Villa Borghese
Villa Borghese
4.5
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & LandmarksArchitectural Buildings
About
These lavish 17th-century gardens on Pincian Hill is one of the largest urban parks in Rome and the perfect place for appreciating Roman art amidst landscaped greenery. Built on a former vineyard, Villa Borghese now houses Galleria Borghese, one of the top art galleries in the world, along with sculptures and fountains littered throughout the park. Don't miss the spectacular views of Rome near the Popolo Piazza entrance too. The gardens are lovely for a stroll, though a bicycle or golf cart tour will let you cover its extensive grounds more quickly. – Tripadvisor
Duration: 2-3 hours
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How to get there
- Flaminio - Piazza del Popolo • 4 min walk
- Spagna • 8 min walk
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See what travellers are saying
- Karim MaaroufCairo, Egypt949 contributionsBeautiful GardensVery large gardens. You can easily spend a couple of hours exploring them or rent a bike to ride around. The gallery also houses some interesting artefacts. Worth a visit, especially to escape the crowds in Rome.Visited August 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 7 October 2023
- Emma SBasildon, United Kingdom200 contributionsBeautiful and quiet part of the cityWe loved it here! After the hustle and bustle and busyness of the city it was nice to find some peace and quiet amongst art and nature. Be prepared, you have to walk up some steps to get up there but it is a stop on the Big Bus tours and I’m sure other buses stop off there. Lots of parakeets and other birds to see and I was quite happy in the little cafe trying to photograph them. It’s quite a big site and you can hire bikes to have a look about but it’s quite nice to have a walkabout and explore and lots of trees so plenty of shade. Beautiful in Autumn! The gallery here sells out quickly so if you want to go in, pre book in advance.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 15 October 2023
- Mary Jane E33 contributionsPerfect two hours at the Borghese GalleriesThe Borghese Gallery wisely requires a reservation which limits the number of people entering at any time. This you never feel crowded or uncomfortable. The Villa with its painted ceilings and marble decor is fabulous but it is filled with great art also. Roman sculpture but also Bernini, Caravaggio, Titian, and now there is a marvelous exhibit of work done by Rubens during his time in Italy. We had a bite in their lovely cafe. Also purchased the English audio guide which I recommend. Great museum!Visited November 2023Travelled with familyWritten 26 November 2023
- Nancy JTirana, Albania33 contributionsTreasure trove of high quality art from floor to ceiling covered with paintings and filled with marvelous sculptures.Actually visited 2013 with 4 children 7 - 16. Absolutely fabulous, compact mansion. Everything from ceiling to floor is art, and the rooms are filled with classic paintings and sculptures. A treasure trove for the artist and art historian.Visited April 2023Travelled with familyWritten 7 December 2023
- Agathe L2 contributionsgood experience but...The Villa Borghese was splendid ! Me and my friends went there a few times during our holidays, to relax, read a book on a bench drained by the sun and we even used the miniboats on the lake which was a really fun and relaxed activity. However, among all of those great things, we unfortunalety havn't been able to visit the Gallery Borghese ! There was too many people and we should have booked the visit weeks ago. So, if you want an advice : don't hesiate to book your tickets in advance !Visited August 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 27 February 2024
- Luke MManchester, United Kingdom9 contributionsVery nice, great views, a good day out and plenty to offer. Highly recommendThis park was very nice the views were incredible, the park itself was amazing. The park offers a lot to do with a Zoo, food, gallery’s small attractions, lakes and boats Me and my partner spent hours here and still only explored half of the park. I would highly recommend hiring some form of transport which the part offers Caddies, bikes, manual carts etc. this way you can see everything 1 must do is the boat rides around the lake this is really peaceful and a good experience to have. It was 5 Euros per person for 20minutes which is fairly priced. The queue can get big but I would still recommend doing this. It’s very good to do with a partner and/or family. Overall we loved our time at this park and would happily go again. Next time we would hire transport to get around more as the park is very big and has a lot to do.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 31 March 2024
- CazzaWestMidsThe Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, United Kingdom687 contributionsStunningAmazing park and area to get away from all the noise and crowds in Rome. Beautiful with a lovely small lake where you can take a boat out. Really close to many attractions in central Rome.Visited April 2024Travelled with familyWritten 5 April 2024
