Barberini Palace Guided Tour Rome: Caravaggio & Masterpieces

Paintings by Caravaggio, Raphael, and seven other masters inside one Roman palace.

A guided tour of Barberini Palace in Rome takes you through the Barberini family's collection of masterpieces by Caravaggio, Raphael, Pietro da Cortona, Holbein, Tintoretto, Bernini, and Borromini. The tour lasts two hours, includes skip-the-line entry and a live guide in English, Spanish, or Italian, plus headsets so you hear clearly in the crowded rooms. A few galleries are temporarily closed through October for restoration, and Caravaggio's Judith Slaying Holofernes is on loan until January 2026.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Barberini Palace and Artworks

• Discover Barberini Palace history
• View masterpieces by Raphael and Caravaggio
• See works by Pietro da Cortona and Holbein
• Admire art by Tintoretto, Bernini, and Borromini

The experience

The tour starts at the palace entrance, where you skip the line and move straight inside with your guide. Barberini Palace sits on the Quirinal Hill in central Rome, and the building itself (a 17th-century structure designed by Bernini and Borromini) is part of what you are standing in front of. The guide walks you through the rooms and stops at the paintings: Caravaggio's work, Raphael's frescoes, Pietro da Cortona's ceiling, and the rest. You wear a headset so the guide's voice reaches you even when the palace is full, and the two-hour pace means you see the collection without rushing or spending half the day there.

The palace holds the Barberini family's art across multiple floors and wings. Your guide explains the history of the family and the stories behind the paintings: why Caravaggio painted what he did, what Raphael was commissioned to create, how the collection came together. The rooms vary in size and in what they hold, so the tour moves between intimate galleries and grand halls with ceilings that stretch overhead. Some of the 18th-century rooms are closed through October for restoration work, so your route may differ from what you see in older photos.

Public transportation stops are nearby if you need them, and the tour suits any fitness level. You are walking and standing, but the palace does not demand climbing or long stretches without a place to pause. One painting you might have come to see, Caravaggio's Judith Slaying Holofernes, is on loan to a museum in Texas until the end of January 2026, so check the updates in your booking messages before you arrive. The Jubilee year means some other monuments in Rome are under restoration too, and access routes can shift, so the operator sends updates if anything changes for your departure.

What’s included

• A live guide in your choice of English, Spanish, or Italian.
• skip-the-line entrance tickets to Barberini Palace.
• headsets and radios so you hear the guide clearly throughout the two-hour tour.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guided tour of Palazzo Barberini in Italian8 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 15:00

Barberini Palace tour conducted in Spanish8 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 15:00

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to Sunday8 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 15:00

Book up to1d before

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Doooing Experience

Is this one for you?Book the English, Spanish, or Italian option depending on which language you speak. The guide and all explanations are in that language throughout. If you want to see Caravaggio's Judith Slaying Holofernes, note that it is on loan until late January 2026, so plan your visit accordingly or check the booking updates for which other works by Caravaggio will be on display.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Italian.

What paintings by Caravaggio are on display at Barberini Palace right now?

Caravaggio's Judith Slaying Holofernes is on loan to the KAM Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, until January 31, 2026, so it will not be on display during this tour. Other works by Caravaggio in the palace remain on view.

How long does the Barberini Palace guided tour take?

The tour lasts two hours and covers the masterpieces across the palace's galleries, with your guide explaining the history of the Barberini family and the artists behind each work.

Do I need to buy a separate ticket for Barberini Palace, or is entry included?

Entrance tickets are included in the tour, and you skip the line at the door. You go straight in with your group and guide.

Are there any rooms or galleries closed at Barberini Palace right now?

The 18th-century Rooms of Palazzo Barberini are temporarily closed through October 21st for restoration, so those galleries will not be part of your tour during this period.

Is there public transportation near Barberini Palace?

Yes, public transportation options are available nearby, so you can reach the palace by metro or bus if you prefer not to walk from your hotel or another part of Rome.