One of the things I love most about my city is the public parks, and among these, the most easily accessible from the historic center is the Borghese Gardens.
It is incredible that, up until a few centuries ago, this 80-hectare park belonged to a single family: the Borgheses, whose ancient and sumptuous residence we can still admire today.
It is thanks to them that the park, which we Romans call Villa Borghese, is full of invaluable art.
In this post, a local guide to visiting the Borghese Gardens, I will talk about both the art in the park and ways to enjoy it from a naturalistic point of view.
And so I will mention the fountains, the sculptures of the Borghese Gallery, the small lake, the Bioparco, and much more.
Of course, I will include what I usually do when I visit the gardens with my family, how we get there, and where we eat.
Main entrance to the Borghese Gardens
The Borghese gardens extend for 80 hectares, covering most of the Pinciano district and a smaller portion of the Campo Marzio district.
The vastness of the park allows for even nine entrances from various corners of the city. I always get in from the monumental gate in Piazzale Flaminio, because we come from northern Rome and our train stops there. Piazzale Flaminio has altro a Metro A stop, super convenient.
Accessing from there, I also have a chance to take a stroll around Piazza del Popolo, one of the most stunning piazzas in Rome.
Other popular entrances to the Borghese Gardens are:
- Trinità dei Monti
- Porta Pinciana Gate
- the ramps of the Pincio Terrace
How to get to Borghese Gardens in Rome
To reach Villa Borghese, you can use Metro Line A to Flaminio and Spagna stations or trams 2, 3, and 19.
What to see in Rome’s Borghese Gardens
1. Temple of Aesculapius
After entering the park from Piazzale Flaminio, I walk up Washington Avenue for a few minutes until I reach the most popular spot: the small lake with the Temple of Aesculapius.
This is a mandatory stop for us since our daughter always asks us to take a ride on the little rowboats.
On weekends there is always quite a line to rent the little boats.
Right next to the pond is a bistro with outdoor tables where you can have coffee or something to eat.
The Temple of Aesculapius stands on a picturesque peninsula overlooking the lake.
It dates back to the mid-18th Century and is dedicated to the god of medicine.
2. Piazza di Siena
As I continue walking I reach an area with a nice lawn where we spread out the blanket for pick-nick.
We are in the meadow surrounding Sienna Square, a circular field where an equestrian championship is held every year in May, and which hosts concerts in the summer.
The square is so named because the Borghese family was originally from Siena, the Tuscan city where the traditional Palio, the horse race, is held.
3. Bioparco
All of us Romans have visited it at least once in our lives: this is Bioparco, Rome’s nearly century-old zoo.
I recently went back there with my daughter. I was full of prejudice, because I consider zoos to be highly unethical.
I had to reconsider, though. Since it has been a Bioparco, that is, for more than 30 years, there is no more buying of animals.
The animals are rescued from poaching or born locally. The animals live in areas surrounded by ditches and not in cages (except for the birds unfortunately.)
There is a fee for admission; adult tickets cost €18.
4. Borghese Gallery
Here is a place of art that I would never tire of visiting. If you love art or beauty in general, you must visit the Borghese Gallery. Many people come to the park just to visit this gallery, which is right inside the noble residence.
The credit for the fact that today we can admire so many art treasures in one place goes to Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who lived at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries.
He played hardball to get his hands on these works, including stealing them, protected by his status and the fact that his uncle was Pope.
You absolutely must visit it if you want to see some of the most valuable sculptures in Rome.
Among the wonders housed in the Borghese Gallery:
- Tiziano’s “Sacred and Profane Love
- Caravaggio’s Madonna dei Palafrenieri (it appears to be Caravaggio’s last canvas before the murder that led to his death sentence)
- Many consider Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne sculpture the genesis of Baroque art, symbolizing the impossible love between the two.
- Canova’s Paolina Borghese was dedicated to Napoleon’s sister
5. Borghese Gardens with kids
The Borghese Gardens have everything you need to spend an enjoyable day with children. In fact, on weekends they teem with local families.
