Ahhh to Live in a Villa

When my mom came to visit me in Rome for ten days we decided to do and see as much as we possibly could. After our weekend trip to Barcelona for Easter she asked me to see more of Italy. The perfect idea came to mind. Tivoli (home to several beautiful, mostly intact villas). I had heard from friends who had visited how absolutely beautiful it is and that I should definitely try to visit if I had the time.

           

The two of us decided to go on Thursday because I had no class and the weather report said it was going to be a beautiful day. My host mom helped us with our plans and kept saying how perfect Tivoli was for a day trip. We were very excited to embark on our journey and when we arrived at our destination I can honestly say my friends words did not do the Villa d’Este justice. It was breathtaking.

          

The time, energy and money that went into the construction of this villa was obvious from the second we stepped into the courtyard. The details around the house were impeccable and the wall frescoes were rich in color and many told a story with there images. I could not believe that people had lived here. All of this for just one family? I found myself daydreaming about what it must have been like. Imagine waking up in such beauty and then deciding to head outside for some fresh air in the sprawling gardens laced with fountains and waterfalls. It was definitely a life I know I could easily get used to.

        

I enjoyed stumbling upon secluded areas, tucked away and out of sight. The grounds were designed in such a way to optimize serenity and peacefulness. My mom and I must have said, “Can you imagine….” A hundred times followed by some form of, “…living here; growing up here; being here in the summer; relaxing here; being a guest here, etc.” The two of us were completely smitten with the villa. We never wanted to leave because it was so peaceful and it felt like the gardens and fountains continued on endlessly.

           

I think the most fun and intriguing part of the day for me was imagining what life must have been like for the owners or even the friends of the owners. Just imagine owning a magnificent villa like this one, a paradise within itself. It is the perfect place to go and relax, even today with all of the tourism. When it was privately owned it must have been infinitely more tranquil than it is today. I also found myself thinking about how different things are today. This type of villa is not often constructed, especially not with all of the amazing detail and that covers the Villa d’Este.

          

All I can say to my readers is that if they find themselves with a free day to spare in Rome or not far from it, they should add a trip to Tivoli to visit the Villas to their list. They are an example of how luxurious and almost fantastical life was for a select few during the 16^th century.