Villa Borghese

The basics

Pop into a museum, take a pedal boat around the lake, or go for a walk among Villa Borghese’s many ornate fountains—the choice is yours. There’s a lot of ground to cover, so a great way to see the whole park is by renting a bike or a quadricycle if you’re with a group.

Borghese Gallery tours typically meet in the park, giving you a chance to explore the green space before entering the museum. Tours on wheels for combining the park with other top Rome attractions—hop on a golf cart, Vespa, or e-bike and see Villa Borghese, Piazza Navona, the Colosseum, and more in one afternoon.

Things to know before you go

• Villa Borghese is on a hill and most entrances require walking up several steps or a steep street.

• There’s a public restroom on the south side of the park near the Casa del Cinema movie theater.

• Several kiosks throughout the park sell snacks, sandwiches, and drinks.

• The park’s best viewpoint, Terrazza del Pincio, overlooks Piazza del Popolo and the Vatican in the distance.

• Though you can avoid stairs when moving to and within the park, wheelchair and stroller access is limited due to uneven gravel roads.

How to get there

Villa Borghese has several entrances. To walk there from Rome’s historic center, head 10 minutes up the steep Viale Gabriele D’Annunzio from Piazza Spagna, and you’ll end up at the Terrazza del Pincio entrance. The closest subway stops, Flaminio and Spagna on Line A, are just outside Villa Borghese, while several buses stop in the middle of the park.

When to get there

The park is open daily from dawn to dusk and makes for a lovely walk no matter the time of year. The flora, from lilacs to magnolias, is at its best in the springtime from April–May, when crowds are minimal and daytime temperatures are more comfortable.

The best museums in Villa Borghese

Not one but six museums are in Villa Borghese. Start with Galleria Borghese, where the marble walls and art-covered ceilings are nearly as impressive as works by Caravaggio, Bernini, and Raphael. The National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art (Galleria Nazionale D’Arte Moderna E Contemporanea) boasts pieces by Klimt and Van Gogh, while the National Etruscan Museum spotlights masterpieces from as far back as 600 BC. For something different, check out the five million specimens at the Civic Museum of Zoology.