I've been hearing from a bunch of people that this is a must see on a trip to Rome.<BR><BR>How far is it from Rome? Do we need a car and a driver or can it be done using public transportation. Is it a full day or 1/2 day trip?<BR><BR>We will be in Rome for 3 -1/2 days - have tours already scheduled for Scavi, Colosseum, and Borghese reservations.<BR><BR>Advice and thoughts very welcome.<BR><BR>Thanks.<BR><BR>SuzyQ

Villa D'Este is really a beautiful place to see. If I recall, I think it's about 45 minutes from Rome, maybe an hour at the most. <BR><BR>You can probably get there on your own, by car or train. We went on a 1/2 day trip, combining Villa D'Este as well as some other sights, on a tour from the hotel. The gardens are spectacular.<BR><BR>

Hello SuzY,<BR><BR>Yes, Villa d'Este is well worth a visit! To get there by public transport, take Metro Line 'B' (dir. Rebibbia) out to the penultimate stop, PONTE MAMMOLO. Buses to Tivoli leave from there every 10 minutes.<BR><BR>You can easily combine Villa d'Este with a visit to Villa Adriana, 3 miles from Tivoli. (There's a frequent connecting bus service). Villa Adriana is a must-see, - together they make a fine day-trip!<BR><BR>Let me know if I can be of more help ...<BR><BR>Steve

We were just there in May. Picked up my sister at FCO, found a place to stay (in Frascati) and drove up to Villa D'Este for the afternoon. I expected beautiful gardens and a couple of great fountains. What an under-estimation! You will see more fountaing than you can imagine in one place. The views are stunning. We had a lot of fun taking pictures and people watching, too. (There were a lot of school-sponsored field trips in May.)

The town that the previous poster mentioned, by the way, Frascati, is very quaint, and although I was only there for a couple of hours one afternoon, would say that it's worth a visit on the way down or back to Rome.

A note of caution. To do both Villa D'Este and Hadrian's Villa together will, to do then justice, require a full day. Hadrain's villa is extensive and contains many marvels of Roman architecture. It takes quite some time to see it all. And in my experience the buses to there from the main plaza can be infrequent.

P.S. Villa d'Este is closed on Mondays.<BR><BR>