Rome Botanical Garden: greenhouses and bamboo grove below the Janiculum

Updated on October 5, 2026

Rome's botanical garden (Orto Botanico), run by Sapienza University, occupies the former park of Palazzo Corsini, on Largo Cristina di Svezia, between Trastevere and the Janiculum. It is a garden of several hectares, quiet and shady, with avenues of tall trees, greenhouses, a bamboo grove and a garden of medicinal plants (Giardino dei Semplici). It is open every day, weekends and public holidays included, from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm; admission costs €5. Allow 1 hour to 1 hour 30. It is one of the most restful stops in the neighbourhood, away from the crowds, with no monument to "tick off".

Highlights

The bamboo grove

A stand of tall bamboo with green and golden stems fills a corner of the garden; the shade and the rustling of the canes make it a cool stop in summer.

The avenues and the trees

You walk the garden along gravel paths between lawns, conifers and broadleaf trees; a greenhouse appears at a bend in the path. The trees give shade in summer, a real advantage in a city that is hot from June to September.

The Garden of Simples and the greenhouses

The Giardino dei Semplici shows medicinal plants, and the greenhouses shelter tropical and exotic species. The plants are labelled: the garden also serves the university's teaching and research.

The Butterfly House

The garden hosts Butterfly Eden (Casa delle Farfalle), a greenhouse of live butterflies, which needs a separate €5 ticket and is closed on Mondays: a detour that children enjoy.

Hours and prices

Open every day 9:30 am-6:30 pm, last entry 5:30 pm. Full price €5; reduced €4 (ages 6 to 11, over-65s, university students); free for children under 3 and for people with disabilities with their companion.

Practical info

Tips

The main entrance is at Largo Cristina di Svezia 23A; a secondary entrance, on the Passeggiata del Gianicolo, can only be used with a ticket bought online. Animals are not allowed and tickets are non-refundable. On certain Sundays, a guided tour is included in the ticket. Hours and prices checked in October 2026: they may change with the season, so check the official page before you go.

How to get there

Largo Cristina di Svezia 23A, 00165 Rome, next to Palazzo Corsini. Buses 23 and 280, Via della Lungara stop. On foot, about 10 minutes from Piazza Trilussa; from the Janiculum, you can walk down through the Passeggiata del Gianicolo entrance (online ticket required).