Borghese Gallery and Gardens: Private Half-Day Walking TourPrivate Tour

Admire the beauty of the Borghese Gallery and the Villa Borghese Gardens, and discover the work of some of the greatest painters and sculptors in the world on this private half-day walking tour.

This experience is on request only. Please contact us for pricing.

Things to know

Duration:

3 hrs

Categories:

Art, City Highlights, First Time Visitor, History, Museums and Galleries

Private Tour:

You and our own professional guide. 100% exclusive

Transport Mode:

Walking tour: no transportation is included

What's included:

A friendly, professional English-Speaking tour guide for your own private group, Plenty of time to take photos of your favourite places, Borghese Gallery admission tickets

What's not included:

Hotel pick up/drop off, Food and drink, Gratuities
Meeting points: Your guide will meet you in front of the Borghese Gallery and Museum ticket office (outside the main building at the bottom of the stairs), Piazzale Scipione Borghese, 5, 00197 Roma RM, Italy

What makes this tour special

Embark on a private half-day walking tour of the Borghese Gallery, a gem of Baroque art including masterpieces by Bernini, Caravaggio, Titian and Raphael, and explore the Villa Borghese Gardens, one of the most popular attractions in Rome with a fascinating history.

On your private half-day tour you will:


Formerly the private villa of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew to Pope Paul V, who commissioned it in 1609, the Galleria Borghese remained the private property of the Borghese family until the Italian state purchased it at the beginning of the twentieth century in 1902, insisting that it should be open to the public.

Cardinal Scipione (1577-1633) was a great patron of the arts. A magpie-like collector of all that glittered, he also had a keen eye for up-and-coming talent. He spotted the young Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) in his father, Pietro Bernini’s workshop, and commissioned his first marble sculptures – now world famed for their exceptional quality: Aeneus Escaping Troy – or the Three Stages of Man, the mesmerising Rape of Persephone, the astonishing Apollo and Daphne, and Bernini's very different version of the young David taking on Goliath. These statues, sculpted when Bernini was in his early twenties, launched him into the stratosphere of fame, and he became to the Baroque what Michelangelo had been to the Renaissance.

Scipione commissioned the architect Flamino Ponzio to design a grand villa in 1609. It was to be a party villa for visiting diplomats, and filled like Aladdin’s Cave, with treasures from Antiquity (you’ll see amazing 3rd-century mosaics of Gladiatorial combat on the floor in the grand entrance, and colossal 2nd-century busts of goddesses and Roman emperors as you enter) as well as the best art and sculpture of the day.

Successive Borghese family members have only added to the lavishness over the centuries – not least Napoleon Bonaparte’s sister Paulina Borghese, who is sculpted as the alluring Venus Victrix by Canova. The villa is covered in floor-to-ceiling frescoes, and all twenty rooms are filled with priceless antiquities and world-famous art by some of the greatest maestros of all time - Bernini, Titian, Raphael, Domenichino, Perugino, Correggio... and not to mention an entire room dedicated to Caravaggio.

Your guide will regale you with the political stories behind the art, the coded messages, the lives and secrets of the artists and the conquests and scandals of the Borghese family too.

After the tour of the gallery, a strictly timed two-hour visit, you will have a short break to refresh or browse the gift shop, before setting off to explore the sumptuous gardens and park, dotted with umbrella pine trees, picturesque fountains and statues of famous literary, political and artistic figures through the ages.

Your guide will lead you to the Pincio Terrace, next to the Villa Medici (a great spot for a refreshing aperitif cocktail or coffee) and where the tour ends overlooking the beautiful Piazza del Popolo, with a panoramic view over the Eternal City.

What you'll see

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Flexible cancellation

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FAQ

QWill there be other people on the tour or is it just us?
AAll of our tours are 100% private and exclusive, which means that it will just be you, your group and your guide on the tour.
Your tour will be completely tailored to your needs and we will make sure to find a guide that best suits your group.
QAre entrance tickets and transport included in the cost of the tour?
AIn the ‘Things to Know’ section at the top of this page you will find details of whatever entrance tickets and transport are included in the tour. If you have any questions about this, then you can either use the chat button in the bottom right hand corner, send an email to or call 1-212-710-1322 (US) or +44 20 3009 2392 (UK).
QWhat is your cancellation policy?
AOn tours cancelled more than 48 hours before the scheduled departure time, we are happy to offer our customers a full refund - minus a 5% credit card fee and the cost of any tickets that have been purchased.
For tours cancelled less than 48 hours before the scheduled departure time, we are unfortunately unable to offer refunds. If you would like to reschedule a tour, this is usually possible if we are given enough notice, but we cannot guarantee the same guide.
Changes made to bookings may be subject to rebooking fees to cover the cost of tickets purchased, transport, guide rescheduling and administration.
To cancel or change your booking, please contact us at or call 1-212-710-1322 (US) or +44 20 3009 2392 (UK).
QWho do I contact if I have any questions about this tour or if I want to make changes to my tour?
AAt Travel Curious, we provide a free concierge service to help you plan your time abroad and they will be able to answer any questions you may have about this tour or any other tours. We are normally able to customise or personalise tours to suit your needs.
Please do get in touch by either using the chat button in the bottom right hand corner, sending an email to or calling 1-212-710-1322 (US) or +44 20 3009 2392 (UK).
QAm I able to book more than one tour?
AAbsolutely, you can book as many tours as you like! You can add them to your cart by clicking the ‘Book Now’ button or you can get in touch and we can put together an itinerary for you. To get in touch, you can either use the chat button in the bottom right hand corner, send an email to or call 1-212-710-1322 (US) or +44 20 3009 2392 (UK).
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