Villa Borghese
Rome, Italy
Borghese Gallery, Rome
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Photo: Blackcat, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Ticket
- ≈ €18 (€16 + €2 booking), 2-hour slot
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Tue–Sun 9:00–19:00, slots every 2 hours
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 2 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Booking
- Required — on the official site, 2–4 weeks ahead
- Closed
- Mondays
- Bags
- All but tiny bags go in the free, compulsory cloakroom
- Location
- Villa Borghese park; 20 minutes' walk from Spagna metro
Key facts
1613–1616the villa was built for Cardinal Scipione Borghese
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English WikipediaBerniniApollo and Daphne, the Rape of Proserpina and David are all here
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English Wikipedia6 paintingsby Caravaggio — one of his largest collections
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English Wikipedia1805–1808Canova carved Pauline Borghese as Venus Victrix
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English Wikipedia1902the Italian state bought the villa and collection
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English Wikipedia2 hoursthe length of every visiting slot
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Galleria Borghese official websiteBorghese Gallery tickets and booking
You can't get in without a booking: numbers are capped and entry runs in slots every two hours. Tickets cost about €18 — €16 plus a €2 booking fee — according to 2026 guides. Book on the gallery's official website; spring, summer and weekend slots go 2–4 weeks ahead.
Collect your ticket at the basement desk and check your bags 30 minutes before your slot. On the first Sunday of the month entry is free, but still by booking, and those slots vanish within hours.
What to see
The star attractions are Bernini's sculptures, made for the cardinal in the 1620s. In Apollo and Daphne the nymph turns into a laurel before your eyes — leaves sprouting from her fingers, roots from her toes. In The Rape of Proserpina, Pluto's fingers sink into marble thigh as if into flesh. David is caught mid-throw, with Bernini's own face.
Nearby reclines Canova's Pauline Borghese, Napoleon's sister as Venus on a marble couch. Upstairs, the Pinacoteca holds Raphael's Deposition, Titian's Sacred and Profane Love and six Caravaggios, including Boy with a Basket of Fruit and Sick Bacchus.
Masterpieces room by room
- Apollo and Daphne (Bernini) — ground floor, Room III.
- The Rape of Proserpina (Bernini) — Room IV, Hall of the Emperors.
- David (Bernini) — Room II.
- Pauline Borghese (Canova) — Room I.
- Caravaggio paintings — Room VIII.
- The Deposition (Raphael) — Pinacoteca, first floor.
- Sacred and Profane Love (Titian) — Pinacoteca.
How to get to the Borghese Gallery
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Villa Borghese is about 10 min away on foot.
- Villa Medici is about 22 min away on foot.
- Pincio is about 18 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro line A to Spagna, then a 20-minute signposted walk through the park.
- Buses 61, 89, 160 or 910 to the Pinciana / Museo Borghese stop.
- From the Pincio, 15–20 minutes across the Villa Borghese gardens.
- The ticket desk and cloakroom are in the basement, under the main staircase.
How long and when to go
Every visit lasts two hours — enough to see everything properly. The quietest slots are the first at 9:00 and the last of the day. It's closed on Mondays. Build in time for the Villa Borghese gardens before or after: the lake and the Pincio terrace are a short walk away.
Is the Borghese Gallery worth it?
Emphatically yes — arguably Rome's finest small museum: only twenty rooms, but packed with works people cross the world to see. The capped numbers make it far calmer than the Vatican. Just book early.
Before you go
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Rome's museums: compare and choose
Museums in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Sistine Chapel | 64 | 30 min | Vatican Museums ticket ≈ €25 | 3.4 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castel Sant'Angelo | 57 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €15–20 | 43 min walk |
| Domus Aurea | 49 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26 | 44 min walk |
| Ara Pacis | 47 | 1 h | ≈ €13–15 | 28 min walk |
| San Luigi dei Francesi | 47 | 20 min | Free | 38 min walk |
| Galleria Borgheseyou are here | 45 | 2 h | ≈ €18 | — |
| Vatican Museums | 44 | 3 h | ≈ €25 | 3.2 km |
| Capitoline Museums | 43 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ €15–19.50 | 43 min walk |
| Baths of Diocletian | 42 | 1 h | Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12 | 24 min walk |
| Galleria Doria Pamphilj | 39 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €16–18 | 36 min walk |
| Palazzo Farnese | 39 | 1 h 15 min | Paid, booking only | 2.8 km |
| Imperial Fora | 38 | 1 h | Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15 | 39 min walk |
| Palazzo Barberini | 37 | 2 h | ≈ €15 | 21 min walk |
| Villa Farnesina | 37 | 1 h | ≈ €12 | 3.1 km |
| Palazzo Massimo | 34 | 2 h | ≈ €10–12 combined ticket | 26 min walk |
| MAXXI | 32 | 2 h | ≈ €12–15 | 45 min walk |
| Ostia Antica | 31 | 3 h | ≈ €12–18 | 24.6 km |
Villa Borghese and the Pincio
The Borghese Gallery on a morning slot, a walk through the park, sunset on the Pincio terrace and down to Piazza del Popolo.
- Galleria Borgheseyou are here2 h · ≈ €18
- 10 min walk from the previous stopVilla Borghese1 h 30 min · Free
- 9 min walk from the previous stopPincio40 min · Free
- 5 min walk from the previous stopPiazza del Popolo30 min · Free
4 places · about 5 h 4 min with walks · 24 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Booking is compulsory — 2–4 weeks ahead.
- Start with the Pinacoteca to dodge the Bernini crowd.
- Staff clear the rooms exactly at two hours.
- Closed on Mondays.
Questions
How much are Borghese Gallery tickets?
About €18 — €16 entry plus €2 booking, according to 2026 guides.
Do I need to book the Borghese Gallery?
Yes, always — entry is by timed reservation only.
What are the opening hours?
Tuesday–Sunday 9:00–19:00, with slots every 2 hours; closed Monday.
How long can you stay in the Borghese Gallery?
Two hours per slot.
What are the must-sees?
Bernini's Apollo and Daphne, Rape of Proserpina and David, Canova's Pauline, and works by Caravaggio, Raphael and Titian.
How many Caravaggios are in the Borghese Gallery?
Six, including Boy with a Basket of Fruit and Sick Bacchus.
Can I bring a backpack?
No — backpacks and larger bags go in the free cloakroom.
Where is the Borghese Gallery?
In the Villa Borghese park, about 20 minutes' walk from Spagna metro.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Galleria Borghese official website (Italian Ministry of Culture)
- English Wikipedia, Galleria Borghese
- 2026 guides: visitrome.com, artvisitguide.com
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