Bioparco di Roma — The Zoo of Rome

Bioparco di Roma is Rome’s zoological garden, set inside the historic Villa Borghese. The park offers a relaxed, family-friendly way to see animals, learn about biodiversity, and take a green break from Rome’s museums, ruins, and busy streets. With mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians from different parts of the world, Bioparco is especially suitable for families, school groups, and visitors interested in wildlife and conservation.

History

Bioparco di Roma opened on January 5, 1911, as the Rome Zoological Garden. Its layout was shaped by the ideas of Carl Hagenbeck, whose approach to zoo design replaced many traditional cages with open spaces, moats, and landscaped areas. At the time, the zoo was mainly a recreational attraction, created to display rare and exotic animals to the public in the green setting of Villa Borghese.

Over the years, the zoo changed significantly. In 1935, architect Raffaele De Vico expanded the Rome Zoological Garden to about 17 hectares and added important structures, including the Reptile House and a large aviary. After World War II, the zoo entered a long period of uncertainty and decline, but a major transformation began in the 1990s. The idea of turning the traditional zoo into a modern Bioparco emerged in 1994, the project began in 1998, and the institution later became a foundation in 2004. This shift marked a move away from simple animal display and toward conservation, biodiversity education, and scientific research.

Bioparco di Roma Today

Today, Bioparco di Roma combines the character of a historic zoo with the priorities of a modern conservation park. Its mission focuses on endangered species, environmental education, and research, in cooperation with international zoological networks. The setting inside Villa Borghese adds to the experience: visitors move between animal areas, tree-lined paths, gardens, and quiet green spaces in one of Rome’s most elegant parks.

Read also our guide for families with kids in Rome.

What to See at Bioparco di Roma

Bioparco offers a compact but varied visit, with routes dedicated to mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Depending on the route, visitors can see big cats, primates, giraffes, lemurs, penguins, reptiles, tropical birds, and many other species. The park layout makes it easy to combine animal encounters with a relaxed walk through Villa Borghese.

In addition to the animal areas, Bioparco hosts educational activities, family workshops, keeper talks, and feeding-related events, depending on the season and daily schedule. These activities help visitors understand animal behavior, conservation challenges, and the role of modern zoos in protecting biodiversity.

The botanical setting is another important part of the visit. Because Bioparco is located inside Villa Borghese, the experience includes historic greenery, mature trees, landscaped paths, and quiet outdoor spaces. This combination of animals, gardens, and early 20th-century zoo architecture gives the park a slower and more relaxed rhythm than many central Rome attractions.

Interesting Facts about the Roman Zoo

1. Opened in 1911, Bioparco is one of Rome’s long-running family attractions and remains closely tied to the history of Villa Borghese.
2. The early layout was influenced by German zoo designer Carl Hagenbeck, whose approach favored landscaped enclosures, open viewing areas, and moats over rows of barred cages.
3. In 1935, architect Raffaele De Vico enlarged the grounds to roughly 17 hectares, adding the Reptile House, the large aviary, and new landscaped areas.
4. The name “Bioparco” reflects the park’s later shift from a traditional zoo toward conservation, environmental education, and scientific work.
5. Some of the animals are connected to wider breeding and conservation programs, linking the Roman zoo with international efforts to protect threatened species.
6. A walk through the park brings together big cats, primates, giraffes, elephants, penguins, reptiles, amphibians, and tropical birds within a compact green setting.
7. For children, the visit works especially well because the exhibits are close enough for a half-day route, with shaded paths and places to pause along the way.
8. Educational activities, workshops, and school visits are a major part of Bioparco’s work, turning the park into more than a place to look at animals.
9. The Villa Borghese setting gives the zoo a softer atmosphere than many city attractions: trees, ponds, and garden paths make the visit pleasant, especially in warmer months.
10. After Bioparco, visitors can continue through Villa Borghese toward the Borghese Gallery, the Pincian Terrace, or Piazza del Popolo without leaving the same green area of Rome.

Read also about the Borghese Gallery in Rome.

Things to Know Before Visiting Bioparco in Rome

Author: Kate Zusmann

I have lived in the Eternal City for the past 12 years. They say every angle of Rome has its history, and I'm here to tell you about the most intriguing historical facts and city legends. :)

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