Galleria Borghese

The Galleria Borghese holds one of the densest collections of masterpieces in the world, set in the Baroque Casino Nobile inside the Villa Borghese park. Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, began the collection in 1607 and commissioned the young Gian Lorenzo Bernini for sculptures that still form the core: Apollo and Daphne, the Rape of Proserpina, David. Add six paintings by Caravaggio including Madonna dei Palafrenieri and the sickly young Bacchus, plus works by Titian, Raphael and Correggio. Visits are capped at two-hour slots with mandatory booking, keeping the rooms focused despite the demand. With time to spare, combine the visit with a walk through the surrounding park and the Pincio overlook of Rome.