Lazio, Italy
The Eternal City – 2,000 extraordinary years of glory, greatness and triumph – and decadence, murder and destruction – evidenced by some of the world’s most iconic, must-see monuments and museums.
Travel bucket list idea:
Barberini Palace
Rome, Lazio, Italy
Bucket List Experience
Courtesy Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica. Photo Alberto Novelli
Last updated: 07 April, 2024
This 17th-century Palazzo, designed by Carlo Maderno and Bernini, is itself a perfect example of how the elite lived in baroque Rome.
It’s now also part of Rome’s national gallery, and houses the best collection of the city’s old masterpieces – a wealth of art by Filippo Lippi, Raphael, Tintoretto, Titian, Caravaggio and Holbein, plus majestic ceiling frescoes by Pietro da Cortona.
Don't miss
Look out for La Fornarina, an iconic 1595 painting that depicts Raphael’s supposed mistress, the baker’s daughter, who caused his death ‘through a surfeit of love’ as he was frescoing Villa Farnesina.
Logistics
Price from: £10
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
The nearest metro station is Barberini on the Metro line A. It’s a 5-minute walk from there.
Guided tours are only available for groups, and there are no audio guides, so it’s definitely worth checking out the masterpieces section on the website before you go.
When to do it
It’s open all year round, Tuesdays to Sunday. Closed Monday.
Destination guides
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience