The lovely Villa Borghese is situated in a large park by the same name in the north part of Rome.
This museum is the perfect size for me. As much as I love the Louvre and the National Art Gallery and the Rijks, etc., they are exhausting. Show me a really captivating collection in a beautiful location that I can accomplish in a quality way within two hours, and I'm usually enthralled.
The very ambitious 17-century cardinal, Scipione Borghese, had the villa built to house his large and prestigious art collection. Scipione wasn't always ethical in his acquisition of important pieces (artists and collectors were threatened with imprisonment or death if they didn't just hand over the piece he wanted; and he exploited his power and stipends as nephew to the Pope), but he understood art and was a great patron, including Bernini and Carvaggio. Carvaggio was quite controversial for his time, and Scipione showed a great deal of forward thinking in his patronage of the artist.
As you can see, the interior is as breathtaking as the art itself.
The grand park surrounding the villa has so much to offer, including a zoo, cafes, and carousels, even a globe theater.
We rented these funny four-person bikes and picnicked in the park after our museum visit. And not being too far from our hotel, it was our go-to running spot while in Rome.
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| Well, okay, a Proseco picnic! |
Run, Dad, run!!! Look below . . . Borghese Gardens overlooks the Spanish steps and Barcaccia Fountain. Delightful!
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