Exclusive: Exclusive Visit to Villa Farnesina

Within Rome’s Trastevere district stands the Villa Farnesina, a treasure from the Italian Renaissance. The estate is resplendent with irreplaceable art and a history of all manner of opulent events, from poetry recitations to lavish banquets. It is the perfect place to experience the glamorous halls of Rome’s aristocracy.

The Villa Farnesina was built for a man of great importance for his time, Agostino Chigi. He was a ludicrously wealthy banker, political figure, and overall an artistic patron of the Renaissance. He patronized nearly all of the biggest names in the early 1500s Renaissance, including Perugino, Sodoma, and Raphael. He was familiar with both Pope Julius II and Pope Leo X, and he hosted parties to entertain them along with countless other guests of the highest echelon in Rome. He was so influential that he was even awarded the title “Il Magnifico,” meaning “Magnificent.”

The Villa Farnesina boasts the Loggia of Galatea as well as the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche. Both are gorgeous sunlit hallways frescoed with the stories of ancient Greek myths, designed by Raphael and completed by his assistants, which many artists of the time employed. These breathtaking scenes, vital to the grand picture of the Italian Renaissance, are lesser-known among tourists, so visits are a more exclusive experience.