Hadrian & Antinous: Villa Adriana, In Search of Forbidden Love

On this tour of Villa Adriana we will explore Hadrian’s imperial residence in a different way compared to traditional guided visits. Instead of a focus purely on chronology or architecture, we will retrace the story of Emperor Hadrian from the early years of his reign to the final, tragic chapter of his relationship with Antinous.

This is a story of love, imperial power, loss and memory, still alive through history and imagination. The narrative will be inspired by Marguerite Yourcenar’s Memoirs of Hadrian, together with my bachelor’s thesis dedicated to Antinous and his symbolic legacy.

By blending archaeology, history, poetry and theatrical storytelling, the tour offers a dynamic yet accessible experience, not physically demanding, allowing us to immerse ourselves in Imperial Rome from a more intimate perspective.

Rather than focusing only on political or architectural grandeur, we will highlight the artistic, poetic and emotional dimension of Hadrian’s world—often overlooked, yet essential to understanding the human depth behind one of Rome’s most fascinating emperors.