Palazzo Farnese, on Piazza Farnese, is one of the finest Renaissance palaces in Rome and, since 1874, the seat of the French Embassy to Italy. It can only be seen on guided tours of about 1 hour 30 minutes, booked online and with photo ID: they lead from Sangallo's atrium to the Carracci Gallery, the great painted ceiling of the Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne. Allow €15 per person for the palace-only tour (prices checked in October 2026, to be confirmed when you book). The façade and the square, with its two fountains, can be seen freely at any hour.
Highlights
The façade on the square
Begun in 1517 by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, the future Pope Paul III, the palace was completed by Michelangelo, who designed the great cornice and the central window of the top floor around 1546. In front, two granite basins brought from the Baths of Caracalla were turned into fountains in the 16th century.
The Carracci Gallery
Painted between 1597 and 1608 by Annibale Carracci, helped by his brother Agostino, the vault tells of the loves of the gods amid fake stucco, fake bronzes and fake paintings. At the centre is the Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne. The gallery is the most eagerly awaited stop of the tour and remains one of the masterpieces of early Baroque painting.
The garden and the rear façade
On the Tiber side, the palace opens onto a garden and a façade designed by Giacomo della Porta, with a three-arched loggia. Michelangelo had imagined a bridge that would have linked the palace to the Farnesina across the river; it was never built, but the ivy-covered arch on Via Giulia is a reminder of it.
The Hercules Hall and the tapestries
During the tour, the great reception room, known as the Hercules Hall, is hung with tapestries after designs by Raphael. Some of the rooms are still used for embassy receptions, which is why some routes change depending on the diary.
Prices and options
Palace tour: €15 per person. Palace and basements: €20. Palace and French School of Rome: €22. Free for children under 6. Tours are held in French, English or Italian depending on the day.
Practical info
Tips
Book at least 5 days ahead on the official Palazzo Farnese visits website (visite-palazzofarnese.it), the only way in: places are limited and nothing is sold on site. Photo ID is required at the entrance and must match the name on the booking. Times and languages change from week to week: check them when you book. The prices found vary slightly between sources, hence the advice to confirm them online.
How to get there
Piazza Farnese 67, 00186 Rome, a 5-minute walk from Campo de' Fiori and next to the Galleria Spada. No metro station nearby: tram 8, Arenula/Cairoli stop, or buses 40, 46, 62, 64 and 70 to Largo di Torre Argentina, about a 10-minute walk.
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