Villa Borghese

Villa Borghese is Rome's best-known landscaped park, covering about 80 hectares of lawns, woods, avenues of umbrella pines and fountains on the northern edge of the historic centre. Its history began in 1605, when Cardinal Scipione Borghese started turning a former vineyard into gardens around his new villa. The grounds were reworked several times, notably by Antonio Asprucci and his son Mario in the late 18th century, and the city of Rome bought the estate in 1903 and opened it to the public.

There is a lot to find within the park. The Pincio terrace on its southern edge looks down over Piazza del Popolo towards the dome of St Peter's, and is a popular spot at sunset. The Giardino del Lago has a small lake where rowing boats can be hired, with the Ionic Temple of Aesculapius, built between 1785 and 1792, on an island in the middle. Piazza di Siena, an oval arena among the pines, hosts an international horse show, and there is a replica of Shakespeare's Globe theatre, built in 2003, which stages summer productions.

The park also contains several museums. Galleria Borghese is the most famous, but there are also the National Gallery of Modern Art, the Etruscan Museum at Villa Giulia, the Museo Canonica in a sculptor's former studio, and the Museo Carlo Bilotti. The Bioparco, the city zoo, occupies the north-eastern corner, and the Casa del Cinema shows films and hosts events.

Entry to the park is free, though the museums and the zoo charge admission. Bikes and other pedal vehicles can be hired inside the park, which is a good way to cover the distances between sights. It is an ideal place for families with children, for a picnic or simply for a rest from sightseeing in the shade. There are cafés and kiosks, but bring water on hot days.

There are entrances from Piazzale Flaminio, beside Porta del Popolo; from the top of the Spanish Steps along Viale Trinità dei Monti; and from Via Veneto at Porta Pinciana. Flaminio and Spagna stations on Metro Line A are both close to the southern edge. Allow anything from an hour for a stroll to the Pincio to most of a day if you combine the park with Galleria Borghese.