Villa Borghese is one of the most beautiful parks in Rome and Europe. With its 80 hectares of Italian-style gardens, world-famous Borghese Gallery and prestigious museums, it’s a must-see on any visit to Rome. This comprehensive guide explains how to visit it, how to get there, and what not to miss.
Villa Borghese is an 80-hectare municipal park located on the Pincio hill in the heart of Rome. Created in the 17th century by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the villa is much more than just a park: it’s a veritable open-air museum.
Location: Piazzale Scipione Borghese, 5, 00197 Roma RM, Italy Area: 80 hectares Main attractions :
Why it’s a must: Villa Borghese combines art, history and nature. The Borghese Gallery houses masterpieces by Italian and European masters. The gardens offer an ideal green break after a visit to the historic center.
Villa Borghese is well served by Roman transport. Here’s how to get there, depending on your point of departure.
Content: If you arrive at Fiumicino airport, the Leonardo Express train is the fastest and most economical way to reach Rome and Villa Borghese.
Full route :
Fare: €14 one way (Leonardo Express train) Timetable: Every 15-30 minutes, 6.23 a.m. to 11.42 p.m.
Step-by-step procedure :
Major advantage: No traffic jams, no stress, fixed fare, comfortable and economical.
Book your Leonardo Express train
It’s the fastest way to get to Rome from the city center.
Metro line A :
Price: €1.50 (single ticket) Opening hours: 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (midnight on Friday and Saturday)
From the main attractions :
Contents: Several bus routes serve Villa Borghese.
Main lines :
Fare: €1.50 (single ticket) Duration: 20-30 minutes depending on line and departure point Disadvantage: Possible traffic jams, less regular timetable than metro.
Estimated price :
Duration: 20-40 minutes depending on traffic conditions Advantage: Comfortable, door-to-door Disadvantage: Expensive, possible traffic jams
If you’re staying near Piazza di Spagna or Piazza del Popolo, Villa Borghese is within walking distance.
Distances :
Tip: Ideal for combining a visit to the historic center with a visit to the Villa Borghese.
Park (gardens): Open daily
Galerie Borghese: Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Contents: Park (gardens): Free Borghese Gallery: €13 (concessions: €11) Canonica Museum: €8 Bioparco Zoo: €16 (children: €12) Zoology Museum: €7
Contents: Why book? To preserve the works of art, the Borghese Gallery limits the number of visitors to 360 per day. Without a reservation, you may not be able to enter.
How to book :
Book 2-3 weeks in advance in high season.
High season: April to October
Low season: November to March
Best time: April-May or September-October (ideal climate, less crowded than in summer)
The Galleria Borghese is one of the most important private art collections in the world. Here are the major works.
Sculptures (Ground floor) :
Paintings (Floor) :
Length of visit: 2-3 hours
The gardens of Villa Borghese cover 80 hectares and offer a variety of landscapes.
Italian gardens :
English gardens :
Panoramic views :
Length of visit: 1-2 hours
Canonica Museum: Modern and contemporary sculptures (1 hour) Bioparco Zoo: Modern zoo with 700+ animals (2-3 hours) Civic Museum of Zoology: Naturalist collections (1 hour) Temples and chapels: Egyptian and Greek temples, Madonna chapel
Morning (9am-12pm): Fewer people, ideal light for photos Afternoon (2pm-5pm): More people, but cooler than in summer
Tip: arrive at 9 a.m. for the Borghese Gallery (opening), then explore the gardens in the afternoon.
Inside the park :
Nearby :
Tip: Bring water and snacks, as prices are high locally.
Morning: Colosseum → Roman Forum → Pantheon (4 hours) Afternoon: Metro line A → Villa Borghese (gardens) (2 hours) Evening: Piazza del Popolo → dinner
Morning: Borghese Gallery (9am reservation) (3 hours) Afternoon: Villa Borghese Gardens (1 hour) Evening: Trastevere (restaurants, authentic atmosphere) Trastevere (restaurants, authentic atmosphere)
Morning: Borghese Gallery (booking 9am) (3 hours) Afternoon: Metro → Vatican Museums (3 hours) Evening: St. Peter’s Basilica
| ATTRACTION | DURATION | RATE | RESERVATION | ACCESSIBILITY |
| Villa Borghese | 4-5h | 13€ (gallery) | Mandatory | Good |
| Uffizi Gallery (Florence) | 3-4h | 12€ | Recommended | Good |
| Vatican Museums | 4-5h | 17€ | Recommended | Good |
| Colosseum | 2-3h | 14€ | Recommended | Medium |
| Pantheon | 1-2h | Free | No | Good |
Answer: The gardens are free. The Borghese Gallery costs €13. Other museums have special rates.
Answer: Minimum 2-3 hours for gardens + gallery. Allow 4-5 hours for a complete visit.
