The Gardens Of Ninfa — Attraction in Cisterna di Latina

The Garden of Ninfa (Giardino di Ninfa), built on the ruins of the medieval town of Ninfa in the Pontine Marshes (Agro Pontino), has been classified by the New York Times as one of the most beautiful and romantic gardens in the world. Declared a Natural Monument by the Lazio Region, the garden, given the delicate environmental balance, may only be visited on certain days of the year, but the beauty of this place is well worth a visit.

The name Ninfa (Nymph) derives from a temple of the Roman era, dedicated to the Naiad Nymphs goddesses of spring water, which is still located in the garden. The city of Ninfa was destroyed in the fourteenth century since the sixteenth century, several members of the Caetani family present in the Pontine and Lepine territory for many centuries, decided to create a garden with precious botanical varieties, pools of water and fountains. However, it was only in the nineteenth century that Ada Bootle Wilbraham, the wife of Onoraro Caetani, and her sons built an actual Anglo-Saxon style garden, by draining the swamps, planting cypress trees, oaks, beeches, and restoring some ruins, including the baronial palace. The care of the garden was continued by the descendants of the Caetani family, until the last heir, Lelia, who added various botanical species and established the Roffredo Caetani Foundation, which still deals with protecting the Giardino di Ninfa and the castle of Sermoneta. There are 1300 botanical species over the eight acres of landscape. You can admire nineteen varieties of deciduous magnolia, birch, water iris and several Japanese maples. The ornamental cherry trees that bloom in the spring, apple trees and the tulip tree are also spectacular. There are many varieties of roses that climb on trees and ruins along the river and streams, making this a particularly romantic place. Tropical plants such as the avocado, the South American Gunnera manicata and the banana trees can also be admired.

The River Ninfa rises near the city and flows for 30 km towards the Pontine plain, forming the eponymous lake whose waters house a particular species of trout, imported from Africa thousands of years ago by the Romans. A 1,800 acre oasis was created around the nucleus of Ninfa in 1976 in order to protect the local fauna which includes 152 species of birds, including some raptors such as the Peregrine Falcon and the Barn Owl, and several species of wading birds such as...

The name Ninfa derives from a Roman temple built near the current garden and dedicated to the water deities.

Ninfa was part of a larger territory called Campagna and Marittima. In the 8th century it became part of the papal administration and had a strategic role due to its position on the foothill route or via pedemontana which connected Rome and Naples and was used by travellers during periods when the Via Appian was flooded.

From the 11th century the town of Ninfa was governed by various noble families such as the Conti di Tuscolo and the Frangipani, under whom the town’s architecture flourished and the economic and political importance of Ninfa grew:

in 1159 Cardinal Rolando Bandinelli was crowned Alexander III in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, the ruins of which are visible today.

In 1298 Benedetto Caetani, known as Pope Bonifacio VIII, bought Ninfa and other neighbouring territories for his nephew Pietro II Caetani, marking the beginning of the presence of the Caetani family in the Pontine region. The small feudal proprietors of Ninfa were persuaded to sell their holdings to the Caetani for 200,000...

I just saw a surprisingly low review where someone complained about the vegetation and that it is nothing special. And while that may be true, IT IS STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! My trip was several years ago but after this review I actually felt the need to chime in. I saw the garden in a TV documentary about gardening and was able to visit it years later. I find the entrance fee well worth it and I wish the tour had been longer or slower, giving me more time to take in the magic. It is so beautifully laid out between the ruins and the atmosphere is really special. And I am glad (and grateful to myself 😉) that I pre-booked two tickets so I could get in back to back. Once to take it all in and the second time to take pictures. And you know what? If I ever get the chance again to go there I will do the same. It is a wonderfully tranquil and peaceful place. Serene, really. And I can only thank the wonderful people who maintain it and am grateful that this beautiful piece of this world is open...