The Borghese Museum houses an unmatched collection of Italian baroque and renaissance masterpieces…read more Artworks by Bernini and Caravaggio are among their popular pieces and a whole lot more including sculptures. Not to miss pieces are Bernini's marble sculptures - Apollo & Daphne and The Rape of Proserpina. Canova's neoclassical Paolina Borghese as Venus Victrix and Carravaggio's painting - David with the Head of Goliath. We came in immediately after checking in to our hotel for a 4pm timed entry. Reservation is a must. Bought our tickets a month in advance back in 2023. This was still early on after covid so restrictions still apply. I love how we were able to savor every moment we spent here because it wasn't congested at all. From the outside, it was a beautiful building in a magnificent park. I would call this a hidden gem in Rome. Borghese museum is a must go to when in Rome. The time we spent was good enough. During that time, there weren't a lot of people as they control the number of people entering the museum. Definitely 5 thumbs up. August 2026

I didn't know that this museum is so popular and that you must purchase your tickets in advance…read more Luckily, I was able to purchase tickets before our trip to Rome, but they had only a limited number of tickets available for the time that we were going to be there. So if you are planning on going to Galleria Borghese, make sure to purchase your tickets in advance. We visited the Borghese in the afternoon during the week, and I think that was a great idea because it was pretty empty, and we had yet another chance to see everything with almost no one around. I'm not sure if it's always like that or if we got lucky. Either way, I was able to take my time to look at all the beautiful art pieces. Everything was so beautiful. I recommend going to this museum if you have the time; it's definitely worth it.

Absolutely phenomenal museum…read more One not to be missed. And with 5% of the tourists of Rome's other museums, and no wait to get in line. There is no downside. * * * GNAM is the nineteenth and twentieth century art museum of Rome. If you want stuff that was painted yesterday, there are galleries of 21st century art around town. Enjoy at your peril. Everything in GNAM that was painted or sculpted before 1960 is an absolute masterpiece. And there is a lot of lively stuff in the newer material too. It is easy to forget in a city with all of the Roman antiquities, all of the medieval treasures and Rome's fantastic legacy of Renaissance and Baroque art, That Italy was just as talented in the 19th and 20th centuries as it was in the previous periods. Our "standard" art histories moves European Art history of the 1800s and 1900s to France. Italy could go toe to toe with France on every artistic movement that occurred after Napoleon and this includes Romanticism, Impressionism and Modernism. There are paintings in GNAM that fully anticipate every formal innovation of impressionism. They were painted in the 1860s and 1870's. Monet and Renoir would be "inventing" impressionism thirty years later. The nineteenth century working class realism paintings of Courbet are blown away with the soulful depictions of working class life that were painted in Italy ... and yes twenty years before Courbet. There are night landscape paintings here that are darker and more intense than anything you could see in the Louvre. There is portraiture to die for - including my favorite "beautiful woman" painting of all time. * * * GNAM is huge, and excellent throughout. But there is one utterly amazing room that can fill your whole stay. If you go straight from the front door through a "seating gallery", you walk into an enormous room that is literally the size of a football field. The ceilings are sixty feet high. This is the primary room of the nineteenth century Romantic Era collection. Every single square millimeter of wall space is hung with paintings. You are looking at five or six paintings one on top of each other going up the wall all the way up sixty feet high and this being repeated every three yards for the entire room, all four walls. There are easily over 200 large paintings in this room - maybe closer to 300. There is not a loser or a boring painting anywhere in the room. And - to give a sense of the remarkable level of activity that Italy enjoyed in the Romantic Era, no artist is represented by more than two paintings. Most artists only have one selection. Thus you are looking at a room that is displaying between 100 and 150 different nineteenth century Italian artists - with each selection being one of the best paintings that artist ever created. The spectacle is mind-boggling. Close examination makes each painting better and better and better. There are all sorts of compositional subtleties, painterly tricks and psychological/philosophical subtexts in the works that only become apparent in a long viewing. Well over 80% of my visit to GNAM was spent in that one room. And even at that - I only saw about 1/5 of the paintings that are there. * * * This is a museum that will change your opinion about much of what you understand about art. Plan to come here. Plan to spend a lot of time here. This is one of the great collections of the world.

