In the quiet, northern area of Rome, far from the throngs of tourists elbowing their way around the famed Centro Storico (Historic Center), you’ll find the well-heeled neighborhood of Parioli with tree-lined sidewalks, elegant homes and some of the city’s finest hotels and restaurants. This area also houses the Villa Borghese estate, a public garden and villa containing one of the most exquisite art collections in Rome. If you have time to visit only one museum in Rome, make it this one, as it offers a superb glimpse of the Italian aesthetic with works by Bernini, Caravaggio, Rubens and Titian.

The striking, white, Neoclassical villa was the former home of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, a flamboyant art collector and the nephew of Pope Paul V. Architect Flaminio Ponzio designed the villa to house Borghese’s many sculptures and later paintings and antiquities. Borghese envisioned his property — built from 1612 to 1620 — as a “Theater of the Universe,” which in addition to the villa holding his art collection included a farm, the property’s original vineyard, hunting grounds, an aviary, a zoological garden, trick squirting fountains and rare plants along with technological exotica such as orreries, lenses and unusual clocks.

Today the museum has two levels: the ground floor, called the Museo Borghese, and the first floor, called the Galleria Borghese, which happens to lend its name to the entire building. The ground level has eight rooms wrapping around a central entrance hall and displaying some of Bernini’s greatest works: Apollo and Daphne (1622–1625) and Pluto and David (1623–1624). You’ll also find numerous Caravaggio paintings like David with the Head of Goliath (1609–1610), along with lovely frescos and ancient mosaics including a fourth-century work depicting gladiators.

The upper first floor houses many more treasures, including Raphael’s Deposition (1507); Correggio’s sensual Danäe (1531); and Titian’s Sacred and Profane Love (1514) of two women, one nude and the other clothed, standing on opposite sides of a fountain.

To prevent crowding, the Galleria Borghese allows each visitor a two-hour viewing period, with times beginning at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. You should book your ticket in advance and be sure to arrive 30 minutes before your allotted time; if you’re late, you lose your spot. Cap off your visit with a stroll through the Villa Borghese public park to admire the greenery, fountains, statues, lake and temples. Then, find a cozy café where you can rest and refresh.