Palazzo Doria Pamphilj

Unlike the grand state museums, Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is still a private home — the Pamphilj family lives in part of the building and has managed the collection since the 17th century. The gallery contains around 400 paintings and 300 sculptures, hung in the original 18th-century arrangement that fills every inch of wall space.

The star attraction is Velázquez's 1650 portrait of Pope Innocent X, considered one of the finest portraits in Western painting. The Pope himself reportedly declared it "troppo vero" (too true). Also present: Caravaggio's Rest on the Flight into Egypt and Penitent Magdalene. The audio guide is narrated by a current family member — an unusual and intimate touch. Crowds are a fraction of the Vatican Museums.