Borghese Gallery Skip-the-Line Tour: Caravaggio & Bernini

Gallery frescoed rooms tour, guided secrets reveal masterpieces up close

A two-hour guided tour of the Borghese Gallery in Rome with skip-the-line admission, limited to 15 people, followed by a self-guided walk through Villa Borghese Gardens. You'll see Caravaggio's "Young sick Bacchus" and "Boy with a Basket of Fruit," Bernini's "Apollo and Daphne" and "David," Canova's "Paolina Bonaparte," and Raffaello's "Entombment of Christ": works from Cardinal Scipione Borghese's collection. The guide leads you through the Casina Borghese's frescoed rooms and explains the painting techniques and stories behind each piece. After the gallery, you walk the gardens at your own pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Villa Borghese15m · entry included
2. Borghese Gallery1h 45m · entry included

Visit Borghese Gallery and Gardens

• Enter Villa Borghese gardens
• Read Latin inscription at entrance
• Tour Borghese Gallery artworks
• Admire Caravaggio paintings
• See Bernini and Canova sculptures
• View Raffaello’s Entombment of Christ
• Explore Casina Borghese rooms
• Walk through Villa Borghese gardens

The experience

Two hours inside the Borghese Gallery means you skip the line that forms outside and move straight through the doors. The group stays under 15 people, so the rooms don't crowd around you as they do on the larger tours. Your guide walks you through the Casina Borghese's frescoed chambers and stops in front of each major work: Caravaggio's paintings, Bernini's sculptures like "Apollo and Daphne," Canova's "Paolina Bonaparte," and Raffaello's "Entombment of Christ." The guide discloses the stories and painting techniques hidden in each piece, the kind of detail you would not find on your own.

After the gallery closes behind you, you have the Villa Borghese Gardens to yourself. There's no guide for this part. You walk at whatever pace suits you, away from the Roman chaos outside the gates. The gardens are part of the same ticket, so nothing else to arrange.

Bags larger than a small clutch cannot go inside the gallery and will need to be checked at the cloakroom before the tour starts. The dress code is smart casual. The tour is wheelchair accessible, and public transportation stops are nearby if you're coming from another part of Rome.

What’s included

• Skip-the-line entry to the Borghese Gallery.
• two-hour guided tour through the Casina Borghese with commentary on Caravaggio, Bernini, Canova and Raffaello's works.
• access to Villa Borghese Gardens for self-guided exploration after the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to Sunday10 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 17:45

Book up to2h before

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

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

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessiblePublic transport nearby

Operated by Loving Rome

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English, so you follow the stories and techniques as they're explained: a good fit if you want the context behind each painting and sculpture rather than walking the rooms alone.

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Top questions

What are the most famous paintings I'll see on the Borghese Gallery tour?

Caravaggio's "Young sick Bacchus" and "Boy with a Basket of Fruit" are the centerpieces of his work in the gallery. You'll also see Raffaello's "Entombment of Christ" and sculptures by Bernini including "Apollo and Daphne" and "David," plus Canova's "Paolina Bonaparte": all from Cardinal Scipione Borghese's original collection.

Do I have to wait in line to get into the Borghese Gallery?

No. Skip-the-line admission is included, so you go straight through the doors without the queue that forms outside. The tour starts inside the gallery itself.

How many people will be on the tour with me?

The group is limited to 15 people, which keeps the rooms from crowding and lets you hear the guide clearly as you move through the frescoed chambers.

What happens after the gallery tour ends?

You have access to Villa Borghese Gardens to explore on your own. There's no guide for the gardens. You walk at your own pace and leave whenever you're ready.

Can I bring a large bag or backpack into the gallery?

No. Bags larger than a small clutch are not permitted inside the Borghese Gallery and must be checked at the cloakroom before the tour begins. You'll collect them after the tour ends.

Is the tour accessible if I use a wheelchair?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. Public transportation options are also available nearby if you need them to reach the gallery.