Dia Sette…Subways, Buses and Amazing Gardens

42 years ago, my parents came to Rome and one of the sites I remember them raving about were the gardens at Villa d’Este in Tivoli. Before we left home, we watched a video of a scratchy old film they made and knew we needed to see where they had been. Since it’s our last full day, it is now or never, so we are off.

First it is a half hour walk to the “closest” subway stop, so unlike most subways with entrances/exits every block or two. But, Rome has only two lines and with all the underground archeological surprizes, it’s wonder it even has those. Line A, which we board near the Vatican has beautiful, new trains that are gleaming white.  We switch to train B at the Termini station and as it pulls in the entire train is covered in tags, making it look like a giant cartoon worm on the outside, and just a dirty abandoned lot on the inside. At the end of the line we board a bus for a one-hour ride to Tivoli. Most of the route is through industrial suburbs that could be anywhere in a warm climate. Close to the end of the journey the views change to farmland and hilltops towns, one of which is Tivoli. As the bus rises into the town a long and amazing view all the way to Rome appears. Lovely.

It is already afternoon, so we follow the signs to the Villa, stopping only to have a quick sandwich. I love mine – baked zucchini and smoked provolone. Dennis is less enamored by his salami bun because it is too bland – a common, yet surprising complaint.

As we walk to the Villa entrance, I see an interesting sculpture in a little square, but there is a car parked in front of it so I walk up in front of the car to take the picture and it dawns on me that something is odd about the open door to the car. Um, yes, because it is a Lamborghini. Sigh.

The Villa is lovely, decorated head to toe, which was the fashion when it was built by Cardinal Ippolito d’Este. The gardens, though, are the glory. They are built on terraces down a hill and are breathtaking. There is one passage, 100 meters long, which contains 100 fountains! As we turn corners we get glimpses of other fountains through the trees. There are views from above, below and at fountain level. And there are amazing long views at one edge of the garden that is actually supported by huge arches beneath it. The pictures will speak for themselves.

After the garden we walk a little of Tivoli’s town centre, then retrace our path back to Rome. On our last night we have a somewhat regrettable meal accompanied by the first waiter we’ve had that has a rather unpleasant attitude. Oh well, tomorrow we are off to Venice!