Last Updated on October 7, 2026 by admin

Spring and summer in the Eternal City mean fruit and flowers, blooms and blossoms, and picnics in parks. What better way to enjoy the warm weather than from one of Rome’s most beautiful gardens?

The gardens on this list offer both a respite from the chaos of the city and the chance to do something out of the ordinary. Another plus is that most of them are free to visit! If you’re in Rome on a budget, read on (and bookmark this baby for all your budget-friendly dining needs).

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Gardens in Rome (free entry)

Il Roseto di Roma – Rome’s Rose Garden

Rome’s rose garden contains 1,100 different varieties of roses, and it is considered to be one of the most impressive collections in the world.

Located on the Aventine Hill, the Rose Garden offers a panoramic view of its neighboring hill, the Palatine, which hovers above the Circus Maximus.

Like everything else in Rome, there are layers of history to peel back in the Rose Garden. 

The grounds of the Roseto have been home to flower gardens since the third century BC. In 1645, the area was turned over to the Jewish community of Rome. At that time, a small Jewish cemetery was located there. It was later moved to the large Verano Cemetery in the San Lorenzo neighborhood. The area adjacent to the cemetery continued to serve as a garden.

In 1934, when the cemetery was moved, the Jewish community agreed to allow the formerly sacred space to be utilized for the city’s new rose garden (the old one was on the nearby Colle Oppio, or Oppian Hill). 

To thank the community and honor the area’s history, the rose garden was planted in the form of a menorah, with seven pathways stretching up between the plots of flowers. There is also a commemorative plaque at the entrance.

Opening dates, hours, and admission

The rose garden typically opens for visitors on Rome’s birthday, April 21. In 2025, it will remain open daily from 8:30am to 7:30pm until June 15.

Entry is free.

Getting there

Via di Valle Murcia, 6

You can reach the rose garden by taking the metro B to Circo Massimo, tram 3, or buses 81, 170, 628 or 715.

Il Giardino degli Aranci – the Orange Garden

The orange garden is also known as Parco Savello, named for the family who built a fortress on the site between 1285 and 1287. The fortress was constructed on the site of a tenth-century castle, next to the church of Santa Sabina, which is still there.

The walls that enclose the garden today are those of the fortress. The trees were planted in memory of Saint Dominic, who founded the Santa Sabina convent. 

Aside from the trees dotted with bright oranges, the garden offers a great view of Rome that includes the Tiber River and the dome of Saint Peter’s.

Opening dates, hours, and admission

The orange garden is open daily, and it is free of charge. From October to February, it’s open from 7am to 6pm, from March to September, 7am to 8pm, and from April to August, 7am to 9pm.

Getting there

Via di Santa Sabina, 8

A short walk from the rose garden, you can reach the orange garden in the same way (metro B to Circo Massimo, tram 3, or buses 81, 170, 628 or 715). 

Il Giardino Grande di Palazzo Venezia – the Large Garden of Palazzo Venezia

Piazza Venezia is one of the most hectic places in Rome, especially now because of the construction of what will eventually be a stop on the city’s newest metro line. 

Traffic snarls the square as cars, buses, scooters and cyclists crisscross it, trying to get where they need to go. Tourists also fill the sidewalks, making their way to the Vittoriano, Via del Corso, or perhaps head towards Largo Argentina to see the spot where Caesar was murdered.

What many people don’t know is that there’s a great little place to stop and take a breather right there – well, not exactly in the piazza, but in Palazzo Venezia, the large brown building adjacent to the Vittoriano.

Built under Pope Paul II in the latter half of the fifteenth century, the courtyard of Palazzo Venezia is a little garden of palms, magnolias, and other plants, where you can rest for a moment on a busy day of sightseeing. 

The building has served as both the embassy of the Republic of Venice and as the embassy of Austria. Those interested in World War II history might also know that Mussolini gave speeches off the balcony that faces onto Piazza Venezia, with a view of the Colosseum in front of him.

Today the building houses il Museo Nazionale di Palazzo Venezia. 

