Villa Borghese, Rome

Located in the Villa Borghese, this huge park was once the home of Cardinal Borghese in the 17th century. The gallery houses a huge collection of paintings and marble sculptures, including pieces by Bernini and Caravaggio. Even if the works of art weren't there, this would still be a fascinating place to visit as the building is really beautiful. The floors are covered in every colour of marble and the walls and ceilings are richly decorated.

There is a sculpture garden out back and also a separate painting gallery.

When you buy your tickets, you are given a time to go in. You then have two hours to see the whole museum (we spent a leisurely 1 1/2 hours inside). Be sure when you buy the tickets, they are for a time that suits.

The museum is definitely a must see. The sculptures are on the lower floor and the paintings on the upper (except for the Caravaggios). Some of the masterpieces you can admire here are:

Gian Lorenzo Bernini: David, Apollo and Daphne, Pluto and Proserpina. Antonio Canova: Pauline Bonaparte. Caravaggio: David with the Head of Goliath, Madonna of the Palafrenieri, St John the Baptist in the desert. Raphael, The Deposition. Anton Van Dyck: Madonna of the Straw

Only 300 visitors at a time are permitted. Tours start every two hours and you'll be allowed two hours in the galleries. Visitors could only enter the upper floor every half hour and stay for only thirty minutes at a time.

Reservations are strongly recommended. Go to the museum's website and you will find a link to reserve. You can also reserve by phone (39 06 32810). Guided tours in English available on request (39 06 8555952) for a cost of E 5.00. Show up at the desk in the basement of the museum with your reservation number to claim your tickets. Tickets Euro 8.50 + E 2.00 for presale

09:00am - 7:00pm from Tuesdays to Sunday. Closed on Mondays.

Villa Borghese with the art gallery is situated in a big park, which is also Rome's most popular park. The whole park and the villa are property of the state since 1901. Everything used to be owned by Scipione Borghese who emploeyed many top lanscape designers to create impressive grounds with formal gardens, lakes, temples, and summerhouses. It's divided into different areas by avenues of trees, hedged walks, flower beds, and gravel paths.
Other things interesting to see in the park beside the Galleria Borghese are the zoo, amphiteathre, a lake, fountains and many sculptures and temples. The grounds are great to wander through and relax a bit on a hot day.

The queen of all private collection is housed in the Galleria Borghese. The ground floor contains some important classical statuary, intricate Roman floor mosaics and the daring sculpture of Paolina Bonaparte Borghese by Antonio Canova, which leaves little to the imagination. Howver the stars of the collections are Bernini's works. He made the Rape of Prosperine, where Pluto's hand presses into Prosperine's solid marble thigh. And my favourite is the sculpture of the Apollo and Daphne, which depicts the exact moment when the nymph Daphne is transformed into a lurel tree, her fingers becoming leaves and her toes turning into tree roots. You can also buy beautiful little posters of these two sculptures in the shop for only 4 euro's!!
The first floor houses many paintings by Carvaggio, Bellini, Botticelli, Raphael, Titian and Rubens among many many others.
A lengthy restoration took place in the early 1990's so the building is in top condition. Every room will have you say wow! The ceilings are very nicely done, which is an understatement ;-) and all the art is very good presented. There are many information leaflets in every room to describe what you are actually looking at.
It is advisable to buy tickets in advance for a certain time, since every two hours only 200 people are admitted into the Galleria.
Check out the website for more info on the most important works displayed in the Galleria.

Near Piazza del Popolo, this villa is an oasis for tourists, because the squares in Rome haven´t got any trees, and in this villa is full of wonderful and ancient trees and plants. You should have a lunch sitting on a bench. This villa is situated in a very high area, so, you can enjoy very nice views of Rome from there.-

Próxima a la Piazza del Popolo, es un oasis para los turistas, porque todas las plazas son secas – sin árboles – y esta villa es un parque, lleno de árboles y plantas donde se puede almorzar sentado en uno de sus bancos. Está en una zona muy alta, así que tiene varios miradores desde donde se pueden observar bellas vistas de Roma

You should really take time to visit this museum. It reopened a couple years ago after a 14-year restoration or some ridiculous length of time like that. It's most notable for its sculpture: many exquisite pieces by Bernini that you can hardly believe are marble, a famous female nude by Canova, and many others. The villa itself is lovely as well, and it's in the Borghese Gardens, which are pretty.

You generally have to make a reservation to go to this museum, either by phone or online.

This continues the artwork section of the last tip. In the middle of the Villa Borghese where you lose yourself amid charming fountains and statuary, you'll find this noble commemoration of Umberto I, the Italian king of the 19th century.

Touring the Villa Borghese will not only clear your mind of your overblown itinerary, but will rejuvenate you through a rustic setting just minutes away from the heart of Italy's busiest town. Some of my favorite sculptures anywhere in Europe were discovered during the few hours that I wandered through here. If actual museums better suit you, there is an important art gallery on the edge of the park. Otherwise, you need not look far to see some interesting works of European art with just the right touch of Italian flair.