. Although the statue of Aegle now rests in the Louvre and Aesculapius in the Vatican Museum.
Lower Garden
The lower garden underwent a massive renovation at the start of the 17th century and replaced its pergolas and pavilion with the famous Rotonda of the Cypresses. Along with the rustic fountains, another unmissable feature is the Fountain of Diana of Ephesus and its innumerable breasts that spout jets of water.
Oval Fountain
This fountain depicting the Tiburtine mountains and important rivers of Tivoli is an architectural masterpiece. The oval stone basin from which the water flows resembles an overflowing glass of champagne.
Hundred Fountains
A spectacular achievement of its time, the hundred fountains feature close to 300 spouts of varying designs along with three different levels where water flows from the uppermost level in descending order.
Fountain of Rometta
This visually stunning fountain is a miniature version of Rome replete with the statue of Rome Victorious, a boat with an obelisk mast, Apennine mountains, and a statue of Aniene, the river god.
Fountain of the Dragons
Its masterful design contains a central fountain shooting water high in the air and four minuscule dragon sculptures at its foot, jetting spouts of water from their mouths.
Fountain Of The Neptune
The idea for the cascading fountain came from Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the 1600s. Today, the imposing structure is supported by powerful water jets and three fish ponds.
Plan your visit
The gardens close at 7:30pm.
Closed on: Monday mornings, 1 January, 1 May, and 25 December
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