Borghese Gallery Small-Group Guided Tour

Built between 1609 and 1613, Galleria Borghese is one of the world's best collections of art. That's not hyperbole: sculptures by Bernini, paintings, by Caravaggio and Raphael and Titian... the list goes on. There's no better way to appreciate it than with a guide, bringing the masterpieces - and the story of their collection - to life.
If gargantuan museums like the Vatican and Louvre give you museum fatigue, you'll love your experience at the Galleria Borghese. Visits here come in two hour slots, and are limited to 360 people at a time. So it gets busy, but not sardine-full.
Cardinal Scipione Borghese was a prolific (and ruthless) art collector, and he wanted this villa to be worthy spot of his art collection. And it is: pink marble walls, frescoed ceilings - and even floor mosaics from the Colosseum - create a stunning backdrop for a truly remarkable collection of art.
Some of the many highlights include Canova's saucy semi-nude sculpture of Paolina Borghese (sister of Napoleon) casually reclining on a couch. Bernini's David and Apollo and Daphne , showcase the artist's gift for capturing action in stone. There's also many paintings from Renaissance bad-boy Caravaggio, including his Saint Jerome Writing , in which the saint appears to be using a human skull as a paperweight.
Other highlight canvases include Raphael’s Deposition and Titian's Sacred and Profane Love . Your allotted is just two hours, and seeing the collection with a guide will help you make the most of this opportunity; you won't just see the work, you'll come to understand the artists' intentions, and how they came to be in this lavish home. When your time is up, a walk in the Villa Borghese (the park that surrounds the gallery), will bring you gently back down to earth.