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Villa Borghese Tour: Discover Art in a 17th Century Palace
4.7
154 Ratings
Roma
Discover Villa Borghese’s masterpieces on a 2.5-hour guided tour. Avoid crowds, explore 20 rooms, and experience art as it was meant to be seen.
Duration:
2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Galleria Borghese - Imagine a palace that was specifically built to house amazing works of art. Its twenty rooms are treasure troves of visual splendor: every wall holds a masterpiece, every pedestal supports exquisitely carved marble, and even the ceilings sing with divine frescoes. Well, you don’t have to imagine it because this is a description of the Galleria Borghese, Rome’s most exclusive and intimate art museum. Built in the 17th century by Cardinal Scipione Borghese specifically to house his magnificent art collection, it was once only open to royals and visiting dignitaries. Today, it lets in groups at two-hour intervals (with pre-reserved tickets) to ensure that its 20 rooms of masterpieces are never overcrowded.
What's Included
- Pre-reserved, all-inclusive Borghese Gallery Tickets
- Small groups of 15 people or less
- Expert, English-Speaking guide
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
Additional Information
Experience an exclusive 2.5 hour journey through the Villa Borghese, a unique art museum unmatched in its category. Rather than attempting an all-encompassing range like the Louvre, this 17th-century palace boasts a carefully selected collection of the very best. This tour provides the perfect opportunity for those wanting to evade large crowd and appreciate astonishing art in its intended form. Within the 2.5 hours, walk through the 20 rooms of the villa, each housing unparalleled masterpieces to admire.
- Please note that the second floor of the Borghese Gallery is not wheelchair accessible.
- The tour meeting time is 15 minutes prior to the start time. No refunds or re-bookings can be provided for late arrivals or no shows after tour commencement or departure.
- The Borghese museum does not allow any bags, purses into the galleries. All such items must be checked before entering the museum, which your guide will help you with upon arrival.
- Walks / Devour complies with all local government regulations. Please refer to local government guidelines for the most up-to-date information.
Location
Borghese Gallery and Museum
Piazzale Scipione Borghese
Directly in front of the Galleria Borghese's double staircase, in the little piazza.The easiest way to reach this is by taxi, but it is also walkable from the top of the Spanish Steps, taking the Metro stop "Spagna," ascending the staircase, taking a left, then following the signs through the park towards the Galleria. This is about a 20 minute walk.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(154 Ratings)
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John_m
Jul 29, 2024
Our tour guide was... - Our tour guide was exceptional. She was knowledgeable, responsive to questions and professional. We were truly educated.
Review provided by Viator
Manyechoes
Jul 29, 2024
Perfect Guide and Perfect Tour! - The guide was fantastic! I believe her name was Elizabeth and she was an archeologist. She was so knowledgeable and passionate about the art. She moved smoothly through the space, accounting for everyone and sharing her love of this amazing museum and its priceless gorgeous collection. A great must see experience with a fabulous fantastic guide!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jmonagh
Jul 25, 2024
Amazing art and history presented in a compelling manner. - Emily D. gave a fantastic tour of the Borghese Gallery. She was knowledgeable about the art and also the history of the family and politics. My family enjoyed this tour tremendous ly, especially my 9 yo son.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amykg9666sh
Jul 25, 2024
Tour like a local with expert knowledge with Walks of Italy - Emily is a phenomenal guide, very interactive, engaging and clearly excited about the artwork she is sharing with us. I thoroughly enjoyed the 2+ hr tour, it went by so quickly. There were visitors ranging from kids to grandparents in my group and Emily was sure to include each of us. I was particularly impressed that she remembered our names after only sharing it once. I have already recommended Walks to friends of mine who are visiting Rome in the fall. I will not book with any other group because I know I will not have a better experience with any other guides. The groups are small so you don't feel like you are among a massive tour group. I did the day trip from Rome to Tuscany with Walks 6 years ago and am happy to report the quality has remained true this many years later.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_s
Jul 15, 2024
In depth tour of the Borghese Gallery - Excellent tour with a very knowledgeable and engaging tour guide. Terrific explanations of the art pieces with historical insight on how and the pieces were commissioned.
Review provided by Viator
Marilyn_s
Jul 11, 2024
Lifetime memory - Seeing the Bernini sculptures were a lifetime memory i will always have! Our tour guide was amazing and personal. So informative and really knew what he was talking about.
Review provided by Viator
Tara_w
May 24, 2024
Amazing artwork in beautiful museum in the park - The Borghese museum houses an amazing collection of sculptures and, usually, paintings. For now, the 2nd floor is closed for renovation but you can see the paintings in an alternate museum for an extra 5 Euro.
We were amazed to see the Bernini sculptures in person and the tour guide was excellent. She ensured that we saw all of the major artwork and understood the style of each artist.
We are already talking about visiting the museum again.
The only challenge is that the app and voucher stated that we had to exchange our voucher for tickets at the counter and the guide was not at the appointed site at the time requested. She came shortly afterwards and she had our tickets so that made it very easy. Just the instructions were a little confusing.
Review provided by Viator
Bethany
May 22, 2024
Fabulous tour! - Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and interesting. We were very pleased with the tour of the Borghese Gallery and highly recommend it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Holly_w
Jun 17, 2024
Learning more about... - Learning more about sculpture art than I knew in the past. Our guide Laura was a last minute substitute guide and did a wonderful job sharing her love for art.
Review provided by Viator
Pwfelmly
Jun 30, 2024
Disappointed - we booked the guided tour through the borghese gallery in February 2024 with the company TIQUETS. several days before our departure for Rome, we were notified that our tour was canceled. Refund of our tickets, not given until I requested it. We had also booked a golf cart tour through the Borghese Gardens through the same company. When we arrived at the designated time for our tour, we found out that this tour had also been canceled. I am most unhappy at the unprofessional nature of this company. It is most disappointing that we were in Rome for only 2 days and this occurred on the second day of our trip. In the several trips we’ve had to Rome this is one sight that i have not visited and i was terribly disappointed. next time i will book directly through the gallery.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
