Fodor's Expert Review Villa Medici

Originally belonging to Cardinal Ferdinando I de' Medici, who also laid out the immaculate Renaissance garden to set off his sculpture collection, this villa was purchased by Napoléon to create the French Academy of Rome, opened in 1803, where artists could study Italian art and put it toward the (French) national good. You can visit during special exhibitions or take a guided tour to see the gardens and the incredibly picturesque garden facade, which is studded with Mannerist and Rococo sculpted reliefs and overlooks a loggia with a beautiful fountain devoted to Mercury. There is also a pleasant cafeteria (daily 8 am–7 pm) at the loggia level, by the Galleria del Cardinale Ferdinando de' Medici.