What to See and Do in the Gardens of Villa Borghese

The Villa Borghese gardens are one of Rome's finest city parks. In 1901, the State acquired the gardens from the Borghese family due to a bad economic situation and it was opened to the public on 12 July 1903.

Here is what you can see and do in the Villa Borghese gardens if you are planning to visit Rome. This large park stands out from other iconic parks for its harmonious combination of nature and Roman art. Take note and consult this map of the gardens to locate all the sites I recommend.

If you want to visit this great park, you should know that it has 9 entrances. The most frequented by visitors are the following:

• The Porta Pinciana, which is one of the ancient gates of the Aurelian walls of Rome.
• The Rampe del Pincio from Piazza del Popolo, through which you can reach the Pincio terrace. From there you can enjoy the most spectacular views of the city of Rome.
• The monumental entrance of Piazzale Flaminio.

Once inside the park you will be fascinated by its gardens and leafy trees that simulate a wild nature.

Another thing I would like to tell you is that this park has large open spaces where it is possible to do any activity and sport.

First of all, if you love walking, this large park gives you the opportunity to walk around all the areas while enjoying the landscape, fountains and historical monuments of baroque, neoclassical and ecclesiastical artists and, above all, the fascinating sculptures of Villa Borghese.

If you want to tour most of the park in a day, you also have the possibility of renting bicycles for one person, for the family, segways and even small electric cars. There is even a small train, which is an excellent option, as you can take a rest while you explore the area. The ride takes about 35 minutes and costs around €3.

The design is the work of Cristoforo Unterperger, a painter of Tyrolean origin, who was held in high esteem by Pope Pius VI Brashi. It was executed by Vincenzo Pacetti, Marcantonio's trusted restorer and sculptor.

Inside a circular tank on the floor, you can see four horses with fish-like bodies, holding above another tub while other fountains of water flow through their legs and tails.

Arriving at the magical garden of the lake you have the possibility to rent boats and take a closer look at the temple dedicated to Aesculapius, built at the end of the 18th century. For the Romans, Aesculapius was the god of medicine and healing.

The cost of renting a boat is around €4 for adults and €2 for children (minimum 2 people). Allowing you to paddle around the lake for around 20 minutes is well worth it.

In the middle of one of the ponds is a clock, an example of 19th century engineering. It was built in 1867 by Giambattista Embriaco, a Dominican priest with a passion for watchmaking, and the Swiss architect Joachim Ersoch. Today it is fully operational.

The Borghese Gallery is one of the best museums to see in Rome. It contains works collected by the Borghese family during the 15th to 17th centuries and created by the best artists of the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

Before visiting this gallery, I recommend you to book your tickets to the Borghese Gallery for a specific day and time for the visit, which lasts about 2 hours. In low season you should book your ticket at least one month in advance and in high season, at least 2 months in advance.

Remember that you have only 2 hours to see no less than almost four centuries of art. Therefore, my recommendation is to book a guided tour, so that you can enjoy all the history behind each work of art.

It was Paolina Bonaparte, the wife of Camillo Borghese, who posed nude for the Italian neoclassical sculptor Antonio Casanova. This sculpture has caused a great stir over the centuries because of its beauty and the magnificent details of the sculptor.

You can see the folds of the sheet and the toes, where you can even see the toenails. You can even see the weight of the model on the mattress, among other details that are impossible to miss if you admire this impressive work.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini sculpted his David when he was only 25 years old in 1623. Although it is unfinished at the back, as it was originally to be placed against a wall, today it is displayed in the centre of the room.

This is a very interesting work, as Bernini used a mirror to detail himself (yes, it is a self-portrait) and to see the expression of the face we see captured in his David.

This sculpture also shows the faithful work of Bernini, who used charcoal to highlight the facial expressions of both figures. It shows the delicacy of Apollo's robe and the spectacular realism of the transformation of Daphne's skin into tree bark. Bernini considered Apollo his masterpiece.

This work is very impressive, as it can be hard to believe that it is a sculpture made of marble because of its incredible realism.

This sculpture tells the story of Pluto, King of the underworld, and Proserpina, daughter of Jupiter and Ceres. When she is kidnapped, she is forced to live with Pluto, Ceres goes in search of her daughter where they reach an agreement in which Proserpina lives half a year in the underworld and half a year under her mother's sun.

According to this mythology, for half a year the earth blooms and in the other half it rains, due to Ceres' tears while waiting for her daughter.

This canvas has quite an interesting history. It happened that Caravaggio killed Ranuccio Tomassoni in a duel. Tomassoni's father was close to Pope Paul V, so when he heard what had happened, he condemned Caravaggio to death. He had to flee to the island of Malta, where, after four years, the Pope decided to pardon him.

On his return to Rome he was imprisoned in Naples. While there he painted this canvas which he sent to the Pope, where he used his face to depict Goliath decapitated. However, Caravaggio never made it to Rome and his death remains a mystery.

This Roman zoo inside the Villa Borghese houses more than 1,000 animals and 200 different species, including felines, chimpanzees, bears and more. It also has a large botanical exhibit.

It is one of the oldest zoos in Europe. It was established in 1908 and was created by Carl Hagenbeck, who sought to design a different kind of zoo. The structure allows the animals to reside freely without being enclosed in cages, maintaining a clear division with the public.

The creation of the Silvano Toti Globe Theatre was made possible by the Silvano Toti Foundation, an association that was created by the Toti family to honour Silvano's memory. Some consider it a copy of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London.

Here is what I consider to be the most important things to keep in mind when visiting this park:

• It is quite a large park and if you plan to walk around it is very important that you wear suitable and comfortable shoes.
• You should also bring a bottle of water.
• Wear cool clothes if you go in summer, as it can be quite hot.
• If you want to enhance your experience, you can plan your trip to Villa Borghese in the evening. This will give you the opportunity to enjoy truly spectacular views of Rome's skyline across the gardens and the Pincio terrace.
• Get a map, this will help you navigate the gardens more easily and direct you to the attractions that catch your eye.
• There are few public toilets in the garden, but if it's urgent, you can go to the one inside the Borghese Gallery if you've bought a ticket.
• Although there are food options in the park, you can have a picnic under the trees.

You should take into account all the recommendations I left you in the previous segment, especially that of bringing water, as the little ones have inexhaustible energy and they will need to hydrate themselves.

The park allows you to play sports and games, so you can bring a ball, racquets or any other sporting instrument for them to play with.

Finally, if you have bought your tickets to enter the Borghese Gallery, you can take your children to the San Carlino puppet theatre. This show features Pulcinella, a popular puppet character that was created in Naples. This attraction was designed to entertain the little ones while the adults view the art gallery.

Both in this wonderful park and all over Rome there are many activities you can plan with your children. Therefore, I would like to invite you to read my guide on 10 things to do in Rome with kids.

• How to get there: you can take the bus, tram or metro. If you decide to take the metro you can read the following guide to Rome's metro. Outside the park there are several stops where you can get off and simply walk to any of the entrances.
• Address: Piazzale Napoleone I, 00197 Rome RM, Italy.
• Admission fee: Admission is free. However, you must pay to enter attractions such as the Borghese Gallery.
• Opening hours: The gardens are open Monday to Friday, all day, until sunset.
• When is the best time to go: If you want to go when it is less crowded, you can go early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

If you want to visit Rome at some point, or are already planning everything, I hope you have a great holiday! Enjoy all the history and sights you will find there.