Day trip from Rome to the enchanting Garden of Ninfa
If the gods created anything purely to see how symbiotically colorful and peaceful they could make it, then surely the Garden of Ninfa is that something. The garden is home to plants and flowers of every shape, size and shade which have been carefully integrated around ruins of the lost medieval town of Ninfa. Ninfa is located about 80 km south-east of Rome, near Sermoneta, at the foot of the Lepini mountains.
The garden is fed by various sources of water, one of the reasons why plants and trees grow three times as fast as normal. Often referred to as the most “romantic” garden in the world, the atmosphere is made all the more charming by a number of stone bridges delicately arched over crystalline streams. The Garden of Ninfa feels like a technicolor refuge for nature – like a fairytale land where you could come stumble upon a secret portal to another world.
Inside the 8-hectare garden you can admire over 1300 species of plants including 19 varieties of magnolia, birch trees, aquatic irises and Japanese maples. In spring, ornamental cherry trees bloom creating a fairytale atmosphere.
The Garden was created in the early 1920s by the Caetani family and is currently maintained by the Fondazione Roffredo Caetani di Sermoneta. The Giardino di Ninfa is only open on a limited number of weekends each year to protect the delicate ecosystem – try to go in late spring when the garden is in its full bloom and glory!
The ticket comes at a price of €15.75. If you’re planning a visit to Rome and have time for a day trip or weekend getaway, definitely put the Garden of Ninfa on your list of to-dos!
It will be also possible to visit the Castello Caetani Sermoneta, located 7 km from the garden: tickets for this site (€8.25) are available on the official website of the Giardino di Ninfa.
How To Get To Giardino di Ninfa
The easiest way to get there, by far, is by car. If that isn’t an option, take the train to the Latina Scalo station. From there, there is a taxi service that will take you the remaining ten or so minutes, reachable at 0773632292.
Open Days and Times
The Giardino di Ninfa is open every Saturday and Sunday from 16 March until 3 November (special openings also on 1 April, 25 April, 1 May, 2 June, 15 August and 1 November, as well as some Fridays in July and August).
Opening hours:
March – April
9.00 am – 6.00 pm
May – June
9.00 am – 6.30 pm
July – September
9.00 am – 7.30 pm
October – November
9.00 am – 3.30 pm
The tours last one hour and always need to be booked in advance. For tickets visit: giardinodininfa.eu
Where To Eat
There aren’t places to eat near the garden, you should check out our guide to where to eat in Sermoneta, another enchanting little town.
INSPIRATION
Weekend Getaways from Rome
