In the heart of Villa Borghese, amid tree-lined avenues and gardens, stands a palace that houses one of Rome’s richest art collections. It is the Casino Nobile, now home to the Borghese Gallery: a journey through marble sculptures, paintings, and frescoes that comes to life with a guided tour, headphones included. Bernini, Caravaggio, and Raphael are just a few of the masters you’ll encounter along the tour.
5 November 2026 13:00 + more dates
Galleria Borghese
The palace commissioned by Cardinal Scipione
The history of the Gallery begins in the early 17th century, when Cardinal Scipione Borghese began construction of the villa and the Casino Nobile, designed to house his collection. Centuries later, in 1902, the government purchased the collection, the villa, and the park for 3.6 million lire.
To get an idea of the scale of the deal, during negotiations a private collector had offered 4 million lire for a single painting: Titian’s *Sacred and Profane Love*. This detail helps explain why the purchase of the estate and the artworks was dubbed “the deal of the century.”
Paolina Bonaparte, Venus for a Day
Among the most popular rooms is the one housing the statue of Paolina Borghese Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister. Carved in Carrara marble by Antonio Canova, Paolina lies reclined on a small sofa, bare-breasted, with an apple in her hand: she portrays Venus as the victor in the Judgment of Paris.
The work was commissioned by her husband, Prince Camillo Borghese. Canova created it between 1804 and 1808 and received 6,000 scudi. Rumors also spread that Paolina had posed nude for the sculptor; however, the Gallery clarifies that this is an idealized portrait, inspired by the figure of the goddess.
Bernini, Caravaggio, and Raphael, room after room
The guided tour takes you through sculptures and paintings, enriching the works with the stories and background details that accompany them. You can experience the dramatic tension of Bernini’s *Apollo and Daphne*, follow the chiaroscuro of Caravaggio’s paintings, and linger over Raphael’s *Deposition*. The Gallery also houses other famous works by these three artists, including Bernini’s *David* and Caravaggio’s *Madonna of the Grooms*.
The tour includes a guide and headphones for listening to the audio commentary. Sessions are offered in Italian and English; dates, times, and availability may vary.
Borghese Gallery: guided
tour 📍 Piazzale Scipione Borghese 5, Rome
🎟️ Tickets starting at 65 €
