Villa Borghese, Rome: All Year

Villa Borghese - A dreamlike escape from the city's hustle and bustle right in the centre of Rome!

Villa Borghese, originally a vineyard, was turned into and park by Pope Paul V's nephew, Scipione Borghese, in 1605. It is modelled on English manor garden style landscaping, but with a neoclassical Italian flare.

The park remained in possession of the Borghese family until 1903, when the city of Rome obtained ownership and converted the park into a public space.

Today the cool escape from the hot sun of the city offers wide tree-covered paths, museums, an outdoor cinema, cafés, pony rides, a zoo, beautiful walking trails, just to mention a few attractions.

The park also has a replica of Shakespeare's globe theatre; many Italians believe that Shakespeare was actually an Italian himself as so many of his plays were set in Italy, and had an accurate understanding of Italian culture in his writing.

Following up the hill from viale Esculapio there is the beautiful man-made laghetto di Borghese, where you can rent a rowing boat and see the many tortoises that live in the waters. You will also see the grand tempio di Esculapio, dedicated to Aesculapius, the god of healing.

Over the hill and just to to North of the lake is the modern art gallery, filled with primarily Italian artwork from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Elsewhere in the park you can visit the Galleria Borghese which has the Bernini masterpiece Abduction of Proserpina by Pluto amongst world famous paintings by Titian, Reubens, and Raphael.

For one of the best views of Rome's skyline, head to Terrazza del Pincio, west from the Spanish steps. There you'll see optical illusion that is the San Pietro dome, the further you are from it the larger it seems.

If you happen to be a cinema-goer, you can opt for an iconic Italian movie, played in the open air at the Casa del Cinema in the centre of the park. Or perhaps you are more into wildlife; tucked away in a secluded corner of the park is a vast zoological garden, il Bioparco, home to animals from every continent.

Places to Stay:

Hotels on TripAdvisor

Homes on Airbnb

Villa Borghese, Rome: All Year
Villa Borghese, Rome: All Year
Villa Borghese, Rome: All Year
Villa Borghese, Rome: All Year
Villa Borghese, Rome: All Year
Villa Borghese, Rome: All Year

Opening Hours

Monday:
Closed
Tuesday:
09:00 - 19:00
Wednesday:
09:00 - 19:00
Thursday:
09:00 - 19:00
Friday:
09:00 - 19:00
Saturday:
09:00 - 19:00
Sunday:
09:00 - 19:00
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