Tivoli Attractions

The town of Tivoli, the ancient Tibur, lies 30km/19mi east of Rome in the Sabine Hills, magnificently situated on a limestone ridge extending south from Monte Gennaro (1,271m/4,194ft; cableway), above the ravine carved by the River Aniene. In Roman Imperial times it was a favorite resort of the great Roman nobles, including Maecenas and the Emperor Augustus himself.

Read More Villa of Hadrian

Tivoli Villa of Hadrian is a picturesque archaeological site. Spread out over 0.75 square kilometers, the ruins date from 138 AD. The pillared courtyard, nymphaeum, and baths, are important discoveries.

Temple of Vesta

Going east from the cathedral in Tivoli along Via San Valerio to the Piazza Rivarola and turning left along the Via della Sibilla, we come to the Temple of Vesta (Tempio di Vesta), a circular structure with Corinthian columns (second century B.C.) which stands on a crag in the grounds of a hotel. Close by is the so-called Temple of Sibyl (Tempio di Sibilla) and also the exit from the park of the Villa Gregoriana.

Via delle Cascatelle

From the entrance to the Villa Gregoriana the Via Quintilio Varo runs around the outside of the park and then along the right bank of the Aniene, past an arch in honor of the Virgin erected in 1955, to the Via delle Cascatelle, which affords beautiful views of the waterfalls and the town, particularly from the Belvedere lookout terrace and the church of Sant'Antonio.

Read More Villa d'Este

The Villa d'Este is a Renaissance structure with beautiful terraced gardens and fountains, surrounded by huge cypress trees.

Cathedral of San Lorenzo

In the north of Tivoli stands the cathedral of San Lorenzo, originally Romanesque but rebuilt in 1635. In the side chapels are the remarkable group "Descent from the Cross" (13th century) and a triptych depicting the Savior between the Virgin and St John (12th century).

Fountain of the Naiads

The Fountain of the Naiads in the Piazza della Repubblica - also known as the Piazza dell'Esedre since it is laid out on the site of the exedra of the Baths - was erected between 1885 and 1914. It consists of four groups of female figures playing with marine animals, with a figure of "Man Victorious over the Hostile Forces of Nature" in the middle.