What to see in Villa Borghese
The Pincio terrace
The western edge of the park drops away above Piazza del Popolo, and the terrace along it is where most people take the photograph they came for. It costs nothing, it is open whenever the park is, and it is busiest in the last hour of daylight for reasons that become obvious when you stand there. More on the light in photography tips.
The lake and its temple
A small boating lake with a neoclassical temple on an island in the middle of it. Nothing about looking at it costs anything.
The pine avenues
Umbrella pines, gravel, long straight lines of shade. This is the part of the park that photographs badly and walks beautifully.
The honest note about upkeep
It is a large public park in a busy city and it looks like one. A reviewer on the golf-cart tour said it plainly:
“Very disappointed with the upkeep of Borghese Gardens but very pleased with Nicholas who made the tour very enjoyable and interesting. He was great!”
Mary, on the golf-cart tour
Set your expectations to public park, not manicured estate, and the place is a pleasure.
The paid attractions inside the grounds
The Galleria Borghese is the big one, at €16 plus the €2 reservation fee, timed and compulsorily booked — a completely different proposition from the park around it, as villa versus galleria explains. The Bioparco and the Cinema dei Piccoli sell their own admission separately. What is free and what is not is listed on is it free.
Seeing the gardens without the walking
The golf-cart tour, €50, is a guided loop of the park — the park you can walk into for nothing. It does not include the Galleria. 4.2 from 59 reviews, the lowest rated and least reviewed thing on this site, and it is here because people ask for it.
“Great ! Easy way to get around the gardens - see some sights and chat about the history. Very worthwhile.”
Ash, on the golf-cart tour
Frequently asked questions
What is the prettiest part of Villa Borghese?
Most people say the Pincio terrace on the western edge, looking down over Piazza del Popolo, with the boating lake and its island temple close behind. Both are free; see where the light is.
Is the Borghese Gallery included when I visit the park?
No. The park is free and the gallery is a separately ticketed museum inside it, at €18 all-in with a compulsory timed reservation. The two are different places.
Is there a zoo in Villa Borghese?
The Bioparco stands inside the park grounds and charges its own admission, as does the Cinema dei Piccoli. The park around them costs nothing — what is free and what is not.