Yes, you’re not mistaken, it is really the concert of a fountain! It is magical to hear the sound of the water while you are walking around the gardens of a sixteenth century villa, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001.
This is my experice in a historical place, because certainly a palace that dates back to 1500 has a lot of stories to tell and everybody can live their own one.
When I visited Rome, a dear friend of mine told me to go to a beautiful place nearby called Villa D’Este; initially I didn’t think it would become one of my favourite places, neither I knew about its existence. He told to be ready at 9 in the morning because we needed to arrive before midday for simple reason: at midday the water of the main fountain of the villa activates a hydraulic system which produces a sound similar to real music. You’ll think you are in a dream! Now we know that the fountain sounds every two hours from 10:30, therefore you might decide to plan your visit .
So, I’d like to tell you more about the villa, that includes a palace and several gardens. Once you’ve entered, you will find an internal courtyard, which introduces you to the style of the Italian Renaissance. Inside the building, you will find incredible frescoes, therefore if you like the Renaissance art, you can’t miss this opportunity! Here, one can appreciate the history of the villa and the life in the Reinassance era. There are so many beautiful fountains in the gardens, each one more beautiful than the other, in particular the “one hundred fountains“, which surround a path near the gardens and will make you feel as if you’re in a film. Do not forget to see the grotto, decorated with beautiful mosaics! Be sure to be in the right place at the right time to listen to the Fountain of the Organ’s (Fontana dell’Organo) music: it is a show that you should not miss.
che affiancano un viale dei giardini ti fanno sentire come in un film.
This enchanting villa is in Tivoli, about 40 minutes far from Rome by car (highway A24, exit Tivoli). You can also reach it by bus and by train. Cotral buses from Rome to Tivoli leave from the stop “ Ponte Mammolo” of the underround B line. From there, it will take you about 40 minutes to arrive in Tivoli. I think that this is the simplest and fast route to go, if you don’t have a car. If you go by train, you need to take the B underground line from Termini to Roma Tiburtina and there take another train for Tivoli.
The ticket costs 8€, but if you are a small group you can book a guided visit in Italian for 90€ or in another language for 110€. The park is closed every Monday, the other days it stays opened from 8:30 am to 6:45 pm, depending on the season of the year. I suggest you to look at the website before going.
After visiting the park, I advise you to have a walk around Tivoli, a small village full of restaurants and trattorias, if you like the place and you’re not in rush to go back to Rome. You will find many accommodation facilities to spend the night in this magic place.
I’m sure that Villa D’Este will make you feel like in a film. You can take a lot of pictures: each corner of the villa or of the village will be the ideal set for your photographs! You will never forget the fountain’s beautiful concert, it will always remind you of the splendour that characterises Villa D’Este.
Copyright photos in the article: Berenice Albor Valdes
