BORGHESE GALLERY TOUR with an ART HISTORIAN

• Visit the Borghese Gallery with an Art Historian •

The Borghese gallery is a beautiful example of the taste in art the wealthy Roman’s habit of collecting during the XVII Century. Even if you are familiar with the park as a place for Sunday picnics or if you’re curious about the casino, don’t think twice about adding this tour to your list!
This tour is a unique experience to visit this magical gallery with an enthusiastic and expert art historian.
Welcome to Casino Borghese: this grand house built for Cardinal Scipione Borghese was modelled on the style of a villa from classical Rome and to house the Cardinal’s outstanding, original collection of paintings, antiquities and statues.
The great treasures of this collection are, among many others, paintings by Caravaggio, Raphael, Correggio and Titian and  sculptures by Bernini and Canova, gathered in an enchanting backdrop.
Our tour of the Borghese Gallery with a licensed and local Art Historian will reveal all the secrets of Cardinal Scipione obsession for art!

Who are the artists you’ll discover in the Borghese Gallery Tour?

Take a few hours to admire some of what  makes Rome magic. Our expert guide will walk with you through chambers ornamented with the rarest materials and filled with art works of dazzling quality: Renaissance, Baroque and modern works all in one place.
Cardinal Scipione was the nephew of Pope Paul V, collector of many works of ancient, Renaissance and contemporary art so he acquired both ancient sculptures and promoted the creation of new ones to rival the ancient works.
You will admire this astonishing collection of paintings: among the hundreds of canvases you’ll find Caravaggio‘s “Boy with a Basket of Fruit” and “David with the Head of Goliath“, Raphael’s “Deposition“, Titian‘s “Sacred and Profane Love“.
Last but not least there is Paolina Borghese, reclined upon a sumptuous couch among dozens of statues both by contemporary artists of Cardinal Scipione’s  century, such as Bernini, and ancient Roman sculptures. The world famous “Apollo and Daphne” by Gianlorenzo Bernini will come to life for you thanks to our passionate, expert guides and you will ask yourself whether Daphne was turned into a laurel tree too soon or too late…

Don’t miss the chance to hear the behind-the-scenes stories about one of the most complete private art collection in Europe

This tour will let you peep through the keyhole into the lives, loves, passions, power and wealth of 17th century nobility while you learn why Cardinal Scipione’s collection is so valued today.
Our guides are licenced, local and experts, and we only select our enthusiastic ART HISTORIANS to guide you through the Borghese Collection.
Enjoy feeling like royalty during this relaxed, two hour private tour and relive the sagas and stories of nobility and Rome, the history and myths of emperors and popes, artists and cardinals. 

How does the tour and the booking process work?

The Borghese Gallery allows only 300 people inside the gallery every 2 hours. This means that you must choose an entrance time between 9AM, 11AM, 1PM, 3PM or 5PM if you want a private tour, or choose the times we prefer and recommend for small groups (9AM and 5PM).
Tickets are often sold out and this is why it is very difficult for us to accomodate last minute requests  since it’s not possible to buy tickets the same day or they may all be sold out days before.
Therefore, we recommend you reserve the tour as early as possible in order to receive the instructions to buy your own tickets on line. 
During the 2 hours of tour, our guides will make the best our of the short time available, so that you “feel” the atmosphere of the place from the time of Scipione and even after….