The Gardens of Ninfa

Update:  This tour now in its 13th year is now fully booked but we will look to offer again in 2025 - register your interest please!

The itinerary includes superb formal Italianate Renaissance gardens of great historic and architectural interest, several wildly romantic gardens where roses tumble over abandoned ruins or rampage through trees, a garden with superb Mediterranean planting and a 16^th century garden of huge sculpted monsters and other fantasy figures.  You will stay in a hotel high above Frascati, a small town south of Rome on the slopes of the Alban Hills with unrivalled views across the countryside.

Gardens visits will include:  The Villa d'Este in Tivoli, created in 1550 for Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este a remarkable and superb illustration of the Renaissance period with fountains, waterfalls and terraces. Villa Lante, built for Cardinal Gambara, on a smaller scale and more intimate but perfectly proportioned and richly detailed with formal parterres, water fountains and grottos. Bomarzo a strange bewitching treasure trove of massive garden monsters and statues designed by the architect who also created Villa d’Este.

One of the ten most beautiful gardens in the world - The Gardens of Ninfa near Lazio south of Rome, a garden of sublime romantic beauty where time seems to stand still, roses, jasmine, wisteria ramble and climb through the ancient medieval ruins of the city of Ninfa.  Nearby the opportunity to see a very private garden - Torrecchia – this outstanding 15 acre garden, originally designed by Dan Pearson and Stuart Barfoot, lies on a hill top within the ruins of a small medieval village in the foothills of the Apennine Mountains.  Giardini della Landriana  - the gardens originally designed by Russell Page and the Marchesa Lavinia Taverna are superb - divided into “rooms” all different and equally beautifully planted, a hillside of roses, lavender, box, formal and colour themed, lakes, citrus and olive groves.  Covering 15 hectares, the Moutan Botanic Centre is home to the world's largest collection of tree and herbaceous peonies (over 200,000 plants). It includes around 600 different varieties and natural hybrids belonging to known botanical species.  Finally  the Valleranello Rose Garden where again the owner has numerous roses rampaging through trees and shrubs and it is counted among the four most beautiful rose gardens in Italy.

The four star Villa Tuscolana Park Hotel, has its origins as the 16thC home of Cardinal Rufini of Rome, is sited on top of one of the hills of Rome, overlooking the town of Frascati – this is an extraordinary location with amazing views and on a clear day you can see St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Maybe a little quirky and very Italian, but the hotel is well placed for visiting the gardens on this tour.   Virtually all the en-suite bedrooms will have panoramic views.

Monday 6 May – You are asked to make your own travel arrangements and suggested flights can be sent in order to meet in Rome Fiumicino Airport  at 14.30 where a  coach will take you to the Villa Tuscolana Park Hotel. Welcome drink with refreshments on the terrace before dinner.

Tuesday 7 May – Morning visit to the Rose Garden Valleranello before continuing to Tivoli and the Villa d'Este.  You can enjoy lunch in Tivoli before or after visiting Villa d’Este.  Return mid-afternoon to Frascati, with the option to explore Frascati before meeting to have dinner, wine tasting and tour at a well-known local Frascati vineyard.

Wednesday 8 May – Visits to gardens north of Rome, Villa Lante at Bagnaia and the nearby peony garden at Moutan Botanic Centre (where an Italian picnic light lunch is included) before continuing to Bomarzo and the Garden of Monsters. Return to hotel for dinner.

Thursday 9 May: Travel south to Torrecchia, a garden close to Ninfa and approached from the main road on 4 miles of private drive through open farmland. There is a 10 minute walk up a gentle incline to reach the house but normally a golf buggy can be available for these that need.  This garden is open very infrequently to a private party.  Lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to the Gardens of Ninfa, this is a private guided tour on a day not normally open to the public.  This evening you are free to dine independently in Frascati and perhaps a little shopping before returning home – we will arrange for transport to and from the town and suggest restaurants where you might like to eat.

Friday 10 May: Check out of the hotel early to depart to Giardinai della Landriana where after the guided tour an early lunch with their own wine will be provided in the gardens – continue to the airport to arrive in time for the 16.15 BA or Easyjet  return flights to London/Bristol.

Travel:    The suggested flight in order to join the transfers would be British Airways from Heathrow to Rome Fiumicino or Easyjet from Bristol – BA details below

Outward:  Monday 6 May  (BA0546)
dep London Heathrow 10.35 arrive Rome Fiumicino 14.15
Return : Friday 12 May   (BA0559) 
dep Rome Fiumicino  16.15  arrive London Heathrow 17.55

For details of alternative options for flights from regional airports please contact our office.