The charm of the Garden of Ninfa is not only linked to its indisputable beauty, but also to its history. It was born as a small manor, a mandatory destination for all those who wanted to avoid pontine swamps infested with malaria. In 1297 it was bought by the Caetani family, which made it flourish for almost a century, until the arrival of Barbarossa who destroyed it in the 1382 and left it in oblivion for five hundred years. Only in the nineteenth century, thanks to the romantic travelers who fell in love with him, particularly Ferdinand Gregorovius, began to prosper again. Also during this time was appointed as the "Pompei of the Middle Ages."

And it is precisely at this moment that Ada Bootle Wilbraham, wife of Onoraro Caetani, and her children in particular Gelasio Caetani, give life to a true English style garden, cleaning and reclaiming it until it becomes a family residence. Then, along with his successors Roffredo Caetani and Margherite Chapin and his daughter Lelia, Ninfa was enriched with streams, waterfalls, flowers and architectural details that make it unique throughout the world. Today, the Ninfa Garden is a natural monument of the Lazio region and a natural oasis since 1976, protected by the Roffredo Caetani Foundation established by Lelia Caetani, the last descendant of the family.

The Garden of Ninfa covers an area of eight hectares and includes not only the garden but also a river, a small lake and a series of buildings of the ancient medieval city. Among these are the walls, a series of civil buildings, the 32-meter high Merlata Tower, part of the castle, the old town hall and five churches outside the walls of San Giovanni, San Biagio and San Pietro; and those within San Salvatore and Santa Maria Maggiore, whose part of the frescoes were removed in 1971 and is keep in the castle of  Caetani family in Sermoneta.

Inside the Garden of Ninfa there are more than 1300 plants from different parts of the world, including cherry trees, walnuts, maple willows and, thanks to the particularly mild climate, you can find tropical plants such as avocado, gunnera manicata and banana trees.

There are several places of interest to visit near the Ninfa Gardens, among which are:

• The medieval village of Sermoneta
• The abbey of Valvisciolo
• Bassiano
• The city of Cori
• The small town of Norma and its archaeological site

The Ninfa Garden is open to the public only on certain established dates and admission is regulated exclusively through guided tours, of approximately one hour, in order to preserve its delicate environmental balance. Here you can find schedule and opening of the garden. Both the groups and the individual visitors (individuals, couples, families, groups of less than 25 participants, ...) that visit the Garden of Ninfa will have to buy the ticket choosing the day and the time. Don't worry you can buy the ticket also the day of your arrivale, just check the opening days.

The cost of the visit is 15€ if purchased in the Garden and € 15.50 if purchased online,it's free for all children under 11 years of age. There is a 2€ supplement if you want also to visit Hortus conclusus.

To get to the Ninfa Garden by train, there are two alternatives:

• Arrive at the Latina Scalo station and from there take a taxi
• Arrive at Cisterna di Latina station and from there take a taxi

At the moment there are no bus shuttle available.

To get to the Ninfa Gardens from Rome, you must take the Pontina Regional Road (SR148) towards Latina and exit at Borgo Sabotino / Lido di Latina and continue towards Cisterna. Pass the first roundabout. At the second roundabout, continue straight following the signs for Via Appia (SS7). From here cross the Via Appia and continue straight following the indications to Ninfa, Norma and Bassiano.

To get to the Ninfa Gardens from Naples, you must take the A1 highway and exit at Frosinone, then follow the signs for Latina (SR156 - Via dei Monti Lepini) and continue straight until you cross Via Appia (SS7). Turn towards Rome and continue straight for about 18 km until km 57.600 and follow the signs for Ninfa, Norma and Bassiano.