Villa d'Este; tour or explore on our own?

[misstravelbug]

Hi to you all,

I am up to the tweaking stage of our trip planning now and am wondering if the expense of a tour is "worth it"?

We travel with our children aged 11 and 8, they love exploring and travelling in general. We will be in Rome at the beginning of May this year and visiting Villa d'este is a must for me as I have never been.

What would you recommend?

Thanks

MTB x

 

[Penn251]

Villa D'Este is a place that is easy to explore on your own. It is easy to get to on public transportation as well. The fountains and gardens are stunning and really do not require a lot of explanation to enjoy. With an 11 and 8 year old, just exploring the various fountains and pathways will keep them entertained. Try to time your visit to see the water organ operating.

 

[misstravelbug]

Thanks Penn251, would you recommend taking a bus or train to Tivoli? They look just gorgeous!

 

[Alpinista]

Hadrian's Villa is also close-by and a nice place for kids to wander among the ruins. As above, the fountains and gardens at Villa D'Este are great.

 

[Penn251]

would you recommend taking a bus or train to Tivoli?

We took the bus. It has been a while, but my rememberance is that it took about an hour from Ponte Mammolo metro stop (took B line from Termini there). The bus drops you off in the center of Tivoli (just ask the bus driver to alert you) and it is a very short walk from there to Villa D'Este. I don't know anything about the train, so no opinion which is better. Perhaps someone else has better knowledge/advice.

 

[Rome Addict]

The train station is quite a distance from the gardens. Take metro as Penn says. The ticket for the bus is available at the coffee shop at the metro stop. Just go around saying billieti de autobus por Villa de Este and someone will point you in the right direction.

 

[Rome Addict]

Villa D'Este is a place that is easy to explore on your own. It is easy to get to on public transportation as well. The fountains and gardens are stunning and really do not require a lot of explanation to enjoy. With an 11 and 8 year old, just exploring the various fountains and pathways will keep them entertained. Try to time your visit to see the water organ operating.

To answer he second question. Unless the kids are interested in church and Renaissance history I would recommend you consider this a fun day. They can run around ( quietly) splash water, and enjoy themselves.