An Art Lover’s Guide to Rome

Among the most famous collections on the planet, the Vatican Museums hold spectacular works of Italian Renaissance art, plus in situ stunners like the frescoes in the Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel. Though the bulk of the collection focuses on Italian painting art and sculpture, the museum complex is also home to ancient Egyptian, Etruscan, and Roman artworks. Because of its vast size and scope, the museums are best visited with a guide so you can cover the headliners in a few hours.

Check out works by international and Italian contemporary artists within the confines of one of Rome’s few 21st-century landmark buildings at MAXXI, the city’s premier contemporary art museum. Set in a gallery space designed by the award-winning architect Zaha Hadid, this collection is a vital part of the Rome art scene with its permanent collection and rotating temporary international and Italian art exhibitions; the building itself is often a highlight of Rome architecture tours.

Despite its name, this prestigious gallery does not hold ancient Roman art but instead one of Europe’s most important collections of art dating between the 13th and 17th centuries. Wander the sumptuous halls of Palazzo Barberini and Galleria Corsini—the museum’s two historic locations—to admire works by Caravaggio, Raphael, and other A-listers in relative peace at this often overlooked treasure trove.

Step away from the iconic monuments and explore the Eternal City's lesser-known art districts on a Rome street art tour through neighborhoods such as Ostiense and Pigneto. Discover vibrant works by both established and emerging artists that transform building facades, storefronts, and street corners—many with a political and social commentary that offers a fresh perspective on modern-day Rome.

Set in the lush Villa Borghese gardens, the Borghese Gallery is one of the top art galleries in Rome. Its compact group of paintings and sculptures offers an overview of Rome’s art history, beginning with Roman sculpture art dating from ancient times through Bernini’s famed baroque statues in the main “Salone” hall. Many Borghese Gallery toursinclude a stroll through the surrounding Villa Borghese, a 17th-century private garden that is now one of Rome’s largest public parks.

Once the workshop of the 18th-century Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova, the Museo Atelier Canova Tadolini is a hidden art gem in Rome. Today, it houses a restaurant where diners can enjoy a meal or snack surrounded by original statues and plaster casts by the artist and his students. Break up your day of sightseeing with a quick espresso or leisurely meal in the art-stuffed dining room, one of the most unique things to do in Rome for art lovers.

Opened to the public in 1734, the massive Capitoline Museums fill three Renaissance palaces on the Capitoline Hill and one of the best art museums in Rome. The museums were established by Pope Sixtus IV in the 15th century, and house spectacular ancient and Renaissance works. The most important Rome art events are often held here, including temporary art exhibitions and retrospectives. Most guided tours of the Capitoline Museums focus on highlights like the “Capitoline Wolf” (a bronze depiction of Romulus and Remus suckling a she-wolf) and masterpieces by Caravaggio, Titian, and Guercino.

Futurist artist Giacomo Balla spent three decades turning his family’s apartment into a vibrant, three-dimensional work of art. Today this former private residence is open to small group tours offered by the MAXXI Museum. Step inside this early immersive masterpiece where painted walls and ceilings, custom furniture and decorations, and even hand-crafted tableware sit alongside original sketches and paintings.

Rome is home to hundreds of art-filled chapels, so no art lover’s visit is complete without a stop inside at least one to savor its treasures. Just steps away from one of the busiest squares in the city, the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi quietly houses three of the city’s most stunning Caravaggio paintings: The Calling of Saint Matthew (Vocazione di San Matteo), The Inspiration of Saint Matthew (San Matteo e Angelo), and Martyrdom of Saint Matthew (Martirio di San Matteo). Commissioned by the Medici family, these are among the few Caravaggio paintings that can still be admired in their original location.