- HarrietNottingham, United Kingdom406 contributionsHighly recommendA truly lovely spot in the Rome. Whilst it is still busy, it feels significantly less so than the rest of the city because it is such a vast area. You can have a peaceful walk around and see lots of nature. Definitely recommend going here!Visited August 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 10 April 2024
- Donna BGladwyne, Pennsylvania433 contributionsA Break from The Historic Sites of the CityVilla Borghese is the Rome equivalent of Central Park in NYC - a green space in the midst of a busy city. There is a zoo, museums, and boat rides on a small lake. If you don't feel like walking, you rent vehicles but we just walked around and did not pay to visit any of the sites. There are limited options for food so you may want to bring a picnic lunch. We visited on a Sunday afternoon when there were many Roman families enjoying a day in the park.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 30 April 2024
- slippeddisc2,328 contributionsLovely relaxing parkBeautiful park and a lovely little lake with swimming terrapins. A nice place to get away from the craziness of the city. I sat for an hour or so reading my book which was lovely. Lots of the park is currently fenced off so you can't access it. I'm not sure why, maybe Jubilee related?Visited May 2024Travelled soloWritten 14 May 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
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inthecityintherain
Los Angeles, CA1,627 contributions
Aug 2019
Limited occupancy and mandatory reservations set this amazing museum apart from the others. You are afforded the bliss of being alone in a room with the works of Bernini, Canova, and Caravaggio. The collection is remarkable and well-spaced. The gardens are a delight to meander through when finished visiting the museum.
Written 15 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
William P
2 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
Please be careful to have all your booking information in order for your entry into the villa when you arrive as its security is tighter than a bank vault!!!!! And the staff have an attitude match.
We made our reservation online via the overly complicated booking website that also requires an extra €2 charge for the pleasure of trying to navigate its labyrinth-like system, but was an “unmissable experience when visiting Rome” so I decided to attempt to buy two tickets.
When we arrived at the villa we passed a line of angry-looking ladies and gentlemen being refused entry at the door” the museum is full no booking no entry” was the cry from the guards on the door. Oh well feeling very smug with myself I presented my tickets and was allowed in and directed to the main ticket desk where we join a small cue to check in at the desk, true to the theme of our visit another group of angry looking visitors were being loudly dismissed from the desk ” the museum is full no booking no entry”. Now secure in the knowledge I had a reservation I confidently presented my booking email to the lady behind the desk and she begins to prepare our tickets, it's at this moment disaster strikes!!!! Hang on a moment you have only booked one ticket not two!! No I protest Im sure I booked two tickets ” the museum is full no booking no entry”. And this was Indeed the case the lady angrily pointed to the posters plastered all over the desk explaining this in many languages and we were sent packing and spent the rest of our time grumpily strolling around the beautiful grounds.
Now please don't interpret this as a letter of complaint as the lady said I had made the mistake of only booking a ticket even though my reservation said (tickets) itdid Indeed only state 1 ticket at the bottom of the very long email confirmation and this is meant as a warning to future visitors, please double check your bookings before arriving.
And to the powers that be at the Borghese museum please could you make the ticket system easier as I wasn't the only visitor that day to be denied the opportunity of enjoying one of the world's greatest collections of art.
We made our reservation online via the overly complicated booking website that also requires an extra €2 charge for the pleasure of trying to navigate its labyrinth-like system, but was an “unmissable experience when visiting Rome” so I decided to attempt to buy two tickets.
When we arrived at the villa we passed a line of angry-looking ladies and gentlemen being refused entry at the door” the museum is full no booking no entry” was the cry from the guards on the door. Oh well feeling very smug with myself I presented my tickets and was allowed in and directed to the main ticket desk where we join a small cue to check in at the desk, true to the theme of our visit another group of angry looking visitors were being loudly dismissed from the desk ” the museum is full no booking no entry”. Now secure in the knowledge I had a reservation I confidently presented my booking email to the lady behind the desk and she begins to prepare our tickets, it's at this moment disaster strikes!!!! Hang on a moment you have only booked one ticket not two!! No I protest Im sure I booked two tickets ” the museum is full no booking no entry”. And this was Indeed the case the lady angrily pointed to the posters plastered all over the desk explaining this in many languages and we were sent packing and spent the rest of our time grumpily strolling around the beautiful grounds.
