Borghese Gallery: Bernini, Caravaggio and Raphael Masterpieces - Rome

When in Rome, one cannot miss out on the Borghese Gallery, a museum that houses a very important art collection including works by Bernini, Caravaggio, Canova and Raphael. A professional local guide will illustrate the Gallery and its elegant, sophisticated and even regal interior and exterior spaces. The underlying sculptures and paintings in the building come from the private collection of cardinal Scipione Borghese (1579 - 1633), an art collector and patron, son of Ortensia Borghese, pope Paul V’s sister. The cardinal’s attention was directed to all Renaissance and contemporary art expressions, but wasn’t really into medieval art. Thus, his ambitions favored sculptures and marble groups whose high standards rivalled those of ancient art. Pauline Bonaparte as Venus Victrix, sculpted by Canova between 1805 and 1808, has been here since 1838.

In 1807 Camillo Borghese gave Napoleon 154 statues, 160 busts, 170 bas reliefs, 30 columns and a number of other objects that now make for a Borghese-derived Louvre catalog. Bernini’s artworks (Apollo and Daphne, The rape of Proserpina, David, to name just a few) have a prominent position in the gallery’s spaces on the first floor, too - so much so that one cannot but remain literally entranced by them. The collection of paintings is also very compelling: pictures by Caravaggio, Titian, Correggio and Raphael are displayed on the second floor among many others.

Tickets to the Gallery must be booked well in advance, but we take care of it! By booking this tour, access is secured and you won’t have to pay anything at check-in. The tour also includes hotel pick-up. From any centrally located hotel, we’ll reach the museum together with no stress by private minivan. A version without pick-up is an option (the tour will start at a meeting point).

When the tour is over, we suggest lingering outside in Villa Borghese, the huge public garden where the Gallery is located. Everyone finds a walk along the villa’s tree-flanked promenades very relaxing. The Pincio terrace is a twenty-minute walk, this being one of Rome’s hills. From here one can enjoy wonderful views not only over Piazza del Popolo right below and the Prati district, but also St Peter’s Dome, the Gianicolo, the Quirinale, Piazza Venezia as well as the Capitol hill. The outlook from the Pincio is really one of a kind!