8) Museo Nazionale Romano at Palazzo Massimo

It is one of the most important collection of antiquities in the world.
We will admire many portraits of eminent  roman persons and the first statues of women.
We’ll draw your attention to the designs of the imperial villas with their decorations and sculptures, beginning from the villa of emperor Nero in Anzio and the villa of emperor Adrianus in Tivoli.
We’ll reserve a particular attention to the frescos in the villa of Livia, the wife of emperor Augustus. The villa is located along Flaminia road  and its frescos represent a garden, named hortus conclusus.
Other frescos adorned the inside portico of the Farnesina villa, the  residence of Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, during her stay in Rome.

9) Museo and Galleria Borghese

The Cardinal Scipione Borghese had been getting in his palace, all his life long, one of the most important  collection of antiques and masterpieces of art.
The actual museum offers the show of  the statue  of  the winner Venus by Antonio Canova, an allegoric neoclassic representation of Paolina Bonaparte, sister of Napoleon.
We’ll also admire the masterpieces of Gian Lorenzo Bernini: the statues of  “David”, “Apollus and Daphne” and “The rapture of Proserpina”.
Many masterpieces of painting are exhibited in the museum: the “Boy with the basket of fruits” and the “Madonna of the Palafrenieri” by Caravaggio, the “Deposition of Christ” by Raffaello, the “Danae” by Correggio, the “Portrait of a man” by Antonello da Messina and “The sacred and the profane love” by Tiziano.

10) Galleria Nazionale di Arte Antica into Palazzo Barberini

Palazzo Barberini is one of the most remarkable palace in Rome.
It was planned by Carlo Maderno, but his  design was deeply modified by Bernini following the will of  Cardinal Francesco Barberini.
Bernini emphasized the classic schemes of  the Renaissance palace and designed two open wings in both its side. He succeed in harmonizing the majestic greatness of a deputation palace for the family of Pope and, at the same time, the comfort of an urban villa provided with wide gardens and open views.
The Galleria Nazionale di Arte Antica,  inside Palazzo Barberini, contains  works of art coming from many private collections.
The most famous paintings in the gallery are the “Fornarina” by Raffaello and two masterpieces by Caravaggio: “Giuditta beheading Oloferne” and “Narciso”.
The vault of the main hall inside the gallery has the Triumph of the Divine Providence, painted by Pietro da Cortona.

11) VILLA FARNESINA A VIA DELLA LUNGARA

The  Farnesina is the usual name of the Villa Chigi and it is a real jewel of the Renaissance architecture in Rome.
It was built by the will of Agostino Chigi, a rich and cultured  banker, native of Siena in Tuscany.
The villa was designed by Baldassarre Peruzzi at the beginning of 1500 and its rooms were painted by the most famous artists of the that time: Peruzzi himself, Sodoma, Sebastiano del Piombo e Raffaello. The masterpieces of  Raffaello are the splendid Loggias dedicated to Amore and Psiche and to Galatea.

12) The Catacomb of Santa Agnese and the Mausoleum of Santa Costanza

We will visit the Mausoleo di Santa Costanza, founded in the 4th century for the Constantine’s daughter Constantia, famous for its circular shape and for the wonderful mosaics of fruits, flowers, vines and animals.
We will also admire the remains of the Basilica built by Constantine and the Basilica di Sant’Agnese fuori le mura, founded by pope Honorius I over the cemetery where St Agnes was buried in 304.
In the apse there is a beautiful mosaic representing the young saint flanked by two popes. 
It is also possible to visit the catacomb.

13) BASILICA DI SAN PAOLO AND THE NECROPOLIS ON THE VIA OSTIENSE

We will visit the Basilica di San Paolo fuori le mura, built by Constantine over the burial place of St Paul. The basilica is rich in works of art: there are wonderful mosaics by Pietro Cavallini and the 13th century marble canopy designed by Arnolfo di Cambio.
We will also admire the portraits of all the popes from St Peter to Benedetto XVI. The beautiful medieval cloister is a masterpiece by the Cosmati family. Our visit will end on the via Ostiense, where we will admire the remains of the ancient necropolis where St Paul was buried.