Villa Borghese is an extensive park located in the city of Rome, which encompasses a wide range of styles, from Italian-style gardens to expansive areas with English-designed buildings, fountains and ponds. Within its boundaries, it is home to various buildings, museums and notable attractions, such as the Villa Borghese Pinciana, which is home to the famous Borghese Gallery containing masterpieces by artists such as Caravaggio, Raphael and Bernini. This park is the third largest public park in the Italian capital, occupying about 80 hectares, after Villa Doria-Pamphili and Villa Ada.

It is located in the area of the reforested hill and the adjacent rione del Pincio.

In 1605, Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V and patron of Bernini, began to transform this area, which was previously dedicated to vineyards on Mount Pincio, into the largest garden built in ancient Rome. This site has been identified as the Lucullus Gardens of the Roman Empire.

In the 19th century, much of the property was converted into an English-style landscape garden under the direction of architect Luigi Canina. In 1902, due to economic difficulties, the Borghese family separated the main building, which housed the Borghese Gallery, and sold it and its contents to the Italian State. The gardens were acquired by the Municipality of Rome the following year and opened to the public on July 12, 1903.

The park has nine entrances, the most frequented being Porta Pinciana, Piazza di Spagna, the Pincio ramp from Piazza del Popolo and the monumental entrance from Piazzale Flaminio.

From Mount Pincio, on the southern side, you can enjoy some of the most spectacular views of Rome.

The main villa, known as Villa Borghese Pinciana, was designed by the architect Flaminio Ponzio under the direction of Scipione Borghese. Today, it houses the Borghese Gallery. After Ponzio's death, the work was completed by the Flemish architect Giovanni Vasanzio. The building was intended by Camillo Borghese to house sculptures by Bernini, such as the David and Apollo and Daphne, as well as the creations of Antonio Canova, such as the Paolina Borghese depicting Paulina Bonaparte. It also houses paintings by prominent artists such as Titian, Raphael and Caravaggio.

Adjacent to Villa Borghese, at the foot of the hill, is Villa Giulia, built between 1551 and 1555 as a summer residence for Pope Julius III. Today, it houses the National Etruscan Museum of Rome.

Within the confines of Villa Borghese is also the Villa Medici, which serves as the Rome headquarters of the French Academy. This small fortified complex houses the collection of sculptor Pietro Canonica.

In the viale delle Belle Arti, there are several buildings built for the Universal Exposition of Rome in 1911, being the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna one of the most prominent. In addition, inside the park is the Rome Zoo, which was recently transformed into a Biopark, as well as the House of Cinema, located in the House of Roses.

Villa Borghese is also the site of the Piazza di Siena horse racing competition, which celebrated its 74th edition in 2006.