# Villa Borghese Gardens, Rome > Villa Borghese is central Rome's great park — about 80 hectares of gardens, avenues and fountains on the hill above the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo. It's free and open from dawn to dusk. Inside are the Borghese Gallery, a boating lake with a little temple, the zoo and the Pincio terrace; allow 1.5–2 hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/villa-borghese - City: [Rome](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome), Italy - YesGo score: 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Opening hours: Dawn to dusk - Rowing boats: Hire by the Temple of Aesculapius - Bikes and rickshaws: Rental at the gates and on the Pincio - Borghese Gallery: Booking only, ≈ €18 - Location: Above the Spanish Steps; Metro A Spagna or Flaminio - Coordinates: 41.91365, 12.48510 - Facts checked: 10.11.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 80 ha** — one of the largest parks in Rome (source: English Wikipedia) - **17th century** — gardens laid out for Cardinal Scipione Borghese (source: English Wikipedia) - **1903** — the city bought the villa and opened it as a public park (source: English Wikipedia) - **1786** — the Temple of Aesculapius was built on the lake island (source: English Wikipedia) - **1911** — the zoo opened — today's Bioparco (source: English Wikipedia) ## Things to do in Villa Borghese The easiest way to cover the park is to **hire a bike, e-scooter or a four-wheeled pedal rickshaw** for two to four people — rentals stand by the main gates and on the Pincio. On the **lake**, you can row your own boat around the Temple of Aesculapius, usually for 20 minutes. Children love the **Bioparco** zoo, the carousels and the puppet theatre near the Pincio. In summer the **Silvano Toti Globe Theatre** stages Shakespeare in Italian, and the Casa del Cinema runs open-air screenings. ## A short history Villa Borghese is a park, not a single building. In the early 1600s **Cardinal Scipione Borghese** turned vineyards on the Pincian Hill into gardens for entertaining and for his art collection, housed in the casino that is now the [Borghese Gallery](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/galleria-borghese). In the 18th century the grounds were relandscaped in the English style, with a lake, pavilions and fountains. In **1903** the city bought the villa from the Borghese family and opened it to everyone. Today it's where Romans run, picnic and stroll — some **80 hectares** of avenues, lawns, umbrella pines and fountains right above the historic centre. ## What to see - **The lake and Temple of Aesculapius** — an Ionic temple from 1786 on an island, with rowing boats. - **Borghese Gallery** — Bernini, Canova and Caravaggio; booking only. - **Pincio terrace** — the viewpoint over Piazza del Popolo, the centre's best sunset. - **Piazza di Siena** — an oval lawn ringed by pines, used for show jumping. - **Globe Theatre** — a wooden replica of Shakespeare's playhouse, summer performances. - **Bioparco** — Rome's zoo, on the park's northern edge. - **National Gallery of Modern Art** and **Villa Giulia**'s Etruscan museum — just beyond the north side. > **The best way in** Climb the Spanish Steps, walk past Villa Medici along Viale della Trinità dei Monti to the Pincio terrace, then cross the little bridge into the park proper. Come back down to Piazza del Popolo. ## How to get to Villa Borghese 1. Metro line A to **Spagna**, then up the Spanish Steps and along to the Pincio, 10–15 minutes. 2. Metro line A to **Flaminio**, through Porta del Popolo and up to the Pincio. 3. Trams 2, 3 and 19 stop by the Bioparco and Villa Giulia on the north side. 4. Buses 61, 89, 160 and 910 stop near the Borghese Gallery on the east side. ## Best time to visit **Late afternoon** is lovely: it's cool under the pines, and by sunset everyone gathers on the [Pincio](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/pincio). Mornings belong to joggers, weekend afternoons to families. Wisteria and roses bloom in spring, and the plane trees turn gold in autumn. ## Is Villa Borghese worth it? Yes — on a hot day, or whenever you need a break from stone and crowds, it's a free, green and very Roman escape. Pair it with the Borghese Gallery, the [Spanish Steps](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/spanish-steps) and [Piazza del Popolo](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/piazza-del-popolo). Even an hour's walk to the Pincio is worth it. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Book the Borghese Gallery if you want to go in - [ ] Rent a bike or rickshaw at the gate - [ ] Row a boat by the Temple of Aesculapius - [ ] Be on the Pincio for sunset - [ ] Bring water and a picnic ## Rome's parks and gardens: compare and choose Parks and gardens in Rome rated by YesGo. - [Circus Maximus](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/circus-maximus) — YesGo score 63/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Villa Borghese](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/villa-borghese) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Baths of Caracalla](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/baths-of-caracalla) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ €8 - [Galleria Borghese](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/galleria-borghese) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ €18 - [Pincio](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/pincio) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free - [Aventine Keyhole](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/aventine-keyhole) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [EUR District](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/eur) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free - [Villa Medici](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/villa-medici) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Paid, scheduled tours - [Villa Farnesina](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/villa-farnesina) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ €12 - [Villa d'Este](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/villa-deste) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ €15 ## 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. 1. [Galleria Borghese](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/galleria-borghese) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ €18 2. [Villa Borghese](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/villa-borghese) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free 3. [Pincio](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/pincio) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free 4. [Piazza del Popolo](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/piazza-del-popolo) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free ## Don't mix it up Villa Borghese is the park; the Borghese Gallery is the museum inside it and requires booking. You don't need a ticket to walk in the gardens. ## Tips - The park is free; only rentals and museums charge. - Sunset belongs to the Pincio terrace. - Twenty minutes in a rowing boat by the temple is pure joy. - A four-seat rickshaw is great fun with kids. ## Questions ### Is Villa Borghese free? Yes, the gardens are free; the gallery, zoo and rentals charge. ### Do you need tickets for Villa Borghese? Not for the park; the Borghese Gallery needs a booking. ### What is there to do in Villa Borghese? Row on the lake, cycle the avenues, visit the gallery and zoo, and watch sunset from the Pincio. ### How do I get to Villa Borghese? Metro line A to Spagna or Flaminio, then walk up to the Pincio. ### Can you rent bikes in Villa Borghese? Yes, bikes, e-scooters and pedal rickshaws at the main gates and on the Pincio. ### What are the opening hours? The park is open from dawn to dusk. ### How long do you need? 1.5–2 hours for a walk, half a day with the gallery. ## How we checked History, size and attractions from English Wikipedia and Roma Capitale. Boat and bike rental prices weren't confirmed at the time of checking — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - Roma Capitale: Villa Borghese - English Wikipedia, Villa Borghese gardens --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.