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 Tivoli
Tivoli
Just 40km from Rome, perched high on a hill. In classical days it was a retirement town for wealthy Romans; later, during Renaissance times, many important families built their villas up there.
Villa d'Este, the country retreat of Cardinal Ippolito d'Este is famous for its over five hundred fountains of the landscaped gardens fed by the river Aniene, but also for the ground-floor apartments frescoed with scenes of mythology and the history of Tivoli.
One of the best-known fountains is the sumptous Fountain of the Water Organ, other are the fountains of the Dragons, the Grotto of Diana or the "Bicchierone" designed by Bernini.
Tivoli's other main attraction is Villa Gregoriana, with lush vegetation; there are two main waterfalls – the larger Grande Cascata on the far side, and a small Bernini-designed one at the neck of the gorge.
Just outside Tivoli you’ll find Villa Adriana, probably the largest and most sumptuous villa in the Roman Empire, the retirement home of the Emperor Hadrian for a short while and with many well-preserved remains.
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