Palazzo Te is the villa that Federico II Gonzaga had built from 1525, over about ten years, on an island at the gates of the city, to entertain guests, breed his horses and live away from the court. Its design and decoration are by Giulio Romano, Raphael’s favourite pupil: a palace designed to amaze, where the architecture plays with classical rules and the paintings break through the walls.
It lies south of the historic centre, about twenty minutes’ walk from Mantova Locker. If you’re leaving by train, it’s best visited last: from the villa it’s a short walk back to the station.
At a glance: 1 h 30 min · approx. 20 min walk from the luggage storage · art and architecture
The stops
1. Courtyard of Honour
Look closely: in the frieze some triglyphs seem to be slipping down, as if the building were giving way. It’s a deliberate joke, the first sign of Giulio Romano’s taste for surprise.
2. Hall of the Horses
Life-size portraits of Federico II’s favourite horses, bred in the Gonzaga stables and famous throughout Europe, painted among trompe-l’œil architecture and statues.
3. Chamber of Cupid and Psyche
The villa’s most sumptuous room, with the story of Cupid and Psyche on the vault and, on the walls, the wedding banquet and the loves of the gods. Tradition links it to Federico’s love affair with Isabella Boschetti.
4. Chamber of the Giants
The most famous room: a single fresco from floor to vault shows Jupiter striking down the rebel Giants with thunderbolts. Columns and rocks tumble towards the visitor and you can’t tell where the walls end. In the 16th century it was a special effect without equal.
5. Loggia of David, Chamber of the Eagles and the apartments
The loggia overlooking the garden with stories of King David, the duke’s bedchamber and the smaller rooms with stuccoes and grotesques.
6. Garden, exedra and the Grotto Apartment
The large garden enclosed by the semicircular exedra, added in the 17th century, and, in one corner, the Secret Garden with the Grotto Apartment, a small world of shells and frescoes designed for meditation and leisure.
Visit Mantua luggage-free
Leave your suitcases, backpacks and bags at Mantova Locker and travel light: we are at Via Solferino e San Martino 4, just a short walk from the railway station, open 24 hours a day. Find out how it works, our prices and where to find us.
Practical tips
- Palazzo Te often hosts temporary exhibitions, which can change the ticket and the route. Check the programme before your visit.
- On Tuesdays Palazzo Te usually opens only in the afternoon: check opening times on the official website.
- If you only have one day, combine Palazzo Te with Palazzo Ducale: one in the morning, the other in the afternoon.
- On the way from the centre you pass the Casa del Mantegna and the Tempio di San Sebastiano.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to visit Palazzo Te?
About an hour and a half for the rooms and the garden. Allow more time if there’s a temporary exhibition.
Who built Palazzo Te?
Giulio Romano, architect, painter and pupil of Raphael, for Federico II Gonzaga, between about 1525 and 1535.
What is the most famous room in Palazzo Te?
The Chamber of the Giants, entirely frescoed with the fall of the Giants struck down by Jupiter.
How do you get to Palazzo Te from the station?
On foot in about 20 minutes: it’s south of the centre, at the end of Viale Te.
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