The stunning Borghese Gallery in Villa Borghese Park hosts an extraordinary collection of sculptures, paintings, and antiquities dating from the 15th to 18th centuries.
Once a private treasure trove of a wealthy cardinal, the gallery is now one of Rome’s most popular attractions, welcoming visitors to see works by Caravaggio, including his famous “Boy with a Basket of Fruit” and “David with the Head of Goliath.”
This guide provides the lowdown on everything you need—tickets, prices, and must-know tips—to make your visit a masterpiece.
Top Tickets
# Borghese Gallery Fast Track tickets
# Guided tour of Borghese GalleryIt’s highly recommended to book your Borghese Gallery tickets in advance. These tickets sell out quickly, so securing your spot early ensures you don’t miss out on this unforgettable experience.
Key takeaways
Book tickets in advance to secure your preferred time slot and avoid long lines, as only 360 visitors are allowed inside at a time
The gallery allows 2-hour visits, with entry slots starting from 9 am to 5 pm. Arrive 30 minutes early for security checks
You have two choices—explore the gallery at your own pace with a fast-track ticket or dive deeper into the art with a guided tour led by an expert
Must-see artworks include sculptures by Bernini and paintings by Caravaggio and Raphael
Visitors can enter the Borghese Gallery for free on the first Sunday of every month, but it’s best to arrive early as tickets are limited, and it gets crowded
What’s ahead
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Things to know before booking tickets
It is better to buy your Borghese Gallery tickets online in advance. Besides being cheaper, you will also skip the long lines at the entrance. Plus, booking early lets you get your preferred time slot. Since the gallery sells a limited number of tickets, buying ahead helps you avoid last-minute disappointments, especially on busy days. Once booked, you’ll receive a confirmation by email—just show your e-ticket on your smartphone when you arrive, no printout needed!
Borghese Gallery tickets
There are two ways to explore the attraction – with or without an expert art guide.
Fast track tickets
The Fast track tickets are the most popular and cheapest way to experience the Gallery.
You can access the complete art gallery and ongoing temporary exhibitions with this ticket.
Since you won’t be with a guide or a group, you will explore the masterpieces at your own pace.
Audio guides are available in French, Italian, and English.
However, you should bring the headsets if you want to opt for the audio guide.
Ticket Price: €27 per person
Recommended
Guided tour of the gallery
Real art lovers book guided tours at art galleries because that helps them gain better insight.
The local art experts narrate stories and anecdotes about the various art pieces, making the visit more memorable.
The Expert English-speaking guide also ensures that you see all of the masterpieces on display at the gallery.
All visitors get audio headsets so that you can always hear the guide.
Once the guide has taken you through the Gallery, they will lead you through the manicured lawns, fountains, lakes, and monuments of the magical Villa Borghese Gardens.
The 2-hour guided tour ends with a breathtaking view from the top of the Pincio Terrace.
Ticket Price
Regular Ticket (for all ages): €81
You can enter Borghese Gallery for free
The attraction offers free entrance every first Sunday of the month. You must call the venue (+390632810) beforehand and book your ticket. However, we don’t recommend it because it is the busiest time to visit.
Frequently asked questions
Here are some questions tourists ask before purchasing tickets for the Borghese Gallery in Rome.
Does the Borghese Gallery and Museum offer free tickets?
On the first Sunday of every month, all individuals can enter for free. Entry is also free for disabled visitors with a certified disability.
Can I buy tickets at the venue?
Yes, tickets are available at the venue’s ticket office. However, due to high demand, the popular timeslots may sell out, so it is better to get them online in advance.
Do we need to print online tickets?
Even though it is not necessary to take printouts, printed tickets are also accepted at the Museum.
What is Borghese Gallery’s arrival time?
When booking your tickets, you’ll need to choose a preferred time slot for your visit. On the day of your visit, make sure to arrive at the entrance 15 to 20 minutes before your scheduled time to allow for security checks.
