Tivoli was beautiful! The grounds were amazing. We were able to hear the organs!!! The tour guide was pretty abrupt and scolded us often if we weren’t listening. We spent too much time at the first ‘house’ we went too. I would have preferred to have more time at the fountains. I would recommend a less structured tour to all ample time to see the gardens!

We thought the trip was great! Both tour guides were very good and we enjoyed the experience. The reason we gave it a 4 star instead of a five is because we thought the meal at lunch was not very good. It would be nice to find a different restaurant. Not only was the food not good but it didn’t seem like they were ready for us and spent a lot of time preparing the food. Also, the bus driver was constantly texting while driving. We were unhappy about that, especially when we were on the highway.

Both villas we visited were a great day trip from Rome. I would recommend visiting them both. As for the tour itself, see below: Pros - Our guide (Marsha, I think) was great! - Once you find the meeting point, everything was covered and smooth. Neutral - Lunch was fine. Nothing great. Nothing bad. It’s probably a fair price or slightly high for what it was, but was great for conversation with other travelers. Cons - The bus was pretty old and run down. It was fine, but if you are expecting something nice you will be disappointed. - The meeting location was slightly confusing and the guide’s flag at this location was not very visible.

I, my wife and our 11-year old Grandson met the others at the meeting point, were provided for wireless communicators with the local guide and then seated into a minivan for a drive to the first point at the Hadrian Villa near the city of Tivoli. A very smooth and nice drive, thanks to the skillful driver who spent with us the whole time. Marzia, our local guide, met us and after a short introduction started the tour which should cover grounds of the Hadrian's Villa and the Villa d'Este in Tivoli. All was working well, our communicators were sustaining a good distance between the guide and participants, so much so that we were able to take many pictures at our pace, and at the same continue absorbing the good information, shared with us by Marzia along the way. In each of the two Villas we were able to get familiar with the place, its history, its glory and downfalls, and its present. And surely we had some time for personal walks around the places. In mid-day the eligible participant got a chance of having a VERY good and ample lunch in a local restaurant, close to the Villa d'Este in the city of Tivoli. Others could decide for themselves what to do in the city until the 2nd half of the whole tour in the Villa d'Este. Again, Marzia effortlessly provided us for all necessary guidance and answers. Here is what we wish to say about Marzia. The tour would not have been a complete success without our wonderful guide. Her vast knowledge of the subject, complete and detail answers to all relevant questions, asked by all engaged participants (including our Grandson), great respect to us and to the subject, all necessary care that Marzia was providing to us through the whole tour shaped it as the real time travel into the past of the both important places. The both places are huge, but Marzia obviously knew the history of each and every one of the visited corner, presented to us in very good English. Overall, we are absolutely sure that taking this tour was the great idea. We do recommend the tour to those who are keen to learn about the history of the both Villas, as well as the history of the surrounding places. And thanks to Marzia, our beautiful guide, the tour was the great success!