In a city full of Renaissance art, it was awesome to have a break of that to be able to enjoy some…read moremodern art and contemporary art. The National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary has all that and more. It's a large museum and there is enough here for a half day of appreciation. I'm generally not a huge fan of "contemporary" art as it is usually political and many times, the message from the artist goes over my head. That was the case for a couple of the exhibits here. And then I found the "modern" art. Paintings by Gustave Courbet, Cy Twombly, and my very favorite, Piet Mondrian. Portraits by Giovanni Boldini. Sculpture by Ercole Dante. I got well and truly lost in the museum and before I knew it, it was time to go. Wonderful time. [Review 19190 overall - 345 in Italy - 160 of 2023.]

Fantastic bucket list location..when in rome.. Must…read moresee...note crowd is massive Must see

To visit the Capella Sistina, or Sistine Chapel, you would have to go to the Vatican Museum. My…read moreboyfriend and I purchased time entry tickets to the Vatican Museum at one of the earliest time slots in the day, and still the museum was unbearably crowded. Th Sistine Chapel is a central place of worship for the Roman Catholic Church. Is it the site where new popes are elected, making it a key location for the continuity of Catholicism. From an artistic point of view, this chapel is also famous for the ceiling painted by Michelangelo. This is one of the greatest piece of artworks in the world capturing the height of Renaissance art. This piece of art shows complex compositions, dramatic expressions, and the intricacies of the human anatomy. On the walls of the Sistine Chapel, you can see the works of Botticelli, Perugino, and Ghirlandaio. With its' religious and artistic significance, the museum saves it for last on their museum route, and you have to go through everything else to get to this insanely crowded room of tour groups and staff supervision. This was the room with the most museum staff supervision telling people to move along, or pull to the center of the room. It's really mixed feelings because it's stunning but while you're trying to look up and take in the sights, a bunch of people are bumping into you and being extremely inconsiderate. I don't feel like I fully absorbed its' elegance profound deep features. My rating is rounded up in respect for the artistic significance but the experience wasn't too enjoyable. I don't think taking a tour would help either because those folks are stuck with their groups, and stuck in the same crowded room. I prefer the freedom of moving on when I'm over it.

There is no cost for walking around the premises of the Castel Sant'Angelo. It does take some time…read moreto walk around the entire building. There are lots of people that visit this landmark; however, it is not overly crowded. The atmosphere is chill, people are just walking around and taking pictures. The landmark is best for people wanting to see the sites of Rome, love history, and architecture. Overall it is a great experience in Rome. You do need to be cautious of people who are trying to engage you in conversation and give you a bracelet, They will start out by saying nice shoes or commenting on your skin color. My husband was a mark throughout all the cities in Rome. Unfortunately, we did engage in a conversation with the person and ultimately got robbed - yes robbed of 30 euros. The man literally grabbed the money out of my hand and began to run away.

Castel Sant' Angelo along the Tiber River, is one of Rome's most captivating landmarks. The…read morestructure is huge and daunting. It was originally built as Emperor Hadrian's mausoleum nearly 2,000 years ago, the castle later became a fortress, a papal refuge, a prison, and eventually a museum.. What makes Castel Sant'Angelo especially memorable is the atmosphere. The thick stone walls, hidden passageways, and spiral ramps. The angel statue atop the castle gives the entire site a dramatic, almost theatrical presence.

There are a million things to do when you are in Rome & going to a museum is probably the last…read morething on your list given all the alternative awesome sightseeing options! Hubby & I always try to do three things in a new city: museum, sports event & something on the water. We figured that visiting the Colosseum was a good enough version of a sports event. We were returning from a 12-day cruise. So, next up on the list was checking out a museum. Thankfully, we were at a hotel that was around the corner from the Museo Nazionale Romano. It is a series of buildings around the Piazza della Repubblica. And as it turns out, on the first Sunday of the month, the Museo is free to the public (note: you must "purchase" tickets online in advance for a specific time to enter). This Museo feels like stepping straight into the heart of ancient Rome. The collection is extraordinary - from the iconic Discus Thrower to hauntingly lifelike statues that practically make eye contact with you. The level of detail is unreal & half the time it feels like the sculptures are standing at your height just waiting to start a conversation! The galleries are spacious, beautifully laid out & surprisingly calm compared to the big-name tourist spots. It's the perfect place to take your time, wander & really soak in the artistry. Frescoes, mosaics, portraits - every floor has something jaw-dropping (including -1 and -2!). What truly blew my mind were the tile mosaics displayed & then shown in their original settings. Seeing them arranged exactly as they would have appeared in ancient villas gives you this incredible, immersive peek into everyday Roman life. It's like stepping right into history rather than just looking at it behind glass. If you're in Rome & want an unforgettable museum experience without the crowds, do not skip this one. Palazzo Massimo is a treasure chest of ancient beauty! Highly recommend.

