Villa Borghese, Rome: The Park Around the Gallery
Updated October 27, 2026
Villa Borghese is a public park of about 80 hectares in Rome, laid out from 1605 for Cardinal Scipione Borghese on former vineyards, and open to everyone since 1903. It is free and, according to Rome's heritage office (Sovrintendenza Capitolina), always open. The Borghese Gallery is the cardinal's villa inside it, on the park's eastern side: the only part you need a timed ticket for. Around it are the lake with the Temple of Aesculapius, the oval of Piazza di Siena, the Pincio terrace over Piazza del Popolo, a zoo and several museums. Most visitors pair a two-hour gallery slot with an hour or two in the park.
What Villa Borghese is
Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, began turning a vineyard outside Porta Pinciana into gardens in 1605, and built his villa there from 1607. From the late 18th century Marcantonio IV Borghese had the architects Antonio and Mario Asprucci reshape the grounds as a landscape garden. The Italian state bought the whole complex in 1901; in 1903 the park was handed to the City of Rome and opened to the public. The villa itself is now the Borghese Gallery (Galleria Borghese), a state museum.
Gates, and how it joins the Pincio
The Sovrintendenza lists nine main gates. The one nearest the gallery is on Via Pinciana, with the bus stop "Pinciana/Museo Borghese". On the west side, the monumental gate on Piazzale Flaminio is beside Flaminio metro (line A), and the Pincio terrace above Piazza del Popolo has been joined to the park by a bridge over Viale del Muro Torto since 1908. From the Spanish Steps you can walk up past Villa Medici to the Pincio.
- East — Via Pinciana (two gates), Piazzale San Paolo del Brasile
- North — Via Aldrovandi, Via Raimondi (two gates), Piazzale Cervantes, Piazzale Pablo Picasso (Via di Valle Giulia)
- West — Piazzale Flaminio; and the Pincio, from Piazza del Popolo or the Spanish Steps
The lake and the Temple of Aesculapius
The Giardino del Lago was redesigned in 1786 by Antonio Asprucci around a small artificial lake. On its island stands the Ionic Temple of Aesculapius, built between 1785 and 1792, which the Sovrintendenza says is reached by short boat trips. The lake is about 1.1 km from the gallery, around 14 minutes on foot. A booked rowing-boat session with a photographer is one of the products this site lists.
Piazza di Siena, fountains and statues
Piazza di Siena is the grassy oval arena laid out during the Asprucci works. Its first horse show was held in 1922, and it hosted the jumping events of the 1960 Rome Olympics. It is about 630 m from the gallery. Closer still, about 350 m away, is the 18th-century Fontana dei Cavalli Marini (Fountain of the Sea Horses). The replica Globe Theatre (2003) stands near Piazza di Siena.
Views and photos
The best-known view in the park is from the Pincio terrace, over Piazza del Popolo and west across the city skyline. It is about 1.4 km from the gallery, around 19 minutes on foot. The lake and temple are the other classic photo; the rowing-boat session includes 30–50 photos taken from the shore.
Pairing the park with your gallery slot
Your slot lasts two hours and entry is only at the start of the hour, so walk the park after the visit, not before. Leave bigger bags at your hotel: bags over 21 x 15 cm go in the gallery's cloakroom. A morning slot leaves time for the lake and the Pincio before lunch; the 5 pm slot ends at 7 pm, in time for a summer sunset on the Pincio. If you want both with a guide, the gallery and gardens tour covers the collection and the park in 2.5 hours, from $60, rated 4.7 from 2,885 reviews of this tour on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
- With kids — Bioparco zoo (about 8 min on foot from the gallery), rowing boats, and the Casino di Raffaello play centre.
- Art lovers — Villa Giulia (Etruscan museum) and the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna on the park's northern edge.
- On wheels — A 2.5-hour guided e-bike ride of the park, from $67.
Villa Borghese on the Sovrintendenza Capitolina siteBorghese Gallery official siteVilla Borghese on Wikipedia
Frequently asked questions
Is Villa Borghese free?
Yes. The park is free and listed by the Sovrintendenza as always open. Only the Borghese Gallery and the park's other museums, the zoo and paid activities charge.
What is the difference between Villa Borghese and Galleria Borghese?
Villa Borghese is the public park. Galleria Borghese (the Borghese Gallery) is the museum in Cardinal Scipione Borghese's former villa inside it, entered by booked two-hour slot.
Who owns Villa Borghese?
The Italian state bought it in 1901. Since 1903 the park has belonged to the City of Rome; the gallery is a state museum.
How big is Villa Borghese?
About 80 hectares, according to the Sovrintendenza Capitolina and Wikipedia.
Where do I enter Villa Borghese for the gallery?
Use the Via Pinciana gates: the Pinciana/Museo Borghese bus stop is about 200 m from the gallery.
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