THE QUEEN OF ART COLLECTIONS

A tour of Rome’s favourite gardens and the art gallery, known internationally as the Queen of art collections, is an experience no visitor to the capital should miss. Whether your interests lie in archaeology, history, botany, architecture or simply in delighting the senses, the park cannot fail to enchant you.

Step out of the city’s rush into an oasis of lush green spaces, winding paths and an astounding diversity of vegetation. These well-loved gardens, once a private vineyard, now occupy over 150 acres and were first developed by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of the powerful Pope Paul V. Villa Borghese was the first of a series of Renaissance and Baroque villas to be taken over by the state and turned into a public park in 1903. You can saunter around the artificial lake with its island temple, admire the stylish fountains and marble statues that line the avenues and relish the splendid view of Piazza del Popolo from the Pincio terrace. Your expert guide will point out important landmarks along this enchanting trail: Piazza di Siena, Diana’s Temple, Antinoo’s obelisk, the water clock. Among its many attractions, Villa Borghese also boasts a theatre – an accurate replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre – two museums, numerous buildings and monuments of historical interest, a biopark and sporting facilities. A truly eclectic box of treats!

The park is especially famous for its remarkable art gallery. The villa, conceived as a showcase for Cardinal Scipione Borghese’s extraordinarily rich and wide-ranging collection, is itself a work of art. Volumes have been written about the masterpieces displayed here and you will feast your eyes on some of Italy’s most celebrated treasures, enjoying the stories that elucidate them, as told by your accompanying guide. Who could resist the sinuous beauty of Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s David as he prepares to strike Goliath or the astonishing virtuosity and elegance of his Apollo and Daphne, caught and held for all time in the very moment she turns into a tree? Works by Caravaggio, Raphael, Perugino, Titian and many more will be admired as you amble through the various rooms. Not only Italian masters but Flemish painters such as Brueghel and Rubens are also present in this exquisite collection. Canova’s life-size Paolina reclining on the sofa, golden apple in her hand or the drama and vivid detail of Bassano’s Last Supper are among the indelible memories you will take away with you.