Villa Farnesina private tour
Attractions & guided tours

Villa Farnesina private tour

Free cancellation
Language: English, French, Spanish, German
Availability: Monday to Saturday
Mobile voucher accepted
Duration: 3 hours
Do this because
  • Visit the amazing Villa Farnesina in a private group
  • Feast your eyes with paintwork and admire Raphael's frescoes
  • Reach Piazza Farnese and admire the Farnese Palace from outside
What to expect

Take part in an amazing 3-hour guided tour inside Villa Farnesina, where the architectural design and pictorial decoration fuse into a single marvelous synthesis. Your guide will lead you and tell you about all the art and facts of this unique place.

Villa Farnesina, built in the early 16th century, is one of the noblest and most harmonious creations of the Italian Renaissance. The sober volumetric and spatial layout of the Villa, devised by the architect Baldassarre Peruzzi, is indeed the perfect setting for its rich interior decoration, boasting frescos by great masters such as Raphael, Sebastiano del Piombo, Giovanni Antonio Bazzi known as Sodoma, and Peruzzi himself.

After a troubled history and many changes of ownership, the Villa now bears the name and preserves the memory of the Farnese family, who acquired it in 1579, in violation of the binding legal conditions imposed by its original owner. It should have been named after Agostino Chigi, the highly ambitious patron and art-lover, who commissioned the Villa as the tangible sign of his own personality and high culture, decorating it magnificently and living in it until his death in 1520.

When he got married, the wedding banquet was a memorable event, but no less sumptuous were the many feasts that Agostino gave. The chronicles record for example that in 1518, on the occasion of the christening of the eldest child, gold and silver vessels used for the banquet were flung into the Tiber as a sign of munificence. After its acquisition by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese the Younger, and after the death of his nephew Odoardo who inherited it, the Villa was abandoned, being occasionally lent to important visitors to Rome such as Cardinal Richelieu, Queen Christina of Sweden and various ambassadors of Louis XIV.

In 1735 the Villa was bequeathed by Elisabetta Farnese to Carlo IV, King of the Two Sicilies, and became the residence of various Neapolitan ambassadors until Francesco II of Naples, having retired to Rome after his abdication, granted a 99-year lease on the Farnesina to the Spanish ambassador of Naples, Salvador Bermudez de Castro. Finally, the Villa was acquired in 1927 by the State, which used it to house the Italian Academy and in 1944 gave it to the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, housed in the nearby Palazzo Corsini.

Read more
What's included
  • check Professional and licensed guide
  • check 3-hour private tour
  • check Skip-the-line entrance
  • check Headsets to hear your guide during the tour
  • check Villa Farnesina guided tour
What's not included
  • x_not_included Pick-up or drop-off
  • x_not_included Food and drinks
Where

Via dei Riari, 58, 00165 Rome RM, Italy

Meeting point:
In front of Mea Tours office, Via dei Riari 58 - in the heart of Trastevere area.
What to remember
  • Please be at the meeting point 15 minutes prior tour departure
  • Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
  • This is a private tour for a maximum of 2 peope, each additional participant will have to pay 30 euros in addition
Read more
Provider
Mea Tours&Events
Booking fee
Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.
Cancellation policy
Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 24 hours before the experience begins.

What people say about this experience

0%
0%
0%
0%
0%

You might also like

Reserved entrance and guided tour of Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Likely to sell out
Attractions & guided tours

Reserved entrance and guided tour of Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

Benefit from reserved access to admire the beautiful Vatican Museums and visit the greatest attractions in Rome, the Sistine Chapel.

Flexible
Available in:

en, fr, es 

Instant Confirmation
Nat Geo Day Tour: Discovering the Rome of Julius Caesar
Excursions & day trips

Nat Geo Day Tour: Discovering the Rome of Julius Caesar

Discover the legacy of Julius Caesar by tracing historic connections in Rome. Feel his influence echo through the centuries as you tour monuments and locations, tracing his life, deeds, and impact.

free cancellation
Instant Confirmation
Skip-the-line entrance to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Likely to sell out
Attractions & guided tours

Skip-the-line entrance to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

Benefit from skip-the-line access to admire the beautiful Vatican Museums and visit the greatest attractions in Rome, the Sistine Chapel.

Flexible
Instant Confirmation
E-voucher
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica guided tour
Attractions & guided tours

Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica guided tour

Book your guided tour including Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Less time in line, more time on art!

free cancellation
Available in:

en, es 

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel escorted entrance
Attractions & guided tours

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel escorted entrance

Avoid the queue with this skip-the-line ticket and get escorted to the Vatican Museums entrance, and explore the Vatican at your own pace.

free cancellation
Available in:

en 

Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill tour
Attractions & guided tours

Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill tour

Book your experience the best of ancient Rome with skip-the-line tickets and an expert local guide to the Colosseum, Roman Form and Palatine Hill.

Duration 3 hours
Available in:

en, es 

Instant Confirmation
Colosseum & Roman Forum small-group tour with skip-the-line tickets & local guide
Must see
Attractions & guided tours

Colosseum & Roman Forum small-group tour with skip-the-line tickets & local guide

Book now for an unforgettable small-group experience to discover the Colosseum and Roman Forum with skip-the-line tickets and a local expert guide!

free cancellation
Available in:

en, it 

Tickets for Bioparco di Roma
Tickets and events

Tickets for Bioparco di Roma

Visit Bioparco in the heart of Rome and spend an unforgettable day of discovery and fun with the whole family!

Duration 24 hours
Instant Confirmation
Archaeological Rome tour, Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
Must see
Attractions & guided tours

Archaeological Rome tour, Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

One of the best ways to see Rome is on foot with an expert guide to show you around. Discover the main sites and immerse yourself in the legends of the city.

free cancellation
Available in:

en 

Complete skip-the-line Vatican tour for small groups
Attractions & guided tours

Complete skip-the-line Vatican tour for small groups

Book the ultimate Vatican experience with express access to the museums and Sistine Chapel and a full guided tour led by a Vatican expert.

free cancellation
Available in:

en