9 Hotel Cesàri is perfectly located in the heart of Rome, near Villa Borghese
Villa Borghese
Location & Welcome
The 9Hotel Cesàri: Your Starting Point for the Villa Borghese
Ideally located in Rome’s historic center, the 9Hotel Cesàri puts you within easy reach of the splendid Villa Borghese—just a 20-minute walk away. When you stay at our boutique hotel, you’ll enjoy quiet, elegant rooms after a day of cultural exploration.
The walk to the hotel invites you to immerse yourself in the beauty of Rome’s narrow streets. The staff at 9Hotel Cesàri will be delighted to provide you with information and help you plan your day in this exceptional park. At the end of the day, our exclusive rooftop terrace, La Terrazza del Cesàri, welcomes you to enjoy a refreshing drink with a breathtaking view of the rooftops of the Eternal City.
History & Patronage
The History of the Villa Borghese
The villa was built in the 17th century by the Borghese family, one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Rome at the time. It originally served as a summer residence and a venue for entertaining distinguished guests of the papal court.
Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, was the driving force behind this project. A prominent patron of the arts, he commissioned the finest artists and architects of his time to build the villa and lay out its French-style gardens. Scipione Borghese assembled a monumental collection of paintings, sculptures, and Roman antiquities there. The villa underwent several phases of expansion and renovation over the centuries before it was finally sold to the Italian government in 1901, becoming the large public park we know today.
Museums & Masterpieces
The Borghese Museum and the National Gallery of Ancient Art
The Villa Borghese is home to an extraordinary cultural complex featuring several major galleries. The famous Borghese Museum displays the family’s historic collection, combining Baroque marble sculptures and paintings by Renaissance masters.
Inside the museum, visitors can admire Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s most famous sculptures, such as Apollo and Daphne, The Rape of Persephone, and David, renowned for their dramatic realism. The site also houses important paintings by Caravaggio, such as The Boy Bitten by a Crab and David with the Head of Goliath, as well as works by Raphael, Titian, and Fra Angelico. The park encompasses other renowned institutions, such as the National Etruscan Museum at Villa Giulia, the Gallery of Modern Art, and the Barberini Palace (Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica), a Baroque building designed by Maderno and Borromini.
Nature & Entertainment
The Villa’s Gardens, the Artificial Lake, and the Bioparco
Spanning approximately 80 hectares near Piazza del Popolo, the gardens of Villa Borghese offer a lush, relaxing green space. The park is dotted with shaded paths, fountains, and statues where visitors enjoy strolling, biking, or taking a carriage ride.
The park is divided into several areas featuring pavilions and playgrounds. It features a splendid 6-hectare artificial lake surrounded by laurel trees, where visitors can rent wooden rowboats or pedal boats to watch the swans and turtles. The villa also houses the botanical gardens, featuring 300 species of plants and a rose garden with 1,100 varieties, as well as the Bioparco, Italy’s oldest zoo, founded in 1908, which is home to more than 200 animal species. On the cultural front, the park hosts the open-air Teatro Globe during the summer and the Teatro dei Burattini San Carlino, famous for its puppet shows inspired by the Commedia dell’arte, located near its famous water clock from 1867.
Romantic Views
The Pincio: A Romantic Lookout at Sunset
The Pincio Hill, part of the Villa Borghese grounds, stands out as one of Rome’s most romantic and picturesque spots. Once a sacred site dedicated to the goddess Cybele, this area is now a popular meeting spot for strollers and lovers.
Accessible by elevator or a spiral staircase, the hilltop features an exceptional historic viewpoint. To enjoy a breathtaking view, we recommend visiting at the end of the day, just as the sun is setting. From this terrace overlooking Piazza del Popolo, the panoramic view stretches magnificently across Vatican City, the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum, and the Pantheon, offering a memorable spectacle for photographers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before you go
How far is the 9Hotel Cesàri from the Pantheon?
The Pantheon is located right next to the 9Hotel Cesàri. It’s just a 300-meter walk—barely 3 to 4 minutes through the charming pedestrian streets of the historic center—to get there.How long does a visit to the Pantheon take?
A full tour to admire the architecture of the nave, look up at the dome, and explore Raphael’s tomb takes about an hour.What makes the Pantheon’s dome unique?
The Pantheon’s dome has a diameter of 43.3 meters, making it the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. At its center is an 8.8-meter oculus that allows air and natural light to enter.
