Borghese Gallery: Reserved Entrance

The art collection of the wealthy and noble Borghese family soon became too big for a single home, so, it was moved into the Galleria Borghese – a separate building in the famous Villa Borghese park. In 1901, the collection passed into the hands of the Italian government and has since been Rome's premier museum. Art lovers flock to this gallery, and timed tickets are hard to come by, so grab yours before they're gone!

The House of Borghese was a rich and powerful Italian family that moved to Rome in the 16th century. Pope Paul V, Camillo Borghese, appointed his nephew to become the Scipione Cardinal. That's when things started coming up Borghese.

Scipione Borghese had a mind for power and an eye for art. He was a patron of Caravaggio and Bernini, and built Galleria Borghese to display his ever-expanding collection of works from these two artists, as well as other Renaissance masters.

This small museum punches well above its weight, thanks to its lush gardens, pink marble walls, frescoed ceilings, and the sheer collection of masterpieces. Plus, thanks to the timed entrance policy, it gets busy but never crowded.

A visit here is a trip into the rarefied air of Renaissance highlife and a chance to commune with masterpieces from the heyday of classical art.