Now please don't interpret this as a letter of complaint as the lady said I had made the mistake of only booking a ticket even though my reservation said (tickets) itdid Indeed only state 1 ticket at the bottom of the very long email confirmation and this is meant as a warning to future visitors, please double check your bookings before arriving.
And to the powers that be at the Borghese museum please could you make the ticket system easier as I wasn't the only visitor that day to be denied the opportunity of enjoying one of the world's greatest collections of art.
Written 29 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deb
London, UK153 contributions
Nov 2022
Visited Villa Borghese today- we booked direct on their website and paid for an English guided tour - 15 euros entrance plus 10 euros guided tour. Ludovica is an Art Historian who spoke easy to understand English with a sense of humour bringing everything to life. Having a guide means spending more time with the Berninis, Titians etc - all the must sees! This is not to be missed.
It was a small group of about 12 people. Essential to book tickets in advance.
All bags larger than 7 inches and all umbrellas must be put into bag check room.
It was a small group of about 12 people. Essential to book tickets in advance.
All bags larger than 7 inches and all umbrellas must be put into bag check room.
Written 16 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vanessa P
Calgary, Canada1,461 contributions
Jul 2022
If you want to scape the city, then Villa Borghese is a great option. From the Popolo piazza you can hike up on foot or rent a scooter or a second option would be go up on the Spanish (Spagna) steps. Then to your right going up.
At the Popolo Piazza entrance you have a view point of the entire city (as it is one of the highest points in Rome). I imagine that at the end of the day the lights of the city must make is show on it is own. We were there around mid-day.
We found that even the area been green and at all it shows a lack of care. Very sad as it is a historical and important park in Rome. If you can or don't want to walk too much (it is a huge park) you can rent a golf cart for 15 Euros an hour. We were able to do the park driving around in 1 hour. If you stop a lot then 2 hours is enough.
At the Popolo Piazza entrance you have a view point of the entire city (as it is one of the highest points in Rome). I imagine that at the end of the day the lights of the city must make is show on it is own. We were there around mid-day.
We found that even the area been green and at all it shows a lack of care. Very sad as it is a historical and important park in Rome. If you can or don't want to walk too much (it is a huge park) you can rent a golf cart for 15 Euros an hour. We were able to do the park driving around in 1 hour. If you stop a lot then 2 hours is enough.
Written 22 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
windytravel79
Budapest, Hungary1,332 contributions
Oct 2019
As I know it was the place of pope's villas. Now it is a very big park full of ruins and other attractions. It is very good for outdoor activities inside the city. During the summer the grass is dried but in the fall it is nice.
There is a small lake at the middle with boats which you can rent and paddle.
There is a small lake at the middle with boats which you can rent and paddle.
Written 16 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Luke M
Manchester, UK9 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
This park was very nice the views were incredible, the park itself was amazing. The park offers a lot to do with a Zoo, food, gallery’s small attractions, lakes and boats
Me and my partner spent hours here and still only explored half of the park. I would highly recommend hiring some form of transport which the part offers Caddies, bikes, manual carts etc. this way you can see everything
1 must do is the boat rides around the lake this is really peaceful and a good experience to have. It was 5 Euros per person for 20minutes which is fairly priced. The queue can get big but I would still recommend doing this. It’s very good to do with a partner and/or family.
Overall we loved our time at this park and would happily go again. Next time we would hire transport to get around more as the park is very big and has a lot to do.
Me and my partner spent hours here and still only explored half of the park. I would highly recommend hiring some form of transport which the part offers Caddies, bikes, manual carts etc. this way you can see everything
1 must do is the boat rides around the lake this is really peaceful and a good experience to have. It was 5 Euros per person for 20minutes which is fairly priced. The queue can get big but I would still recommend doing this. It’s very good to do with a partner and/or family.
