Spectacular water displays on via Tiburtina

TIVOLI AND THE ANIENE

Water is the predominant element both in nature and in the monumental villas in the Aniene Valley. The valley spreads between the slopes of the Tiburtini and Lucretili mountains. The course of the river follows via Tiburtina's route which, close to the city of Tivoli (the ancient Tibur) crossed it via the Ponte Lucano - a five-arch bridge (one of the arches is blind).  

Close by stands the mausoleum of the Plauzi - a cylindrical building covered, like the bridge, by blocks of travertine, the stone which is quarried to this day from the cave tiburtine (which give the stone its name). Travertine covered many of the monuments of ancient Rome, starting with the Colosseum. 

The mausoleum's façade bears the funerary inscriptions of the two owners, Marco Plauzio Silvano, a seven-time consul, and his son Tiberio Plauzio Silvano Eliano, governor of Asia and Mesia, Rome prefect and twice consul. 

An itinerary starts here which visits extraordinary archaeological sites, magnificent and renowned noble villas, charming cult sites as well as tracing the marks left by exceptional historical characters. At the same time, visitors will be deep in an interesting natural environment, ranging from the pleasant scenery created by the river, to the atmospheric karst phenomena, to the thick woods or the magnificent bloom on the glade.  The city, which named the consular road, is one of the most important in the Rome province and counts a rich historic-archaeological and natural heritage; it thus deserves two itineraries which will visit its extraordinary surviving villas and the beautiful protected areas of the Inviolata Archaeological park and the Monte Catilo Nature Reserve.
Finally, the third itinerary unfolds along the Aniene Valley, and touches old towns perched on mountains, full of history and fascination, where ancient traditions are still alive while at the same time culture and art continue to thrive, as is proved by the Civic Museum of Modern Art  in Anticoli Corrado. 

The Inviolata Archaeological Park

Hadrian’s villa

Tivoli, the ancient Tibur

Monte Catillo Nature Reserve

Towns in the Aniene Valley