Verdant Gardens of Rome & Vatican City Tour

In the morning, Rome fills with business people frequenting the cafes in search of a quick espresso before work. The scent of freshly baked brioche blends with the aroma of roasted coffee beans. After breakfast, your guide meets you at the hotel and escorts you to the grand 16th-century Villa Lante in the town of Bagnaia. The villa is in fact one of Italy’s greatest gardens, designed during the Mannerist phase of Italy’s High Renaissance. The garden overtakes the hills like a fragrant oasis of greenery, trickling fountains, and serene shade. The estate covers more than 54 acres and contains an elaborate décor in the twin villas bordering the gardens.

The central fountain draws your focus, with trimmed hedges forming intricate geometric designs in segmented portions encircled by walking paths. The scent of carnations drifts across the landscape. Your guide leads you to the top of the gardens at the Nymphaeum, a grotto with three small waterfalls spilling into the pool. Three archways decorate the second story as a commentary on the relationship between nature and humanity. You feel as though you have stepped into a baroque painting at the Loggia on the highest terrace. The cardinal would engage in conversation with guests while the murmur of cascades accentuated the ambiance.

The Villa Borghese turns the cobblestone streets and rustic red brick of Rome into a verdant park spanning more than 225 acres. After breakfast, your private guide leads you to the 17th-century monastery of Castello Ruspoli before entering the open space of the garden complex at the Villa Borghese. Statues and busts line the walkways leading to marvelous fountains and reflective lakes. Once inside the gardens, you feel as though you have left Rome behind. The carousel fills with children eager to ride the painted horses. A replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater overlooks the water.

Couples paddle out onto the artificial lake with a rowboat in search of a private moment beneath the changing leaves on the trees. The garden was originally a private vineyard, but in the early 17th century, Cardinal Scipione Borghese turned the private estate into a public green space. A small island at the heart of the lake holds a 19th-century replica of the Temple of Aesculapius. Ducks and geese glide around the shores of the small island, contrasting the size of the Doric pillars. Pine trees rise up to 65 feet tall, and images of eagles add a regal character to the statuary around the garden walls.

The town of Tivoli overlooks the Aniene River east of Rome, drawing vacationers from the city, eager to bask in the fresh air and cool climate. Roman noblemen and emperors enjoyed the natural beauty of the region that once grew to approximately 50,000 people. In the morning, your guide leads you to the edges of the picturesque historic center pointing out the stone of the town wall built in the 4th century BC. On the outskirts of town, you find the extraordinary grounds of Villa d’Este, which was erected in the 16th century atop a former Benedictine convent. The rooms in the villa contain opulent frescoes, but the true treasure of the estate is the collection of gardens. Follow the mosaic path into the verdant garden accented with cypress and oak trees.

It feels like you have stepped into the gardens of legend, embellished with delicate statuary and remarkable waterworks. The walkways along the terraces open to elaborate views of the fountains and the valley. Three fishing ponds resemble reflective pools against the spouting fountain of Fontana dell’Organo. Your guide explains the delicate nature of the fountain; when water would flow through the original pumps, the fountain would play music. After years of restoration, you can hear the music once again. Renovated pipes and an intricate understanding of the fountain’s mechanics lets the water play the organ, emanating four songs composed during the Italian Renaissance, providing a breathtaking experience in the lavish garden.

The beauty of the gardens around Rome is indelible to the nature of the region. The splendor of Lazio grows each moment during your exploration of the countryside. Today you make your way to the stunning Oasis of Ninfa, one of Italy’s best-kept secrets. The marvelous landscape overtakes the lowlands the Lepini Mountains, reaching out to the Tyrrhenian Sea. In the 14th century, the walled city of Ninfa flourished, containing a magnificent castle and numerous churches. The oasis now resembles a work of art overtaken its surroundings. In the 1920s the waterlogged ruins were repurposed as a pleasure garden.

The castle tower continues to soar above the lush grass. The pond reflects the trees growing on the banks. More than 1,300 species of plants grow on the 45 acres, including vibrant Japanese maples. Cherry trees blossom in the spring with bright pink petals. Roses bloom along the riverbank and grow over the town ruins. Romans imported the lake trout from Africa over 2,000 years ago. The castle walls of the Sermoneta run along the hilltop in the distance. You feel separate from the medieval towns and ancient history of Lazio. Walk along the serene landscape and bask in the aroma of tulip trees.

In the morning, students take rowboats out onto the Tiber River and practice rowing. The sunlight spreads across the water as it rises over the seven hills of Rome. Your guide meets you in the hotel lobby and escorts you to the town of Castel Gandolfo, home to the summer palace of the Pope. The cathedral dome creates the skyline of the town, adding to the colorful homes overlooking the glassy water of the Lake Albano. The streets meander around the grandeur of the historic papal palace, which was erected in the 16th century by the pope’s nephew.

The estate encompasses more than 135 acres and exhibits holm oak parks, along with the ruins from Roman Emperor Domitian’s 1st-century AD country residence. Your guide leads you along the Giardino della Madonnina, one of Pope Benedict’s favorite paths to wander. The walkway winds along ancient masonry leftover from the area’s most prestigious villa. The parterres are manicured into geometrical shapes, framed by soaring cypress trees. Pine trees open like umbrellas against the spreading branches of seasoned cedar trees. The aroma of countless begonias adds to the tranquil landscape. After lunch, you make your way to the hilltop town of Ariccia to wander along the baroque paths of the prestigious Chigi Palace.

You have come to relish your mornings in Rome and the delicate aroma of the sweet brioche emanating from the corner cafes in the city. You walk amongst the early crowd of business people and watch them sip their espresso before venturing to the office. The baroque fountains of the city continue to trickle with quiet pleasure before the squares fill with people frequenting the restaurants or strolling along the hidden pathways of Rome. After breakfast, your guides at Eyes of Rome lead you to Vatican City to enter into the coveted greenery of the Vatican Gardens. The grounds have an ethereal and almost secretive ambiance. The gardens cover nearly half of Vatican City’s 109 acres. As you sink into amazement, gazing at the astonishing works of art, your Eyes of Rome tour leaders will teach you the rich history and significance of the city’s powerful influence of the world.

The perfectly manicured parterres lead to hidden grottoes and monuments depicting saintly figures. The gardens were erected in the 13th century as a space for meditation. Saint Therese of Lisieux, also known as Little Flower, was deemed the keeper of the gardens. Pope Pius XI dedicated a small shrine to her in the sub-garden near the Leonine walls. The marble monument to Our Lady of Guadalupe depicts the saintly lady as a part of the tunic viewed by Saint Juan Diego.  Continue your exploration of Rome’s lavish gardens at the Villa Medici, in view of the Spanish Steps. From the garden, you can see the shimmering dome of St. Peter’s Basilica towering over the city.

In the morning, the gates of Villa Orsini open to the public. The looping trails lead to glades and rocky outcrops overlooking steep ravines. Statues of mythical beasts and deities decorate the trails turning the villa garden into a wonderland of monsters. Visitors to Rome wander along the meandering cobbled streets in search of the Trevi Fountain or Colosseum. Locals linger in the green spaces basking in a fresh moment of countryside ambiance. Birds chirp in the oak trees. School children sing around neoclassical facades as if they stepped out of a film. The city brims with antiquity and modernity, accentuated by the lavish gardens of former noble families and private palaces. You could spend months visiting only the gardens of the city and still find treasures of lushness hidden behind a forgotten ruin or medieval home. After breakfast, your private transfer meets you in the lobby of your hotel and escorts you to Fiumicino Airport for your flight home.