Overall we loved our time at this park and would happily go again. Next time we would hire transport to get around more as the park is very big and has a lot to do.
Written 31 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim D
Norwich, UK94 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Lovely huge park with plenty to see and many interesting statues. Makes a wonderful break from the busier sites in Rome. While nice to stroll around, it can be hard to navigate as the maps aren't very detailed and sometimes missing the "You Are Here" marker.
While free to enter, you do have to pay to access things like the zoo and Galleria Borghese. Be warned that the gallery only allows entrance to a limited number of people per day, so arrive early to avoid disappointment.
While free to enter, you do have to pay to access things like the zoo and Galleria Borghese. Be warned that the gallery only allows entrance to a limited number of people per day, so arrive early to avoid disappointment.
Written 13 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fearless48259759852
2 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Unfortunately, all tickets for guided tours are sold out a month in advance. There are no tickets available either online or on site. The official price is listed on the website, but in fact visitors are forced to book tours that are twice as expensive in order to go into the gallery.
Written 28 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Noraatc
Sudbury, MA39,982 contributions
Dec 2019
Villa Borghese is the park I always return to when I visit Rome. It is huge in size (190 acres) and spectacular at every corner of it. Gorgeous alleys, meadows, green pine groves, the lake, the fountains of all styles, and numerous monuments to famous people... everything is delightful. The jewel in the park is the Borghese family palazzo, home to the most wonderful paintings and masterpieces of sculpture (think the best of Bernini!).
You can walk on the Villa Borghese alley for hours and in any weather... light rain makes it even more romantic.
The park is a treat both for kids and dogs, cyclists and walkers, old and young. This ageless treasure of Rome is such a soothing spot to relax from busy sightseeing in the Eternal City. It is never too crowded and always spectacular.
You can walk on the Villa Borghese alley for hours and in any weather... light rain makes it even more romantic.
The park is a treat both for kids and dogs, cyclists and walkers, old and young. This ageless treasure of Rome is such a soothing spot to relax from busy sightseeing in the Eternal City. It is never too crowded and always spectacular.
Written 18 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shellwoodward
Solihull, UK95 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We visited Rome over Christmas and as our hotel was close to this park we decided to visit and we were pleased to have done.
The park has many wonderful features from museums to a zoo with plenty to see and do such as bike hire and rowing.
The park has amazing views over the city.
A must
The park has many wonderful features from museums to a zoo with plenty to see and do such as bike hire and rowing.
The park has amazing views over the city.
A must
Written 3 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Does the little Dotto land train still operate in the park? Most of the references to it I can find online are pre-2020 so I'm wondering if it is operating again post-Covid. To be clear I know it's an enjoyable place to walk and that there are golf carts etc too but we like to 'collect' a little road train trip everywhere we go and this is the only one I've come across reference to in Rome.
Written 17 June 2024
Hi im a little late on the reply, but when we went in March the train was operating. But this could also be weather dependant
Written 12 October 2024
Salve, qualcuno sa se è consentito fare un pic nic sul prato di Villa Borghese per festeggiare un compleanno, nel tardo pomeriggio/sera?
Written 20 April 2024
I'd like to know if you get a driver in the boat or if we have to row ourselves.
Written 29 September 2022
Unfortunately you have to row yourselves. Do some muscles :)
Written 23 October 2022
Is the entry to the park itself free?
Written 17 July 2022
Yes. It’s like the. Central Park of Rome. Free to enter. Wander around. Hike. Run. Etc. There are row boats which cost money. Or carriage rides etc.
Written 18 July 2022
We will visiting Borghese gardens in May. What are some restaurants, cafes within easy walking distance?
Written 11 February 2022
It Is a very great park, It depends on the side you will be visiting. One of the main entrance Is not fare from the very famous via Veneto, the dolce vita street.
Written 12 February 2022
Buongiorno
I cani di piccola taglia sono ammessi ?
Written 4 November 2021
Invece di dirmi grazie avresti potuto darmi un giudizio positivo anziché negativo.... grazie a te eh.....
Written 9 November 2021
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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