From a Roman renaissance villa to a wine tasting in Trastevere

This villa, the first of suburban Roman residences of the Renaissance age, was built between 1596 and 1512 under the direction of Baldassarre Peruzzi, to become the local mansion of the rich Senese banker Agostino Chigi. After the owner's death in 1520, the villa went through a period of decay, until it was acquired by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, thus getting the current name of Farnesina. Since 1927 it is property of the Italian state. The interiors feature extraordinary decorations, by the most important artists of the time: Raffaello Sanzio, Giulio Romano, Baldassarre Peruzzi himself, Giovanni Antonio Bazzi (known as The Sodoma). Outstanding examples are the Loggia di Psiche by Raffaello and his school; the Sala di Galatea by Raffaello and Sebastiano del Piombo; the Sala delle Prospettive by Baldassarre Peruzzi.