Villa d'Este

Travel tips you can trust

Why
Villa d'Este
is special

Many consider the Villa d'Este in Tivoli to be Italy's finest Renaissance-era garden. Its terraced, shade-tree landscape is dotted with over 500 fountains.

The villa comprises
both gardens and palace

Which is better, the
gardens or palace?

Allocate nearly all your time exploring the gardens (the fresco-decorated palace pales by comparison).

Top 5 Villa d'Este
garden attractions

Must-sees:

Organ Fountain

Water creates musical notes as it gushes through special pipes.

Hundred Fountains

They line a long path.

Neptune Fountain

Beautifully designed and strategically located.

Oval Fountain

Produces a water-theatre performance.

Dragon Fountain

Jets a water column high into the air.

History in brief

Creation, decline
and restoration

Villa d'Este was built for Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este in the mid 1500s. It then slowly deteriorated through neglect and plundering. Restoration began in the 1800s and is all but completed today.

Location in Italy