All tours on this holiday have now departed. Future departure dates will be confirmed in due course.
Hadrian's Villa
Hadrian's Villa
Hadrian's Villa
Rome
Tivoli
Bomarzo
Ninfa Gardens
Villa Lante
• Tivoli’s Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa
• Lunch with the principessa at Castello Ruspoli
• Parco del Mostri at Bomarzo and Villa Lante at Bagnaia
• The Gardens of Ninfa
• Frascati & Villa Grazioli
With its combination of landscaping, architecture, sculpture and painting, villa and garden design has often been claimed as the most complete of art forms - a veritable multimedia culture, and nowhere is this more richly demonstrated that in the Roman campagna. From classical times through to the Renaissance, the Baroque, and up to the present day the Lazio countryside has offered a rich body of work that has been both ground breaking and intentionally thought-provoking.
Some are calm oases hidden behind the walls of Rome's busy streets, others are rural retreats where the emperors and cardinals went to escape the congestion and bustle of the city. All are famous for their beauty; and each in their different ways set out to instil in the viewer the virtues of Nature – qualities that straddled notions of leisure (villegiatura), art, philosophy, religion, as well as the prevailing politics of the time.
Visits include Lake Bolsena, Villa d'Este, Hadrian's Villa, the Gardens of Ninfa, Parco del Mostri at Bomarzo and Villa Lante at Bagnaia.
Day 1: Fly from London Heathrow to Rome.
On arrival transfer by coach to Bolsena (approx. 2 hours) and the Royal Hotel for check-in. Tonight Peter will give a lecture then enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 2: Villa Lante at Bagnaia, then lunch with the principessa at Castello Ruspoli
The garden at Villa Lante was designed for Cardinal Gambara, who had a taste for outdoor living and wished to extol his place as thinker, churchman and land owner. Perfectly proportioned and richly detailed, it features cascades, fountains, grottoes and classical sculptures, all with the aim of chronicling the passage from base nature to an eventual enlightenment.
We then drive to the beautiful Renaissance parterre garden at Castello Ruspoli at the top of the hill town of Vignanello. A highlight of the visit will be lunch hosted by the principessa, with dishes made from produce fresh from the estate.
On our return to the hotel stop to visit the church of Madonna della Quercia (Mary of the Oak Tree), a micro-example of the commitment to nature and religious belief.
Day 3: Parco del Mostri at Bomarzo, then Isola Bisentina
The Parco del Mostri (Park of Monsters) was devised by the architect Pirro Ligorio in the 16th century and is full of grotesque sculptures and mysterious small buildings conveying a narrative that continues to be the object of interpretation. It fell into disrepair over the centuries until 1954 when it was bought by Giovanni Bettini who has maintained it ever since. Salvador Dali made a short film about the gardens and based a painting on it which helped promote the restoration of the gardens.
After an independent lunch in Montefiascone, we coach back to Lake Bolsena to take a boat trip to the Isola Bisentina to view this famous garden island. Evening lecture from Peter tonight, then dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 4: Frascati
Depart by coach to Frascati for three night stay. En route visit the palazzo and garden at Caprarola built by the cultured and powerful Cardinal Alessandro Farnese. Including will be its its cascade and subterranean water theatre, as well the important fresco decorations in the palazzo itself.
Free time for lunch (own expense) at Trevignano Romano on the shores of Lago di Bracciano.
Then continue to the ancient and bustling town of Frascati. After check-in at our hotel, we drive to the 16th century Villa Grazioli, a Cardinal’s villa in its own right dating back to 1580. It includes an intriguing series of frescoes on the ground floor, a fascinating ballroom painted by 18th century Roman painter Giovanni Paolo Panini, and lovely views towards Rome and the sea. A perfect place to sample the culture of villa life first hand. We enjoy a group dinner here then return to our hotel.
Day 5: Full day tour to Giardino di Ninfa
Morning visit to the enchanting Gardens of Ninfa romantically set within the remnants of old churches and houses of a medieval town destroyed in 1381 due to disagreements between the local nobility and the Roman papacy. In the early 20th century family descendants began a programme to create what is regarded as one of the most important English-style gardens in Italy.
Visit to the Baroque water theatre and garden at Villa Aldobrandini (subject to opening for private groups).
Day 6: Full day tour to Hadrian's imperial Villa, and the Villa d'Este
Morning visit to Hadrian's Villa, one of the best kept archaeological sites in Italy. Built at the foot of the Titburtine Hills by the Roman Emperior Hadrian between 118 and 138 AD becomes a model for much subsequent garden designing. The site includes buildings, baths, temples, barracks, theatres, gardens and fountains.
in the afternoon, set within the Tiburtine hills above, which were chosen by various aristocrats as the nearest place to escape the heat and pressure of Roman city life, we visit the 16th-century Villa d'Este in Tivoli. The extraordinary complex is famous for its steeply terraced landscaping adorned with tree and hedge lined avenues and a profusion of some 100 fountains. - a beautiful example of the Italian High Renaissance garden.
Farewell dinner tonight.
Day 7: Villa Farnesina
This morning we visit Villa Farnesina, the famous suburban villa with its seminal villa frescoes by Raphael and others. This is followed by free time in Trastevere for lunch (own expense). Transfer to the airport for your return flight to London.
NB: Exact order of itinerary may vary according to local conditions, weather, garden openings and tour manager's discretion.
Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 26 passengers.
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
Hotel Colonna, Frascati
Located in the centre of Frascati in an historic building, the three-star Hotel Colonna has twenty rooms all elegantly furnished in a classical style with en-suite bathroom with bath or shower, TV, telephone, wifi, air-conditioning, minibar, safe and hairdryer. The hotel offers a breakfast room and bar (located down stairs in the hotel), beautifully decorated with frescoes of some of the most important villas in Frascati, serving both sweet and savory options. The hotel does not have its own restaurant, but being in the centre of Frascati means there is plenty of choice for an evening meal. Please note the hotel does not have a lift.
Upgrades are available to a Junior Suite or Suite at the hotel. Junior Suite rooms have a view over the piazza and the 16th century Church of Gesu, while the Suite provides a very spacious and elegant room with a marble chimney from the 19th century.
Hotel Colonna Website