Opening dates, hours, and admission

Free admission daily from 9:30am to 6:30pm

Getting there

Tram 8, or buses 30, 46, 60, 118, 492.

I Giardini di Castel Sant’Angelo – the Gardens of Castel Sant’Angelo

Unspooling over the area around the castle and in what was once its moat, the garden area consists of manicured lawns, plants, trees, hedges, benches for resting, and even a new playground.

Soon, some of the artifacts uncovered during the recent redevelopment of the space will be put on display, forming an open-air museum in the shadow of the castle. 

The new playground would be a great stop with kids on a long day of touring Vatican City to give them the chance to play. 

Opening dates, hours, and admission

Open daily from 7am to sunset. No admission fee. 

Getting there

Metro A, Lepanto, or buses 23, 30, 40, 62, 280.

American Academy of Rome

Like Villa Medici, you can visit the gardens at the American Academy of Rome on a tour.

On the free weekly tours that take place on Wednesdays at 10am, you’ll visit, among other things, the Bass Garden, designed to reflect the Roman countryside as it was, once upon a time. Fruit and olive trees as well as cypresses and flowers all grow in the garden.

The Academy’s raised-bed flower and vegetable garden is also found there. The produce from this garden is utilized in the Academy’s kitchen, which provides food for the visiting artists and scholars that have won the Rome Prize or Italian Fellowship at AAR to carry out research work.

As mentioned above, the tour is free, but space is limited to ten people.

You can also arrange a private group tour of Villa Aurelia (€200 for up to ten people), which also has its own extensive gardens, characterized by several fountains and domed topiaries.

Opening dates, hours, and admission

Free weekly tours that include the Bass Garden take place on Wednesdays at 10am. Private tours that include Villa Aurelia can be arranged by contacting tours@aarome.org.

Getting there

Buses 115, 710, 870.

Gardens in Rome (paid entry)

L’orto Botanico – the Botanical Garden

The current location of Rome’s Botanical Garden dates back to 1883. It’s a part of La Sapienza, the city’s largest university.

The purpose of the botanical garden is twofold: to preserve plant species that are in danger of extinction, and to promote environmental education and training.

In the botanical garden, you’ll find several different areas of interest, including a bamboo plot; a Japanese garden, where cherry blossoms erupt every spring; fountains and greenhouses; and Butterfly Eden, a tent that houses several species of butterflies (note that to enter, you have to pay an additional fee).

Here’s a map of the botanical garden so you can plan your visit.

For the past few years from the end of November to the beginning of January, the botanical garden has hosted Trame di Luce, a series of light installations designed by artists from all over the world. If you’re in Rome at Christmastime, check it out.

Opening dates, hours, and admission

The botanical garden is open daily from 9am to 6:30pm, with the last entry at 5:30.

Tickets are €5 for an adult. You can pay a reduced fee of €4 if you’re between the ages of 6 and 18 or over 65, if you’re a student or part of a school group. People with disabilities and their support person, if they have one, also qualify for the reduced fee.

Children under 5 are free.

Tickets can be purchased in person at the ticket office or ahead of time online.

Getting there

Largo Cristina di Svezia 24

Buses 23, 280, 115.

Villa Medici

Villa Medici is a Renaissance palace that houses the French Academy of Rome. In addition to being a historic sight, it serves as an artists’ residence and museum.

The Villa’s Tuscan gardens stretch out over seven hectares. Not all areas are open to the public, but those that are can be visited on a guided tour of the Villa and its grounds.

Divided into three parts, a piazzale, a wooded area and the braccheria, which housed bloodhounds for hunting, the gardens are notable for their maze-like quality and the sculptures and busts that accent the green space.

Opening dates, hours, and admission

Guided tours in English run daily except for Tuesdays at 10, 11, 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 5:30.

Full-price adults tickets are €14, with a reduced fee of €11 for people under 25, fellows and members of other foreign academies in Rome, and, according to the website, “people seeking employment”, although I’m not sure how you’d prove that last one. 

Getting there

Metro A, Spagna or bus 119. 

Which is your favorite Roman garden? Let me know in the comments!

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