In addition to visiting the Bioparco, here are other activities we do and places we go to:
- Playgrounds and recreational areas with slides, swings, and rides (free and paid activities near the Casa del Cinema)
- An indoor playroom, La Casina di Raffaello, which also includes a children’s library
- Rental of bicycles, rickshaws, and roller skates
- Ride on Villa Borghese’s little train that takes you around the park in comfort
- The Children’s Cinema, with 60 seats and volume suitable for a child audience
- Picnicking.
- A ride in the rowboats in the Villa Borghese Lake
TIP: A short walk away from Borghese Gardens, along the Via Flaminia, is the Explora Museum, the city’s only museum created precisely for children. I recommend adding it to your itinerary, it is well worth it.
6. A collection of many gardens
I would like to stress that Borghese Gardens is not a wilderness area (and if you are looking for the latter, I recommend visiting the countryside around Rome instead).
As befits a representative park of a noble Italian family, the nature of this area has been carefully preserved, with monumental and exotic plants introduced.
Villa Borghese Park has eight gardens, including the Garden of the Lake and the Deer Park (which doesn’t have deer today but used to).
The Secret Gardens, located on the sides of the Casino Nobile (Villa Borghese) on Viale dell’Uccelliera. The Secret Gardens include four gardens:
- Garden of Bitter Oranges
- Flower Garden
- Exotic and Rare Flowers Garden
- Plant Nursery
In front of the Villa Borghese is the Boschetto Garden, adorned with evergreen and deciduous species.
Moving on to Piazzale Scipione Borghese, you cross the Casino Nobile’s back garden, with the Venus Fountain.
Along Viale Picasso, you find the Sycamore Valley. The colossal sycamore trees are the same as those of the Borghese family era.
Last, the Gardens of Valle Giulia, located on Piazzale Firdousi, dates back to 1911’s Universal Exposition and feature two splendid neoclassical nymphaeums as their protagonists.
7. Carlo Bilotti Museum for contemporary art
A less crowded museum than the Borghese Gallery is the contemporary art museum Carlo Bilotti.
In some respects, Mr. Bilotti can even be compared to Cardinal Scipione: art lovers and collectors with exquisite taste.
Since 2006, Carlo Bilotti has meticulously restored the Aranciera and gathered all his contemporary art pieces.
He created a unique place where artists such as Giorgio de Chirico, Gino Severini, Andy Warhol, Larry Rivers, and Giacomo Manzù come together.
8. Gigi Proietti Globe Theater
Villa Borghese truly has something for everyone, even those who love theater and cinema.
In 2003, the Gigi Proietti Globe Theatre, named after the famous Italian actor, opened, an actual theater inspired by Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Just a few steps away from the Temple of Aesculapius and Piazza di Siena, the year-round program amazes with Elizabethan plays set in a carefully designed, essential Renaissance atmosphere.
9. Casa del Cinema
And then there is one of my favorite destinations on Roman summer evenings.
The House of Cinema has an outdoor cinema and an area with a bar, a restaurant, and a library dedicated to the film industry.
Its location next to the children’s play area means that this place is very popular with families.
10. Fountains
With all there is to see in one of Rome’s best parks, and with all the beautiful fountains in the city, it’s easy to forget about the 50 fountains in Borghese Gardens.
The most monumental are:
- the Fountain of Seahorses, located in the square of the same name
- the Fountain of Puppets near Piazza di Siena
- the Fountain of Gaia in the Garden of the Lake.
Wrap-up
The Borghese Gardens deserves to be on your Rome bucket list. People traveling to Rome for less than four days tend to skip them. I can’t understand why they do: after all, to understand what it means to live in a city, you have to at least see one of its most important public parks.
For us, Villa Borghese is a favorite destination in warm weather; in fact, it is the only place in the historic center where we can go to play with our daughter and have a fun day.
But even if you are not traveling with children, you should pass this way to admire the Borghese Gallery, a visit to which is far more enjoyable than a visit to the Vatican Museums.
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