Archive for 'Latium'

As mentioned in the previous post, the Vatican Museums of Vatican City in Rome are one of the most incredible museums in the world. The largest dedicated floor space of a museum in the world, it is home to a varied collection that encompasses Renaissance masterpieces (such as the Sistine Chapel), architectural gems, Egyptian artifacts, Ancient Greek and Roman statuary and much more besides. There is a reason that it is the most visited museum in Italy, one of the most visited museums in the world and garners over seven million visitors a year: it is a truly astounding place. Just find a vacation rental in Rome and check out our guide to helping you plan a visit.

There is so much to see that you cannot possible do it all in one visit (or even many). Instead, narrow down your list to a few key attractions and sections by browsing some of the most important parts of the museums below!

The Vatican Museums make for the largest exhibition space in the world, with over 1400 rooms dedicated to Renaissance arts, Catholic Church history, as well as some interesting Etruscan and Egyptian collections. The 100 galleries that constitute the museums are loaded with papal treasures that were accumulated over the centuries and include the Sistine Chapel, ancient Greek and Roman sculptures like the “Laocoön” and “Belvedere Apollo,” and the frescoed “Stanze” by Raphael.

Located in Vatican City, a state within the city of Rome, the museums are an immense cultural treasure that you could spend years visiting and still find more to see. However, if you have found a vacation rental in Rome and are only able to dedicate a day or more to the museums, architectural gems and attractions of the Vatican, read on. We have compiled a guide to the museums to help you get started and plan your visit!

Museums and Italy can almost seem synonymous, at times, and, certainly, if you have plans to visit Italy, you'll pencil a couple in to your itinerary. There are so many to choose from, however, that you might find it hard to pick some out. To help you out, we have compiled a list of some of the best and must-see museums throughout the country. If you end up near any of these, you have no excuse to skip them!

1. Vatican Museums

If you have found a vacation rental in Rome, this is a definite must-see attraction. It consistently tops the lists of best and most-visited museums in Italy and for good reason. The Vatican Museums, make for the largest exhibition space in the world with over 1400 rooms dedicated to Renaissance arts, Catholic Church history, as well as some interesting Etruscan and Egyptian collections. The 100 galleries that constitute the museums are loaded with papal treasures that were accumulated over the centuries and include the Sistine Chapel, ancient Greek and Roman sculptures like the “Laocoön” and “Belvedere Apollo,” and the frescoed “Stanze” by Raphael.

In the final post in this series, we are rounding up the last of our picks of highlights of the incredible Galleria Borghese in Rome. This excellent gallery is home to works by the likes of Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian and Rubens but has a particularly exceptional group of works by Baroque sculptor and architect Bernini.

If you are a Bernini fan, the gallery truly is a must-see. Just find a vacation rental in Rome and drop by the Galleria Borghese to learn more about the great genius manipulator of marble that was Bernini.

7. The Goat Amalthea with the Infant Jupiter and a Faun, Bernini, 1609-1615

This work is actually the earliest known work by the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini and was produced sometime between 1609 and 1615. It depicts the mythological figure of Amalthea as a goat, the infant god Jupiter, and an infant Faun.

As mentioned in the last two posts, one of the main highlights of the excellent Galleria Borghese in Rome, is the collection of works by the incredibly talented Bernini. Gian Lorenzo Bernini was an Italian architect and artist born in Naples and who predominantly worked in Rome.

He started life as a child prodigy and learned to draw under his father, a sculptor and only really painted in his early years. As an artist, he is better known for his lifelike sculptural work and his architectural feats under papal patronage. Considered the greatest sculptor of his age, he may be a less familiar name to many today but his work will stick with you forever upon seeing it.

Just find a vacation rental in Rome and head to the Galleria Borghese, which has a rather exceptional collection of his works as Borghese was an important patron and great fan. Here are some highlights.