Palazzo Farnese
Rome, Italy
Villa Farnesina, Rome
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Photo: C messier, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Ticket
- ≈ €12
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Usually Mon–Sat; some Sundays
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Highlights
- Raphael's Galatea, the Cupid and Psyche loggia, the Hall of Perspectives
- Garden
- A small citrus garden by the Tiber, included
- Time needed
- ≈ 1 hour
- Location
- Via della Lungara 230; 5 minutes from Ponte Sisto
Key facts
1506–1510built by Baldassare Peruzzi for Agostino Chigi
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English Wikipediac. 1512Raphael painted the Triumph of Galatea
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English Wikipedia1517–1518Raphael's workshop frescoed the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche
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English WikipediaPeruzzipainted the illusionistic Hall of Perspectives
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English WikipediaFarnesethe family bought it in 1579 — hence the name
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English WikipediaRaphael's frescoes
In the Galatea room is Raphael's Triumph of Galatea (about 1512): the sea nymph races over the waves on a shell drawn by dolphins, surrounded by tritons, nereids and arrow-wielding cupids — a model of High Renaissance harmony. The ceiling maps the stars on the day of Chigi's birth.
The Loggia of Cupid and Psyche was painted by Raphael's workshop in 1517–1518 from his designs, with Giulio Romano and Giovanni da Udine at work. The ceiling is framed as a pergola of flowers and fruit — botanists count more than 160 species — with the story of Cupid and Psyche played out between the garlands. Once open to the garden, it made banquets feel like they were under a living arbour.
A banker's pleasure villa
Baldassare Peruzzi built the villa in 1506–1510 for Agostino Chigi, the Sienese banker who financed popes and was the richest man in Rome. It was a riverside retreat for feasts, its garden running to the water. Legend says guests tossed silver dishes into the Tiber after dinner — while servants quietly netted them back.
In 1579 the Farnese family, who owned the great palace across the river, bought it — hence 'Farnesina', the little Farnese. Today it belongs to the state and the Accademia dei Lincei, the world's oldest scientific academy.
The Hall of Perspectives
Upstairs, Peruzzi himself painted the Hall of Perspectives: painted colonnades open onto views of 16th-century Rome — houses, gates and countryside. Stand in the middle of the room and the illusion that the walls dissolve is perfect. Next door, the bedroom has Sodoma's Wedding of Alexander and Roxana.
Chigi and his artists
Chigi was a lavish patron, commissioning Raphael, Peruzzi, Sebastiano del Piombo and Sodoma. Beside Raphael's Galatea hangs Sebastiano's Polyphemus, the lovesick Cyclops gazing across at her. Legend says Chigi even moved Raphael's beloved into the villa so the painter would keep working — whatever the truth, these are among his most joyful frescoes.
What to see
- Triumph of Galatea — Raphael, ground floor.
- Loggia of Cupid and Psyche — garlands and myth.
- Astrological ceiling — in the Galatea room.
- Hall of Perspectives — Peruzzi, upstairs.
- Wedding of Alexander and Roxana — Sodoma, Chigi's bedroom.
- The garden — citrus trees by the Tiber.
How to get there
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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
- Palazzo Farnese is about 9 min away on foot.
- Campo de' Fiori is about 11 min away on foot.
- Santa Maria in Trastevere is about 8 min away on foot.
More tips
- From Campo de' Fiori, over Ponte Sisto — 10 minutes.
- From central Trastevere, 7–10 minutes along Via della Lungara.
- Buses 23 and 280 to Lungotevere della Farnesina.
- From St Peter's, 20 minutes' walk along the Tiber.
Is Villa Farnesina worth it?
Yes, for Raphael lovers: here you can study his frescoes up close and in peace, without the Vatican crowds. The villa is small, an hour is enough, and the garden and quiet Via della Lungara are a break from busy Trastevere. Check the hours before you go — it isn't open every day and closes earlier than most museums.
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 | 26 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castel Sant'Angelo | 57 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €15–20 | 18 min walk |
| Domus Aurea | 49 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26 | 40 min walk |
| Ara Pacis | 47 | 1 h | ≈ €13–15 | 27 min walk |
| San Luigi dei Francesi | 47 | 20 min | Free | 15 min walk |
| Galleria Borghese | 45 | 2 h | ≈ €18 | 3.1 km |
| Vatican Museums | 44 | 3 h | ≈ €25 | 31 min walk |
| Capitoline Museums | 43 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ €15–19.50 | 22 min walk |
| Baths of Diocletian | 42 | 1 h | Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12 | 2.7 km |
| Galleria Doria Pamphilj | 39 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €16–18 | 21 min walk |
| Palazzo Farnese | 39 | 1 h 15 min | Paid, booking only | 5 min walk |
| Imperial Fora | 38 | 1 h | Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15 | 26 min walk |
| Villa Farnesinayou are here | 37 | 1 h | ≈ €12 | — |
| Palazzo Barberini | 37 | 2 h | ≈ €15 | 37 min walk |
| Palazzo Massimo | 34 | 2 h | ≈ €10–12 combined ticket | 2.7 km |
| MAXXI | 32 | 2 h | ≈ €12–15 | 3.8 km |
| Ostia Antica | 31 | 3 h | ≈ €12–18 | 21.5 km |
Trastevere in half a day
Santa Maria in Trastevere and the lanes around it, Villa Farnesina with Raphael's frescoes, then up to Bramante's Tempietto on the Janiculum slope.
- Trastevere2 h · Free
- 7 min walk from the previous stopSanta Maria in Trastevere30 min · Free
- 9 min walk from the previous stopVilla Farnesinayou are here1 h · ≈ €12
- 9 min walk from the previous stopTempietto20 min · Free
4 places · about 4 h 15 min with walks · 25 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Raphael up close, without crowds.
- Over 160 plant species hide in the loggia garlands.
- Not open every day — check the hours.
- Palazzo Corsini is across the street.
Questions
How much is Villa Farnesina?
About €12.
When is Villa Farnesina open?
Usually Monday to Saturday, with selected Sundays; check the official site.
What is there to see?
Raphael's Triumph of Galatea, the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche, Peruzzi's Hall of Perspectives and Sodoma's frescoes.
Where is Villa Farnesina?
Via della Lungara 230 in Trastevere, 5 minutes from Ponte Sisto.
Who built it?
Baldassare Peruzzi, in 1506–1510, for the banker Agostino Chigi.
How long do you need?
About an hour.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei: Villa Farnesina
- English Wikipedia, Villa Farnesina and The Triumph of Galatea
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