This fabulous garden can be visited for free in the heart of Rome (it is located in a charming villa from the 1900s)

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If you are a garden lover, we reveal a place in the center of Rome. You won’t even have to pay to visit it. We are talking about the wonderful garden of the Swiss Institute of Rome, at Via Ludovisi 48, near the Barberini stop of the Metro A.

In the striking Villa Maraini, an eclectic-style architectural jewel dating back to 1905, exhibitions and cultural events are held periodically, and during these events you can immerse yourself in the beauty of nature. There are many parks in Rome that almost everyone knows about, so for once it is nice to explore a little-known place.

The facility is open to the public for tours and exhibitions mainly from Wednesday to Sunday, with specific hours dedicated to admission to the exhibition halls. Admission is generally free, and for some guided tours, reservations are required for a fee of 5 euros.

The Swiss Institute has been active since 1947 and is committed to artistic and scientific research. It offers residency programs to emerging artists and researchers who wish to contribute to the future of visual and performing arts, literature, architecture, humanities, social and natural sciences.

The Swiss Institute’s exhibitions in Rome

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The Institute frequently features contemporary art exhibitions and group shows, with a focus on Swiss cultural, artistic and scientific themes. It currently hosts projects such as “how we always survived,” the first monographic exhibition of Pauline Boudry, Renate Lorenz in Italy. From 17/10/2025 to 1/02/2026.

Boudry / Lorenz’s multidisciplinary practice includes sculpture, performance, choreography, music and film, often together in immersive installations that challenge the conventions of both the white cube and the black box. The exhibition includes new commissions alongside existing works, harmonized within a timed installation that winds through the villa’s rooms.

The villa and its gardens also provide a particularly evocative setting for cultural events and interdisciplinary encounters, bringing the Swiss tradition into dialogue with the Roman art scene.