The Borghese Gallery holds Bernini’s great marble groups and a room of Caravaggio paintings in a single villa, and entry is by timed reservation, so a tour with the ticket included saves the hardest part. On Viator, two well-reviewed tours split on price and extras: gallery and gardens in two and a half hours, from about $65, rated 4.6 across 2,304 reviews; or a two-hour gallery tour rated 4.8 across 667 reviews, from about $86. Below, we compare two ways to book a Borghese Gallery tour, side by side.
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The verdict
The gallery and gardens tour is the value choice: about $21 less, with the entry ticket, an English-speaking guide, headsets and a visit to the Villa Borghese gardens all listed as included. Its rating is lower, 4.6, and it has more critical reviews: 93 of 2,304 are one star.
The two-hour tour has the stronger record, 608 of 667 reviews at five stars, and focuses on the gallery itself. Read the options before you book: the listing says the art historian guide and the headsets are included if the option is selected.
Our pick: the two-hour tour if the art is the point of your visit, with the guided option selected; the gallery and gardens tour if you want the park too and a lower price.
The two-hour tour asks travelers to be at the meeting point at least 15 minutes before the start; late arrivals are not guaranteed entry or a refund. On both tours, larger bags are left at the gallery entrance: only small bags are allowed inside.
Which one is for you?
Take the gallery and gardens tour if
- You want the lowest price with the ticket and a guide included.
- You also want to see the Villa Borghese gardens.
- You like having headsets to hear the guide in the busy rooms.
- Two and a half hours suits your day.
Take the two-hour gallery tour if
- Reviews matter most to you: it is rated 4.8 from 667 travelers.
- You want an art historian guide (choose that option).
- You prefer a shorter visit focused on the gallery.
- You will arrive early: late arrivals may not get in.
What each price covers
The gallery and gardens tour, from about $65
Included: the Borghese Gallery entry ticket, a guided tour with an expert English-speaking guide, headsets, a small group of no more than 15 people and a visit to the Villa Borghese gardens.
Not included: gratuities and hotel pickup. The listing asks for a moderate level of fitness, and personal belongings are left at the gallery reception on arrival.
The two-hour gallery tour, from about $86
Included: skip-the-line entry to the Borghese Gallery and a guaranteed small group of 15 at most; an art historian guide and headsets are included if you select that option.
Not included: hotel pickup and gratuities. Only small bags are allowed inside; there is a free cloakroom at the entrance. The supplier can cancel for bad weather or a small group.
Where each one starts
- Gallery and gardens: Piazzale del Museo Borghese, in front of the gallery’s main entrance (the Villa Borghese entrance on Via Pinciana).
- Two-hour tour: also in Piazzale del Museo Borghese, by the Fontana dei Mascheroni drinking fountain. Look for the purple Crown Tours t-shirt.
Side by side
| Gallery and gardens | Two-hour gallery tour | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6 from 2,304 | 4.8 from 667 |
| Five-star reviews | 1,780 (77%) | 608 (91%) |
| Price | from about $65 | from about $86 |
| Length | 2.5 hours | 2 hours |
| Group cap | 15 | 15 |
| Entry ticket | Included | Skip-the-line entry included |
| Guide | Expert English-speaking guide | Art historian, if option selected |
| Gardens | Yes | No |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before | Free up to 24 hours before |
What travelers say
On the gallery and gardens tour
I learned so much about Italian art history. It was definitely worth it
Cheryl_M, September 2026, via Viator
The collection is absolutely extraordinary, with incredible works by Bernini, Caravaggio, and many other great masters.
viviana_t, September 2026, via Viator
On the two-hour gallery tour
I have had good tours before but this one stands above the rest.
Jeff_C, September 2026, via Viator
Gallery was amazing- 2 hours allotted is barely enough.
Samantha_M, September 2026, via Viator
Recent reviews of both tours praise the guides. The two-hour tour’s occasional complaints are about organization at the entrance, not the visit; the gallery and gardens tour has a larger share of low ratings, which is worth weighing against its lower price.
How the Borghese fits a Rome trip
The Borghese makes a natural third art visit after the big two. Start with the Colosseum tour and the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel tour, then book the Borghese for a morning when you want something smaller and quieter.
For the full plan, see our best tours in Rome for first-timers, our guide to art and history in Italy and the Rome travel guide.
Prefer to book the official ticket yourself? Read our guide to Borghese Gallery tickets.
Questions travelers ask
Which Borghese Gallery tour should I book?
If the art is the point, book the two-hour tour rated 4.8 from 667 reviews on Viator and select the art historian option. If you want the gardens too and a lower price, book the gallery and gardens tour, from about $65 (checked September 2026).
Is the Borghese Gallery ticket included in the tour?
Yes. The gallery and gardens tour includes the entry ticket; the two-hour tour includes skip-the-line entry.
How long is a Borghese Gallery tour?
The two tours compared here last two hours and two and a half hours. One reviewer found two hours barely enough for the gallery.
Can I bring a bag into the Borghese Gallery?
Only small bags. Larger bags are left at the entrance; the two-hour tour notes a free cloakroom there.
Can I cancel a Borghese Gallery tour?
Both offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
Book the two-hour tour if you want the best-reviewed visit of the gallery; book the gallery and gardens tour if you want the ticket, a guide and the park for less.
Editorial assessment by Italy2Love, September 2026. Inclusions and exclusions, options, group caps, meeting points, bag rules, prices, ratings, review counts and cancellation terms read on both Viator product pages (product codes 3731BORGHESE and 15932P72), September 2026. Reviews quoted with attribution to their authors and to Viator. Next review March 2027, or sooner on any change to either tour.