One of the great museums of the world. The only museum of Roman culture that even comes close is…read morethe Pompeii-archeological museum in Naples. This place is not to be missed, along with the Villa Borghese and pamphilij palace, for single places in Rome.

The Vatican Museums are vast and absolutely beautiful from the tapestries, to the sculptures, to…read morethe frescoes. Pictures do not capture the beauty of the art that has been collected over the years by the Vatican. This is an extraordinary experience for people who enjoy art, history, and religion. Highly recommend doing a tour that includes the Vatican, Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. The early morning tour is the best to avoid the crowds and the lines. The downside of the tour is that there is so much to see in the museums - so the tour is a great way to start and then to go back and spend time in each of the museums to fully enjoy the experience. For a full list and description you can visit the Vatican's website https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/collezioni/musei/galleria-arazzi.html

Incredible collection of art, mostly but not all Christian. Even if you're not of the faith, the…read morecollection is staggering in scope and it is well worth a visit. The standouts for me were the Sistine Chapel and the hall of maps. The Chapel is a master work of art that you've seen, at least in part, a thousand times. Still, looking up to see the frescos with your own eyes is an awe-inspiring experience. The hall of maps is an impressive seemingly purpose-built installation on its own. Coming across it midst endless sculptures makes it all the more impressive. You can hit the highlights in about an hour if you must but the wait can be long. Book skip the line tickets unless you're prepared to spend just as long waiting outside as you will in the museums no matter the weather!

Beautiful spot in Rome city centre...we passed it on the way to our restaurant for dinner on my…read morework trip

The Capitoline Museum exhibits medieval art to ancient statues, and you can discover ancient Rome…read morehistory here. There are quite a few statues shouldn't be missed, such as Statue of Capitoline Venus, Bust of Medusa, Colossus of Constantine, The Capitoline She-wolf etc. The regular admission ticket cost €13, and I think it's totally worth it.

The Villa Giulia houses the National Etruscan Museum. If you love old artifacts, make the trip here…read morewhile in Rome. Large collection of Etruscan items, including a very beautiful large sarcophagus and some amazing urns. The Etruscans lived in what is now Rome prior to the Romans. The artifacts are from the 500-700 B.C. era. All of the large descriptions are in English as well as Italian. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit here and highly recommend it. It is not crowded at all, even in the high tourist season.

This museum is less known compare to other major museums in Rome. Having said this, I was…read morepleasantly surprised and find it very interesting. The collection is hugh and be sure to visit the garden as well. There is a small coffee shop and gift shop.

Galleria Doria Pamphilj is one of Rome's most breathtaking hidden treasures--an aristocratic…read moresanctuary of art, history, and elegance tucked just steps away from the bustling Via del Corso. Visiting this gallery feels like stepping into a private world where centuries of beauty have been lovingly preserved. The moment you enter, the atmosphere shifts. The palace itself is a masterpiece--ornate ceilings, shimmering gold accents, and hallways lined with mirrors and marble. Each room carries the quiet grandeur of a family that collected art not for prestige, but out of genuine passion. That intimacy sets it apart from Rome's larger, more crowded museums. The collection is extraordinary. You'll find remarkable works by Caravaggio, Velázquez, Bernini, Raphael, and Titian, each displayed in lavish, beautifully lit rooms that feel more like a lived-in palace than a museum. Caravaggio's "Rest on the Flight into Egypt" and the haunting "Magdalene" are highlights, while Velázquez's portrait of Pope Innocent X is nothing short of astonishing--an encounter that lingers long after you leave. What makes the experience truly special is the ability to wander the gallery at your own pace, taking in masterpieces without the rush or crowds. The audio guide, narrated by a member of the Pamphilj family, adds a personal touch and deepens your appreciation for the collection and its history. Whether you're an art lover or simply someone seeking a quiet, immersive cultural experience, Galleria Doria Pamphilj is a must-visit. It's a rare blend of elegance, intimacy, and artistic brilliance--a place where Rome's noble past comes alive in the most captivating way.

Gorgeous gallery that is completely under the radar. For…read moresomething so beautiful, I thought it would be packed with people, but it wasn't. It was refreshing to be able to enjoy the details of each room without being swarmed by tourists. While at the gallery, stop by their restaurant located at the front of the entrance. Do note that you should make reservations at the restaurant or you likely won't get in. This gallery is definitely worth a visit.