Villa Farnesina is a Renaissance villa on Via della Lungara in Rome’s Trastevere district, built as a lavish retreat for the Sienese banker Agostino Chigi. Designed by Baldassare Peruzzi in the early 16th century, it was a setting for banquets and encounters with artists and humanists. Its name came later, after the Farnese family acquired the property.
The villa’s frescoes are among the finest reasons to visit. Raphael’s Triumph of Galatea depicts the sea nymph borne across the waves, while the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche, created by Raphael and his workshop, unfolds beneath painted garlands of fruit and flowers. Upstairs, Peruzzi’s Hall of Perspectives uses painted columns and city views to give the illusion of an open terrace. Don’t miss Sodoma’s sensual Wedding of Alexander and Roxana in Chigi’s former bedchamber.
Villa Farnesina offers a more intimate encounter with Renaissance art than Rome’s largest museums, and it pairs easily with a walk through Trastevere or a visit to nearby Palazzo Corsini and the Orto Botanico. Check current opening hours and ticket details before going, as access can vary. Allow time to look up at the ceilings, and consider visiting in the morning when the loggias are bright.