Villa Farnesina
Renaissance villa of Agostino Chigi in Trastevere, famous for the frescoes by Raphael and his circle, and the representative seat of the Lincei.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Villa Farnesina was built at the beginning of the 16th century for the Sienese banker Agostino Chigi, to a design by the architect Baldassarre Peruzzi, as a country residence overlooking the Tiber. The patron, one of the richest patrons of his time, hosted artists, prelates and men of power there and had it decorated by the leading painters active in Rome.
The interiors were frescoed by Raphael and his workshop, by Sebastiano del Piombo, by Sodoma and by Peruzzi himself, with mythological cycles and architectural perspectives that fuse painting and architecture. After Chigi’s death in 1520 the property changed hands several times: in 1579 it passed to the Farnese, from whom its present name derives and which distinguishes it from the nearby Palazzo Farnese; later it belonged to the Bourbons of Naples and then to a private emphyteusis.
Acquired by the Italian State in the 20th century, the villa was assigned to the Accademia d’Italia and today is the representative seat of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, which manages it as a museum open to the public. The route includes the loggias of Galatea and of Amore e Psiche, the Sala delle Prospettive, the Sala delle Nozze di Alessandro e Rossane, the Galleria delle Grottesche, the Sala del Fregio and the Saletta Pompeiana, as well as the historic gardens.
Highlights
- Loggia di Galatea with Raphael’s Triumph of Galatea
- Loggia di Amore e Psiche, frescoed by Raphael’s school
- Sala delle Nozze di Alessandro e Rossane by Sodoma
- Sala delle Prospettive by Baldassarre Peruzzi with views of Rome
- Historic gardens along the Tiber
Permanent exhibition
- Percorso di visita della villa – The route passes through the loggias of Galatea and of Amore e Psiche, the Sala delle Prospettive, the Sala delle Nozze di Alessandro e Rossane, the Galleria delle Grottesche, the Sala del Fregio and the Saletta Pompeiana.
- Founded
- 1506
- Operated by
- Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei
- Visitors per year
- approx. 70,000
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €12 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €10People over 65, teachers with a card, ICOM card holders, FAI members and Touring Club Italiano members |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 9 · Free admission for children up to age 10 accompanied by parents; the reduced ticket for individual students is valid from age 10 to 18. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for visitors with disabilities, with a companion. |
| Students & apprentices | €7Individual students aged 10 to 18. |
| Groups | €5 per personRate for each student of a school group (maximum 30 students); accompanying teacher free of charge. |
| Reduced ticket with the Membership Card of the Parco archeologico del Colosseo or the ticket of the Museo Nazionale Romano | €10 |
Free admission also for accredited journalists and licensed tourist guides (with badge). Rates in force from 16 February 2026. The villa’s mobile app is paid (€3). Reduction for those who present a Vatican Museums ticket within 7 days of its validation. A guided visit with live Renaissance music on the second Sunday of the month, at a dedicated rate, with mandatory booking.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
A ramp at the main entrance (Loggia di Amore e Psiche) allows access for people with disabilities; the first floor can be reached by lift. Accessible toilets are on the ground floor, outside the villa. Staff are available on request.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Via della Lungara
Buses 23 and 280, Via della Lungara stop; from Stazione Termini, bus H to Piazza Belli and then on foot.
The villa is in Trastevere, on the side of the Tiber towards St Peter’s.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Museum shop
- Coat check
Bookshop on the ground floor with guides, publications on Raphael, postcards and posters. Free cloakroom for bags, umbrellas and strollers; no left-luggage service for suitcases. There is currently no café.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (IT, FR, EN, ES, DE) |
| Photography | Photography is permitted without flash; video recording is not allowed inside or outside the villa. |
| Good to know | Audio guide in five languages included in the ticket. Booking is not mandatory but is recommended; it is advisable to arrive at least 15 minutes early. For groups of more than 10 people, earphones are mandatory. |