Answer: Yes, absolutely. The gallery limits visitors to 360 per day. Without a reservation, you won’t be allowed in.
Answer: April-May or September-October. Ideal climate, less crowded than in summer, gardens in bloom.
Answer: The Borghese Gallery is accessible (elevator). The gardens are partially accessible (slopes, stairs).
Answer: Café Borghese and on-site kiosks. Tip: bring water and snacks (high prices).
Answer: Leonardo Express train (32 min) + metro line A (5 min) = 45 minutes total.
Answer: Not compulsory. Audioguide available at the Galerie (€5). Download a map of the gardens online.
Our tour begins in the magnificent Piazza di Siena, a very special green space in the center of Villa Borghese.
Indeed, it’s quite unusual for many tourists – and, admittedly, for many Romans – to have a real piazza right inside a park. But here again, Rome stands out for its difference, its surprises, its many secrets and, above all, for being full of mystery and beauty.
The square in question (Piazza di Siena) bears the name of the city of Siena and is very reminiscent of the Piazza del Campo in the Italian town of the same name. A very nice souvenir would be to take a photo of yourself with a wide-angle lens to visualize the charm of the park with a square inside.
Our tour begins in the magnificent Piazza di Siena, a very special green space in the center of Villa Borghese.
Indeed, it’s quite unusual for many tourists – and, admittedly, for many Romans – to have a real piazza right inside a park.
But here again, Rome stands out for its difference, its surprises, its many secrets and, above all, for being full of mystery and beauty.
The square in question (Piazza di Siena) bears the name of the city of Siena and is very reminiscent of the Piazza del Campo in the Italian town of the same name. A very nice souvenir would be to take a photo of yourself with a wide-angle lens to visualize the charm of the park with a square inside.
Splendid in its style, we said we were going to surprise you, didn’t we? And here we have an internationally renowned museum inside a park.
For the second time, we’re talking about something grand inside Villa Borghese. We find some of the works of : Bernini, Caravaggio, Canova, Raffello, Rubens!
Inside, you can appreciate the beauty of timeless classical art, such as the works of sculptor Bernini. Speaking of Bernini, don’t miss the Ecstasy of St. Teresa in the Cornaro Chapel, Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria.
However, we recommend that you book your visit via the following link Villa Borghese at least one week in advance. In other words, it’s best to book Villa Borghese tickets online in advance.
To organize your visit with Villa Borghese Tickets you must remember that :
An important stop on your visit to Villa Borghese. If you’re with your other half, you can take a romantic stroll and enjoy the beauty of this unique monument.
To see it up close, you can hire one of the small boats to sail on the Villa Borghese pond. It’s a truly important and meaningful experience, and for a small fee, you can surprise the person you love!
A really necessary stop on a visit to the Villa Borghese is this magnificent terrace.
This is the viewpoint that every tourist or Roman should visit to enjoy the wonders of the city. It overlooks Piazza del Popolo and Rome’s most beautiful buildings, and from a distance you can also see the dome of St. Peter’s.
It’s not hard to fall in love with Rome. Inside the Villa Borghese, you’ll find something you’ve never seen before: a water clock.
That’s right, it runs on water, built in 1867, surrounded by precious plants and flowers.
A spherical theater, built in 2003 on the initiative of artist and actor Gigi Proietti, artistic director until his death in 2020.
The children’s cinema. A true rarity, a beautiful cinema with just 63 seats and 70 square meters, a true Guinness World Record.
It’s a cinema dedicated to an audience of little ones. Seeing a film, however, is something very special: you can view the shows directly on their website and make a reservation.
My opinion of the visit:
The Villa Borghese can be admired and understood. It can be deciphered. The Gallery is fascinating. It’s neither pedantic nor intimidating. On the contrary, it’s a place where you can have a really good time, thanks to a variety of surprising works.
Staying with the theme of young people, inside Villa Borghese you can visit the Bioparco with children. The Bioparco is home to a wide range of animal species, the perfect place for the little ones to discover them and the older ones to enjoy.
On some online sites, you can buy a combination ticket that allows you to visit this attraction at the same time as, for example, the Galleria Borghese.
The choice is yours, depending on the time you have available.
As far as Bioparco prices are concerned, a full ticket for adults and children over 10 costs 19.00 euros. Children under one metre tall are free. For children over one metre tall and people over 65, a reduced-rate ticket is available, costing 16.00 euros.
Opening hours: 9.30am to 6pm all year round, and from March 26 to October 2 from 9.30am to 7pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays only.
In conclusion
We can say that by visiting Villa Borghese, you can enjoy a beauty that you may not see in other cities. After all, Rome is called “caput mundi” and including it in your trip will mean giving it a meaning of its own.
If you’re also a fan of fountains and monuments, you’ll find plenty of them, like the Fountain of the Sea Horses. You’ll also find busts of over 200 artists, poets and scientists, the most famous of which is dedicated to Dante.