What is the Gallery’s late arrival policy?
Entry to the attraction for latecomers is not guaranteed.
Does the Borghese gallery offer discounts?
The attraction offers discounted admission to EU citizens aged between 18 and 25. However, it doesn’t offer any price reductions for students or military personnel.
Does Roma Pass include access to the Museum?
Yes, the Roma Pass is a cost-effective option for exploring one or two museums and/or archaeological sites of your choice. The card also allows you to access the public transportation network free of charge. You can avail of reduced ticket prices, get a free map of Rome, and enjoy discounts on participating in exhibitions, events, and activities.
What is the Borghese Gallery’s refund policy?
This Rome attraction has a flexible cancellation policy. You can cancel your ticket up to 24 hours before your visit for a full refund.
How to reschedule the Gallery’s ticket?
The attraction has a flexible rescheduling policy. You can change the time and date of your visit up to 24 hours before your scheduled visit.
What is the Museum’s rain policy?
The attraction is an all-weather experience, so all tickets are final.
Is photography allowed in the Galleria Borghese?
Photography is allowed inside the gallery, provided you do not use flash. Tripods, monopods, and self-sticks are prohibited.
Is the Gallery accessible to individuals with disabilities?
People with disabilities or reduced mobility can access the Gallery using the stair lift to the left of the external staircase on the front facade.
Opening hours
From Tuesday to Sunday, the Borghese Gallery opens at 9 am and closes at 7 pm.
The last entry into the gallery is at 5 pm.
It remains closed on all Mondays, 25 December, and 1 January.
How long does the tour take
Borghese Gallery allows visitors to spend up to two hours exploring its galleries, after which they must exit so the next batch can enter the attraction.
This two-hour rule applies to both the self-guided and guided tours.
Since you must be at the Gallery at least 30 minutes before the time mentioned on your ticket, your tour will take 2.5 hours at maximum.
Depending on the season, many visitors follow up their visit to the art gallery with a quick tour of the Borghese Gardens.
The best time to visit
The best time to visit Borghese Gallery is 11 am, and since this slot is very much in demand, you must book your tickets at least two weeks in advance.
The next best time is either the 1 pm or the 5 pm slot, and to get these slots, you must book at least a week in advance.
If you don’t book your tickets a few weeks in advance, you will most likely get the not-so-popular time slots.
Are you interested in history?
When you visit Borghese Park, you’ll come across 18 informational panels located near the main entrances and key points of interest in Villa Borghese. Each panel features QR codes that give you access to short, three-minute podcasts, offering a quick and engaging way to learn about the villa’s fascinating history.
Entry restrictions
The Borghese Gallery allows only 360 visitors at a time, with each visit limited to 2 hours.
Entry starts at 9 am and continues in set time slots throughout the day: 9-11 am, 11-1 pm, 1-3 pm, 3-5 pm, and 5-7 pm.
After your 2-hour visit, you’ll be required to leave the gallery.
To ensure a smooth entry, it’s best to arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled time, as late arrivals may result in denied entry.
That’s why we recommend you book either the self-guided ticket or the guided tour well in advance.
Borghese Gallery with Roma Pass
A Roma Pass is your secret weapon for saving money while exploring the city.
With the Roma Pass, you get free and direct entry to top attractions like the Colosseum, Capitoline Museums, and Castel Sant’Angelo.
You can also enter the Borghese Gallery for free, but you must book your visit in advance by phone or email.
If you are traveling with kids under ten, you are in luck! They can use public transport and visit museums for free with an adult holding a Roma Pass. Only visitors over ten need to purchase the pass.
72-hour Roma Pass: Free entry to two museums of your choice, plus unlimited public transport for three days (excluding trains), all for €58.50. Your pass is valid for 72 hours from your first use.
Buy This TicketTrying to save some money?
