Villas & Gardens Around Rome

FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAYS | 24 APRIL & 8 OCTOBER 2023

Italy not only has many of the greatest 16th and 17th century gardens in Europe, it also has some which have been extensively restored and indeed created in the 20th century. We visit two of these at Ninfa and La Landriana. Our tour will show you a wonderful selection of villas and gardens in the countryside around Rome as well as some in the city itself. We stay at the traditional 4* Park Hotel Villa Grazioli in Frascati, a charming town surrounded by vineyards which produce its eponymous wine, only 20 kilometres from Rome. Built in 1580 by Cardinal Carafa, the Villa Grazioli has vaulted ceilings and intricate 17th century frescoes.

Park Hotel Villa Grazioli

DAY 1

the itinerary

We fly from London to Rome and transfer to Frascati where we stay for five nights at the 4* Park Hotel Villa Grazioli.

2

The day will be spent in Rome starting with a visit to the Villa Borghese Gardens and Gallery which were formed in the early 17th century. We will have lunch in a local restaurant and then go to the Villa Torlonia, which recently reopened after a long period of restoration. This is a neo-Classical villa once owned by the Torlonia family, one of the grandest in Rome in the 19th century.

3

Today’s gardens are the Villa Lante and the Villa Farnese. The Villa Lante at Bagnaia is one of the greatest of all Italian Renaissance gardens: its symmetrical design is absolutely perfect. The Summer and Winter Gardens of the Villa Farnese give way to a path which leads through a wooded landscape and eventually reaches the Casino, used by the all powerful Farnese family as a private refuge. This evening we will drive through vineyards to have dinner at the Cantina di Santa Benedetta. There will be a tasting of Frascati wine with the winemaker, followed by dinner in the lovely old farmhouse.

4

Today is spent in Tivoli with its two great gardens: the Villa D’Este and Hadrian’s Villa. The narrow terraces of the Villa D’Este create the effect of a dramatic hanging garden, opening out at each descending level.

5

The garden at La Landriana was created over a thirty-year period by the Marchesa Lavinia Taverna. The garden has over thirty separate compartments; some are devoted to a single species, some to a style and some to a colour. Our next garden is no less wonderful and even more romantic – the garden at Ninfa, planted a hundred years ago over the ruins of the 14th century walled town.

We return to Rome Airport for our flight back to London.

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DAY 6

the hotel

The Villa Grazioli was built in 1580 by Cardinal Carafa who chose the site for its tranquillity and its wonderful views of the city. Much of the original decoration has been restored and the public rooms are spectacular, with vaulted ceilings and intricate 17th century frescoes. The highlight is a stunning gallery, painted from floor to ceiling by Pannini in 1736. The 58 bedrooms are simply furnished, many have terracotta tiled floors and beamed ceilings. There are 12 bedrooms in the main villa and the remainder in the ‘Limonia’ and ‘Paggeria’ buildings reached by an underground passageway. There is an excellent restaurant with a large terrace overlooking the park, and a summer swimming pool.

TOUR INFORMATION

DEPARTURE DATE & PRICES

DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP

24 April 8 October £2,257 £330

Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. Supplement for room in main villa: £320 per room (subject to availability)

FLIGHT DETAILS

Flights with British Airways: April departure: Depart Heathrow 10.35, arrive Rome 14.15 Depart Rome 12.55, arrive Heathrow 14.40 October departure: Depart Heathrow 12.20, arrive Rome 15.55 Depart Rome 16.40, arrive Heathrow 18.20 Flight times subject to change – regional departures available on request.

WHAT WE INCLUDE

• Return flights • Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Three dinners and two lunches • All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities • The services of a Kirker Tour Lecturer