Give the Gift of Knowledge this Holiday Season 🌎 Gift Cards for the Curious Traveler

Evening Borghese Gallery Tour

End your day in Rome with an introduction to its most famed art gallery
From US$431 privately
Book a Tour
Tour Details
Duration
2 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
Borghese Gallery
Photos & Highlights
  • Explores works by Titian, Caravaggio, Raphael, and Bernini
  • Includes skip-the-line admission tickets for shortened early-evening time-slot
Tour Description
In the company of an expert in art history, in this 2-hour experience at the Borghese Gallery, you will explore the essential works of Cardinal Borghese's famed collection. Discover masterpieces by Titian, Caravaggio, Raphael, and Bernini, and end your day with a little extra insight into art and politics in 17th-century Rome.

This tour takes advantage of the shorter late entrance window offered by the Borghese Gallery and allows you to experience these masterpieces at the most quiet time of the day when the big crowds have left. You will meet your expert guide in front of the gallery and begin introductions immediately as you prepare to enter the museum. As you learn about Cardinal Scipione Borghese and his penchant for building relationships with the most acclaimed artists of his era, you will understand why his collection has attracted visitors for centuries. With faultless taste and a skilled eye, he tirelessly collected works of the highest standards throughout his lifetime. The resulting collection provides the perfect lens through which you will examine the crossroads of art and politics in Rome during the 17th century.

Your expert will guide you through a condensed visit of the various floors of the Galleria where some of the most remarkable High Renaissance works are housed, from Bernini's life-sized statue of Apollo and Daphne to Raphael's reverential painting, The Entombment. You will also have the privilege of discovering paintings by the likes of Caravaggio, Titian, Coreggio and Bronzino while gaining better insight into the politics of building a private art collection during the era of Cardinal Borghese. Leaving the gallery together as the doors close for the day, your guide will wrap up this concise introduction to one of the most impressive private collections in the world just in time for an evening aperitivo.
Experts
Alessia Alessia
Art Historian
Maddalena Maddalena
Art Historian
Francesca Francesca
Art Historian
Luciana Luciana
Local Guide
Simona Simona
Local Guide & Teacher
Arianna Arianna
Art Historian
Simonetta Simonetta
Art Historian
Cristina Cristina
Art Historian
Richard Richard
Medievalist
Maria Emilia Maria Emilia
Art Historian
Simona Simona
Art Historian
Paolo Paolo
Archaeologist
Tiziana Tiziana
Art Historian
Guido Guido
Tourist guide
Paola Paola
Architectural Historian
Emily Emily
Art Historian
Valeria Valeria
Archaeologist
Alessandra Alessandra
Art Historian
Pier Paolo Pier Paolo
Art Historian
Jade Jade
Archaeologist
Dony Dony
Art Historian
Massimo Massimo
Local Guide
Liz Liz
Architect
Barbara Barbara
Architect
Theresa Theresa
Art Historian
Siriana Siriana
Local Guide
Mara Mara
Local Guide
Jeannette Jeannette
Art Historian
Paolo Paolo
Art Historian
Marina Marina
Local Guide
Maria Stella Maria Stella
Art Historian
Olivia Olivia
Art Historian
Doriana Doriana
Local Guide
Priscilla Priscilla
Archaeologist
Fabio Fabio
Art Historian
Cecilia Cecilia
Art Historian
Valentina Valentina
Local Guide
Michele Michele
Local Guide
Vannella Vannella
Art Historian
Sabrina Sabrina
Art Historian
  • Borghese Gallery
  • Includes viewings of the Apollo and Daphne, Sacred and Profane Love, and The Rape of Proserpina
  • 2 hours with a Ph.D. or MA-level guide
  • Advanced ticket reservation

Tickets

Our visit to the Borghese Gallery includes advance entry tickets, allowing you to skip the general ticket office line. Although you can skip the main ticket line, there may still be a brief wait for security screening or ticket scanning. Please be aware that the museum enforces a strict limit on the number of visitors allowed at any given time, resulting in highly limited ticket availability. Consequently, some changes and reschedules may occur, and we appreciate your patience in these instances.

Please Note: the Borghese Gallery is undergoing works of renovation and some rooms might be closed exceptionally and unexpectedly. Your expert will adapt the itinerary accordingly if necessary. 
 

Additional Trip-Planning Resources

  • For more information and inspiration while planning your travels to Rome, take a look at our other Context experiences.
  • If you are looking to learn more about Rome prior to your visit, check out our online lectures at Context Learning.
Why is this tour shorter than other Borghese Tours?
The Borghese Gallery offers a special, shortened visiting window at the end of the day. The time permitted inside the museum for this window is 1 hour and 15 (as opposed to the usual 2 hours) and the ticket prices are reduced accordingly. We begin our Borghese tours 30 minutes before the entrance time in order to pass through security and begin your introduction to the subject matter. You will have 15 minutes at the end to exit the gallery and wrap up your discussion with your expert guide.
 
What is a private tour?
Limited exclusively to travelers in your party, our private tours are tailor-made to provide a unique and personalized experience for you and your companions. You'll enjoy a higher degree of flexibility with scheduling, allowing you to decide when the walk best fits into your trip. Plus, we'll work with you to tailor your itinerary to match the interests and dynamics of your group, and you'll get personalized time with your guide. 

What is a small group tour?
Our small group tours cover the same itineraries as our private tours, but they place you with other travelers. Our small groups are capped at six participants. They operate on a pre-scheduled calendar and are designed to provide an opportunity to engage with and learn from other travelers. 

Are tickets included?
Yes, our team will take care of the necessary reservation in advance, and you'll pay for the tickets upon booking. Your guide will collect them for you at the entrance of the museum on the day of the tour.

Can I take photos inside the Borghese Gallery?
Yes. Photography is permitted during the tour, but please ensure that your flash is off.

Why isn't this tour offered on Mondays?
On Mondays, the Borghese Gallery is closed to the Public. We are unable to offer tours. 
Where You'll Start
(4.86) 28 Reviews

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.

We had a great time with Tiziana! She is so knowledgeable about the Borghese collection and made it accessible to a wide- ranging group. I hope we can take another tour with Tiziana!
Paolo isn’t just an expert, he’s an expert in this specific gallery. Remarkable depth and insights. I wish we had more time to spend together.
We had a lovely experience with Paolo this evening…would love to have had more. He has a wealth of accessible knowledge that bring art and the artists alive. The arranged elevator was particularly helpful to us, given some mobility issues. Paolo has a positive relationship with museum personnel which added an extra ingredient of welcome. Get all the time you can get when visiting; a guide do enriches the experience!