Borghese Gallery Tour Rome: Baroque Masterpieces, Max 6 People

The stories behind Bernini, Caravaggio and Raphael are what change how you see the paintings.

A small-group tour of Rome's Borghese Gallery with a live English-speaking guide, limited to six people per departure. You'll walk through the museum's large rooms with your guide pointing out masterpieces by Bernini, Caravaggio, Raphael and Canova, then stroll the Villa Borghese Gardens on your own. Prereserved entrance tickets are included. The operator asks for at least one week's notice to secure your spot, as availability is tight.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. Villa Borghesepassing by
2. Borghese GalleryEntry included2h

Visit Borghese Gallery and Gardens

• Meet guide at Piazza Scipione Borghese
• Learn about Villa Borghese Gardens history
• Tour Borghese Gallery with expert guide
• Admire artworks by Bernini, Caravaggio, Raphael
• Stroll self-guided through Borghese Gardens

The experience

Meet your guide in Piazza Scipione Borghese, at the edge of the Villa Borghese Gardens. Before or after the museum, you'll walk through the park's grounds (fountains, landscaping, the whole layout), to understand what made this place matter to Rome. The guide will explain how the gardens came to be and what happens there now, so you're not just passing through.

The Borghese Gallery itself is the draw. Your guide walks you through the large rooms and stops at the pieces that define the collection: Bernini's Apollo and Daphne (the moment of transformation frozen in marble), Caravaggio's David with Goliath's Head, Raphael's The Deposition, Canova's Paolina Borghese Bonaparte, Bernini's Rape of Proserpina, Titian's Sacred and Profane Love, Raphael's Young Woman with Unicorn, and Caravaggio's Boy with a Basket of Fruit. The guide shares the stories (who commissioned the work, what the artist was trying to do, what happened to it afterward), so each piece becomes a narrative instead of just an object on a wall. You get time to look, and the guide fills in what you wouldn't have known walking through alone.

The tour runs two hours and stays under six people, which means you're not fighting a crowd to see anything. Tickets are prereserved, so you walk in without a queue. The operator warns that spots fill fast and asks you to book at least a week ahead: the gallery limits daily entries, and this tour's slots go quickly.

What’s included

• Guided tour of the Borghese Gallery with a live English-speaking guide.
• prereserved entrance tickets.
• access to masterpieces by Bernini, Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian and Canova.
• the ancient sculpture collection.
• self-guided stroll through the Villa Borghese Gardens.

Information

Lasts 2h, runs Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday at 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00, from € 159 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 6 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesTuesday: 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00Saturday and Sunday: 15:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 61 private ›

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.1 with pickup ›

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Infant (under 3): free

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 LivTours

Is this one for you?The live English-speaking guide is what makes the difference here. You hear the stories and context that transform the paintings from objects into narratives, which is what you miss when you walk through on your own. Book this if you want to understand the work, not just see it.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What artworks will I see on the Borghese Gallery tour?

The tour includes Bernini's Apollo and Daphne and Rape of Proserpina, Caravaggio's David with Goliath's Head and Boy with a Basket of Fruit, Raphael's The Deposition and Young Woman with Unicorn, Titian's Sacred and Profane Love, Canova's Paolina Borghese Bonaparte, and the ancient sculpture collection. Your guide explains the story and context of each work as you move through the gallery's rooms.

How long is the Borghese Gallery tour and what happens after?

The guided tour of the gallery itself takes two hours. After the museum, you can stroll through the Villa Borghese Gardens on your own. The guide will have already told you about the park's history and layout, so you'll know what you're walking through.

What's included in the price of this tour?

Prereserved entrance tickets to the Borghese Gallery and the guided tour with a live English-speaking guide are included. Food, drinks and gratuities are not.

How many people go on this tour at once?

The tour is limited to a maximum of six people per departure, which keeps the group small enough to move through the gallery without crowding and to hear your guide clearly.

How far in advance do I need to book?

The operator requires a minimum of one week's notice to secure your spot. Tickets are very limited and reservations are mandatory because the gallery restricts daily entry numbers.

Is the Villa Borghese Gardens included in the tour?

The gardens are self-guided. You'll meet your guide in Piazza Scipione Borghese at the edge of the gardens and can walk through them before or after the museum tour. Your guide will have explained the park's history and what to look for, so you'll know what you're seeing.