The Two Non-Negotiable-Must-Dos in Tivoli — And Why You Should Stay For More Than A Day

Just once before in my life have I walked around, just in complete awe of everything I could see around me - and that was in New York City. Honestly, I didn't expect that to happen anywhere else in the world, but as it turns out – it happened on our very first stop in Italy. Needless to say, the contrast between Tivoli: a charming, little hillside town – and New York: The Great City, The Big Apple – is, in lack of a better word, insane.

While New York is famous for literally never going to sleep, I can assure you that Tivoli does. As a matter of fact, if you're here in the off-season, on a weekday, it will be dead quiet by 10 pm (unless you venture into a restaurant, of course, then you will find the locals having their dinner at the most ridiculous hour).

But, I digress. 

Walking around Tivoli gave me kind of the same feeling as walking around Manhattan for the very first time – but instead of massive buildings and an impressive skyline, there are tiny alleyways and buildings so cute that you could cry. 

While I've admittedly never been here in the summer months, when it's at its busiest, I've seen photos and videos of the place packed with tourists. If you have the possibility to do so, I would definitely recommend visiting during the off-season. Not only are crowds nonexistent, but temperatures are also really nice. We have gotten more than one surprised look from a local, especially the ones who learn we are here for an entire week.

We spent the first day just walking around the old town of Tivoli, and basically took photos of (what felt like) every single street and building. Our Airbnb is located in the heart of a town that looks like it's taken straight out of a really, really old architectural magazine. If this is what we have waiting for us as we travel around Italy, I don't think I'll ever want to leave. 

Tivoli is a popular day trip for those who visit Rome. I definitely think it's worth it spending more than just a day here, as you can't possibly see everything worth seeing in that limited amount of hours. 

This includes, but it absolutely not limited to, Villa Gregoriana and Villa d'Este.

Villa Gregoriana: 

We had no expectations on our way to see Villa Gregoriana, we weren't even a hundred percent sure what it was. It was the owner of a restaurant we had been to the night before who told us about the place, but all he said was that it included waterfalls and great views. “Great”, we thought, as we had seen photos of the famous waterfalls before coming to Tivoli. We paid 10 euros each to get in, and as soon as we stepped out into the park, we were blown away.

Villa Gregoriana is a valley, basically, and you follow a track all the way down, before you climb back up on the other side. Along the way, you face breathtaking views, fascinating historic sites, caves, some really picturesque waterfalls, not to mention ancient ruins dating back more than two thousand years.

The route is around 3 kilometres long, depending on how many detours you take, and has a height difference of 160 metres. It's not too challenging, but the climb is quite steep, so remember to bring good shoes and a water bottle (especially in summer).

It's well worth spending a few hours in Villa Gregoriana. We truly couldn't stop raving about how beautiful it was as we were making our way down, and it really just kept getting more picturesque and instagrammable the closer to the waterfalls we got. The best view, however, is the one you have to the Tempio di Vesta. The walking route ends at the Roman temple, where you get to see it up close, but we found that it was actually cooler from a distance, as it was the only way to take it all in.

Villa d'Este:

The previously mentioned restaurant owner, who suggested we check out Villa Gregoriana, also informed us that most people who come to Tivoli, only see Villa d'Este. He definitely preferred the first over the latter, so he wasn't too happy about it. However, there is a reason Villa d'Este is so popular, and why it's listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We knew that we were going to find a beautiful garden on the other side of the gate, but the building itself is such a masterpiece. You can truly feel the history as soon as you step inside the villa that was commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este in the 16th century. Also, you'll most definitely strain your neck, as the ceilings are probably the most impressive part (along with the view).

Once you finish the roof safari, it's time to step out into the gardens. If you weren't blown away already, I guarantee you will be now. Just the thought of this d'Este guy, lounging around in his apartment, and then going for a stroll in the gardens – almost 500 years ago… Wild. When you see it all, it also makes total sense that it took about 20 years to finish.

There really aren't words to describe the beauty of the garden and all its fountains and spectacular features, so if you haven't already, you really should see it for yourself. In the meantime, here are some photos that will hopefully do it some justice.

These are just a few of the many reasons you should plan a visit to Tivoli — and why you should stay for more than just the day. Speaking as a person who has never had a particular interest in history, this town will fascinate and amaze you — and you will probably end up wanting to know more about it. If not, its beauty is enough to enchant pretty much anyone.