Interested in free entry to the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, St Peter’s Basilica, and Sistine Chapel? Buy the Omnia Card.
Is Borghese Gallery worth it?
Visiting the Borghese Gallery is worth it because of the fantastic artworks by artists such as Raphael, Bernini, and Caravaggio.
In addition to its art collection from the Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods, the gallery itself is a work of art.
We share four reasons in more detail.
1. Best of Bernini is at Borghese Gallery
Image: Wikimedia
Bernini’s sculptures are scattered all over Rome.
However, his best works – The Rape of Proserpina, Apollo, Daphne, and David are on display here.
With a limited number of visitors at a time, this is also the only museum where you can see the master sculptor’s work up close.
2. Best of Caravaggio is in Borghese
Caravaggio wasn’t a regular painter.
For starters, he has a murder registered against his name.
But he was a brilliant painter and, during his time, was regarded as the best in Rome.
The Gallery has almost one dozen Caravaggio paintings.
The most famous are ‘Boy with a Basket of Fruit,’ ‘David with the Head of Goliath,’ ‘Self-portrait as Bacchus, ” Madonna and Child with St Anne,’ and ‘Portrait of Pope Paul V.’
All this is over and above the other painters of the Renaissance and Baroque on display here.
3. Borghese Gallery offers the best art experience
It is a premium art gallery.
Three things offer the most satisfying ‘art experience’ at the Gallery.
- It houses the best of art from all over the world.
- The museum building itself is an attraction.
- Since only 360 visitors are allowed inside at a time, you see art you have never seen before – it almost seems like your private collection.
Check out the video below to see how stunning the insides of the Gallery can be –
Since it is relatively small, with only 20 rooms, one doesn’t get the feeling of getting lost in the art.
4. The Gallery is in a beautiful park
This tourist attraction is located in the corner of one of Rome’s most beautiful parks, Villa Borghese Park.
Once you have explored the artwork, you can enjoy the Borghese Gardens.
Away from the city lights, these Gardens offer an opportunity to experience Rome in silence.
Audio guide
If you don’t want to spend the extra money and book a guided tour, the next best thing is to get Borghese Gallery’s audio guide.
You can’t book the audio guide in advance – you must pick it up on the day of your visit.
It costs €5 per person and is highly recommended by visitors who have used it.
Image: Etpharm
In this guide, excellent narrators explain the important (and numbered) pieces of art throughout the museum.
Gift shop
After you finish your visit to the Borghese Galleria Museum, you can buy souvenirs of Borghese from the gift shop.
Since the gift shop closes at 7 pm, visitors booked for the 5 to 7 pm time slot can visit it before they tour the gallery.
How to reach
The Borghese Gallery is on the Pincian Hill, in Villa Borghese.
Address: Piazzale Scipione Borghese, 5, 00197 Roma RM, Italy. Get Directions.
Villa Borghese is the third largest public park in Rome.
You can reach the attraction by public or private transportation.
By Metro
Board Line ‘A’ and get down at the Spagna station, the closest station to the art gallery.
Once you exit the station, you can follow the signage to the gallery and enjoy the Roman air.
This 1.5 km (almost a mile) walk to the art museum is an uphill climb.
The other option is to get off at the Barberini Metro station, 20 minutes by walk from the Gallery.
By Bus
You can get onto any bus that goes up to Via Veneto.
The Gallery is 1 km (0.6 miles) from Via Vento, and you can walk the distance in seven minutes.
We recommend route numbers 52 or 53.
If you prefer private transport, go for a taxi.
From the city center, Borghese Galleria is just a 5-minute ride.
Villa Borghese is a massive park, and visitors tend to need help. We recommend Google Maps for directions.
Note: The Gallery is 5.2 Km (3.2 Miles) from the Vatican Museum and 6 Km (3.7 Miles) from the Colosseum.
By Car
If you’re traveling by car, turn on your Google Maps and get started.
There are enough parking garages around the attraction.
