Private UNESCO World Heritage Tour

These tours cover the original University and Lawn area, and they begin in the Lower East Oval Room of the Rotunda The Rotunda at the University of Virginia was designed by Thomas Jefferson as the architectural and academic heart of the University’s community of scholars. He named the University’s original buildings the “Academical Village.” As the phrase suggests, the Academical Village is based on the Jeffersonian principle that learning is a lifelong process, and that interaction between faculty and students is vital to the pursuit of knowledge. Jefferson modeled the Rotunda after the Pantheon, a second-century temple in Rome. Construction began in 1822 and was completed in 1828, two years after Jefferson’s death on July 4, 1826. Built at a cost of almost $60,000, it was the last structure to be finished on the Lawn. Together with Monticello, the Academical Village is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

You'll find the gift shop here, as well as the Monticello Farm Table restaurant which serves local, sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine—including dishes made with seasonal fruits and vegetables grown in the Monticello gardens. Here you will catch the shuttle that takes you to Monticello. The David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center and Smith Education Center serve as the 21st-century gateway to Jefferson's timeless Monticello, with multiple components that transform the visitor experience by preparing guests for their trips to the historic mountaintop through dynamic content presenting fresh perspectives on Monticello and the enduring significance of Jefferson's life and ideas.

Your 45-minute guided tour includes first floor spaces in Thomas Jefferson’s home, the West Lawn, and the South Wing. You’ll learn about Jefferson and his vision for America, the realities of slavery on the Monticello plantation, and the mountaintop’s iconic architecture. Your Highlights Tour pass includes access to the gardens, grounds, walking tours, family-friendly activities, and exhibits.

Jefferson Vineyards will be the last stop of your tour, only if time remains after visiting Monticello. At Jefferson Vineyards we offer our guests a wine experience just down the road from Monticello. Guests can enjoy a glass of award-winning wine or sample a seasonal wine flight. There is outdoor seating and a large grassy hillside for picnicking. Indoor seating is limited. Thomas Jefferson and Philip Mazzei chose the very same site when they grew grapes here almost 250 years ago. Back then, our estate was the site of Virginia's first wine company. With our present operation, we have bridged the origins of winemaking by introducing quality modern viticulture and winemaking practices to Virginia, helping realize Jefferson’s dream.