Revised programme for garden tours in 7- 8th May – Tuscany -programme already announced

NEW 

9th-10th-11th May – Itinerary in Rome 

Cultural Heritage Walking Tours, Italy

€720 per person – all inclusive 

Rome Garden Tour

Designed by Dr. Diane Archibald Ph.D.

©Cultural Heritage Walking Tours, Italy

Itinerary 

We are pleased to announce our “NEW” 3 day Rome Garden Excursion beginning this May.

Day I of our tour begins with a morning visit to the internationally acclaimed “Giardino Delle Rose Antiche”. This private garden outside of Rome spans 2 hectares with over 3000 varieties of roses including a passion for antique roses. Our garden tour is followed by a four course lunch featuring traditional Roman dishes (organic, seasonal, local produce) with paired wine tastings at an architecturally restored Medieval castle. Our experienced sommelier selects and discusses the wine pairings. In the afternoon, we visit the Castle with the Earl of the estate discussing the history and restoration.

Day 2 of the excursion begins at Villa Adriana, Tivoli, the magnificent country estate of the ancient Roman Emperor Hadrian. It is believed to be one of the largest archaeological sites in Europe covering 120 hectares, and since 1999 has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Our visit to Villa Adriana focuses on the intricate terraced gardens and water systems designed by Hadrian that have continued to influence architects and designers for close to two millennia.

After our morning visit, we stop to enjoy a private lunch on the archaeological site. In the afternoon, we visit the famous Renaissance villa and gardens of Villa d’Este inspired by Hadrian’s country estate. The design of the Renaissance gardens and fountains by Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este and his architect Pirro Ligorio soon became the prototype for all Renaissance gardens that followed.

We culminate our day with a leisurely slow food dinner at Villa Adriana.

Day 3 of our excursion takes us to the natural and stunning setting of “Villa Gregoriana” Park situated on the side of the ravine that forms Tivoli.

The history of this site dates back to the early Roman era with architectural artefacts of the temples of Vesta and Sybil still gracing the landscape. The famous Tivoli cascades became a destination point on the Grand Tour and a source of inspiration for many artists as Claude Lorrain and Poussin.

Our visit to this site is followed by lunch at a nearby restaurant adjacent to one of the temples to Sybil and overlooking the ravine.

On our way back to Rome our driver will sweep by the Tivoli cascades.

Itinerary:

Features Included

3 Days,  2 nights superior accommodation

2 Breakfasts

3 Lunches

2 Dinners

Wine tasting

Museum and site entry fees included

Transportation by private van to sites

Day1:

9:00 a.m. Leaving Rome centre by private car service to Rose Garden

9:30-11:30 a.m. Tour of internationally renowned Rose Garden

11:45 a.m. Car service to Medieval Castle

12:30-2:30 p.m. Lunch with wine tastings at Medieval Castle

2:30-3:30 p.m. Visit of Medieval Castle, history and restoration

4:00 p.m. Leave Castle for Tivoli

5:00 p.m. Arrive at Tivoli, check-in hotel

7:30 p.m. Dinner at Villa Adriana

Day 2:

Breakfast hotel included

9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Archaeological site Hadrian’s Villa

1:00 – 2:30p.m. Lunch on archaeological site of Hadrian’s Villa

2:45 p.m. Transportation to Villa d’Este, Tivoli

3:15- 5:15 p.m. Villa d’Este, Tivoli

6:00 p.m. Transportation to Hadrian’s Villa, Tivoli

8:00 p.m. Dinner, restaurant, slow food dinner

Day 3:

Breakfast hotel included

9:30 a.m. Check out hotel

10:00 a.m. to Villa Gregoriana, Tivoli with private car service

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Visit to Villa Gregoriana Park

1:00 p.m.  to restaurant Tivoli with private car service

1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Lunch restaurant, Tivoli (on terrace weather permitting)

3:30 Return to Rome by private car service

4:30 p.m. arrive in Rome central

Cost €720 for this part of the tour – all above included

Note: for those clients wishing to stay in Rome the night before the excursion we are pleased to assist in finding accommodation from a delightful convent albergo to a four star hotel in the historic centre.

About your Tutor Dr Diane Archibald 

Our Rome Garden tours are led by Dr. Diane Archibald who holds a Doctorate in Interdisciplinary Studies in Architecture from the University of British Columbia and is a Visiting Scholar with the Faculty of Architecture, Restoration and Conservation, University of Rome, ‘Sapienza’.  Dr. Archibald was a Research Fellow at the British School at Rome, and recently appointed to the ICOMOS (International Council of Monuments and Sites) Scientific Committee on Conservation and Restoration for architecture and historic urban centres. She has taught on heritage sites in Italy for 10 years and has led numerous educational walking seminars in Rome, Tivoli, Tuscany, Umbria, Venice and Veneto, and Southern Italy.

Diane is also a talented photographer who took all the garden photos included in this post.