Villa Medici stands above the Spanish Steps, a Renaissance villa that has housed the French Academy in Rome since the early 19th century. Its history runs from Cardinal Ricci di Montepulciano and the Medici family to generations of artists, composers, and scholars sent to study in Rome.
Visitors come for guided access to the villa and gardens, occasional exhibitions, and the view over central Rome. It pairs naturally with Piazza del Popolo, the Pincian Hill, and the streets around the Spanish Steps.