Monday October 24th
From Rome you only have to take 3 streets to get to Tivoli. Tivoli is where you’ll find Villa Adriana, Villa d’Este, and Villa Gregoriana. All very much worth the visit. Unfortunately 2 of the 3 are closed on Mondays, so if you go, plan it for another day of the week. Villa Adriana was open, and the sun was shining, so we took to our feet. The size of this place is incredible, and the fact that it was once the home of one man is even more so. Emperor Hadrian was widely traveled, and whenever he saw something that he really liked he had a replica made on his property. How cool would that be? The property features multi-leveled housing for servants, baths, lakes, a library, and much more. One of the coolest things you’ll see was Hadrian’s home away from home, though not away from home. He had a small house on the property that was surrounded by water. He would lift the drawbridge and remove himself from the world. If only we all owned enough land to build a little moated sanctuary. If you really take the time to see everything, or to listen to the audio guide, Hadrian’s Villa could take the better part of an afternoon. So plan accordingly.
Because the other two were closed, we decided to get the first thing from tomorrow’s list done today, so that we could do Villa d’Este in the morning. Cerveteri is famous for it’s Etruscan Necropolis’. Unfortunately it is less well known for being closed on Mondays. So that was a long ride for nothing. We turned around and headed back to Tivoli for the night’s lodging. B&B La Verandina www.tivolibedandbreakfast.it is one that I’m going to have to put a disclaimer on. If you are in need of total privacy, or dislike sharing space with people you don’t know, I would suggest another place. But if you are okay with staying in someone’s house, and having the chance to get to know people, then thumbs up. Marco was kind enough to come and meet us in the main square and lead us to La Verandina. I’m not sure that we would have found it without his help, so I appreciate the extra effort. The room is within an apartment, and is very tidy and comfortable. The bathroom is also clean and neat, but it is shared with the owner’s so keep that in mind. Marco set about the kitchen and came out with a wonderful, slightly spicy, pasta and tuna dish. We all sat around the table discussing different things. Marco has his hands in a number of different pots, one of which is politics, so it makes for very informative conversation. For me it was a truly enjoyable experience, and I wouldn’t have the slightest problem recommending that a friend call them for a room. But I do feel like it isn’t the right fit for everyone, so give it some thought if you are in the area.