Villa Borghese, best tours and attractions

The third largest park after Villa Doria Pamphili and Villa Ada, Villa Borghese is one of the more renowned green spaces of Rome as well as one of the most popular parks among the locals. The Villa houses the beautiful Borghese Gallery and Museum, where you can find a permanent exhibition of major works by Bernini and Caravaggio. Be sure not to miss great works such as "Apollo and Daphne" by Bernini, the sensual "Paolina Borghese" by Canova and "Sacred and Profane Love" by Titian. Among the masterpieces on display, you will note the "Portrait of Young Woman with Unicorn" by Raphael, the "Prize of Diana" by Domenichino, the "Madonna and Child" by Botticelli and "David with the Head of Goliath" by Caravaggio.

Villa Borghese also houses the Carlo Bilotti Museum (Orangery of Villa Borghese Museum), with works by De Chirico, Severini and Warhol, and the home and studio of the sculptor Pietro Canonica. These two civic museums offer free admission all year.

Villa Borghese offers many other gems, such as the popular "Bioparco" zoo, that attracts thousands of visitors every year, and the Silvano Toti Globe Theatre - the only Elizabethan theater in Italy that offers a rich program of Shakespeare works every summer.

Enjoy the park with kids at the toy library "Casina Raffaello," and relive the history of cinema at the "Casa del Cinema." Relax on a boat ride on the lake, and, if you happen to be here on May, don't miss the horse show in the Piazza di Siena.