Borghese Gallery: a practical guide for your visit

More Borghese Gallery guides

• Borghese in 2 hoursA route for the Borghese Gallery's 2-hour slot: Bernini, Caravaggio, Canova and the picture gallery, with timings and tips so you don't run out of time.
• Tickets and hoursBorghese Gallery hours, ticket prices, free days and booking: when tickets are released, the best slot to avoid crowds and what to do if it is sold out.
• Must-see worksThe 11 works you cannot miss at the Borghese Gallery: Bernini, Caravaggio, Canova, Raphael and Titian, with where to find them and why they matter.
• With kidsHow to visit the Borghese Gallery with children: a 60 to 90 minute route, works kids enjoy, free entry for under-18s and practical family tips.

Why the Borghese Gallery is a must

It is Rome's most intimate museum and one of the most striking in Europe. In the early 17th century Cardinal Scipione Borghese filled his pleasure villa with an extraordinary collection: sculptures by Bernini (Apollo and Daphne, The Rape of Proserpina, David), six paintings by Caravaggio, works by Raphael and Titian, and Canova's famous Pauline Bonaparte. Because numbers are capped, you can actually see the rooms in peace, which is impossible at the Vatican.

How booking works

• No reservation, no entry. Buy through the museum's official channels; tickets go on sale weeks ahead and sell out in high season.
• Free tickets also need a reservation (and the €2 fee). They are released about 10 days ahead and there are no last-minute tickets on free days.
• Arrive 20 to 30 minutes before your slot to collect your ticket and leave large bags in the cloakroom; late arrivals risk being refused.
• The museum states there is no faster skip-the-line option, since entry is capped. Be wary of overpriced resellers.

Ground floor and upper floor

The ground floor holds the sculpture: Bernini, Canova and the Caravaggios. The picture gallery is upstairs, with Raphael, Titian, Correggio and Bellini. Two hours is just enough for both, so decide before you go in how long you will give each floor. To understand any work without renting an audio guide, scan it with AnyArt and hear its story.

Getting there

The gallery sits inside Villa Borghese. From the Spanish Steps it is a 20 to 25 minute walk across the Pincio, or take the metro to Spagna or Flaminio and stroll through the park. Leave time to wander the gardens afterwards.