Borghese Gallery - question about reservations
 

I've been following the level of tickets for the Borghese Gallery for June 17 over the past week until making our decision on what time to visit. Every day I checked, each time slot had between 200 and 300 tickets available so I was in no rush to buy them...until a few days ago when each time slot suddenly had none available. Even today, June 17 says 0 for each time slot, but the days before and after still have between 200 and 300 for each time slot.

Does anyone know anything about the museum being closed all of a sudden on this day?

Maybe it's a computer glitch, and I emailed them today asking about it, but I thought someone here might know something about this.

I know the website says that you must have a reservation, but do any ever become available last minute? We are only in Rome a couple of days, one being the 17th, another on Monday when the Borghese is closed, and the other being the day we arrive early afternoon. I'm nervous to book the day we arrive since last summer the guy letting us into our apartment rental was 1 1/2 hours late. If that would happen again (even though we are renting privately this time instead of with Sleepinitaly), we wouldn't make it.

Any ideas?

kwren,

I very well might be a glitch. But if that's the only day you have to visit, why is the exact time such a big decision? If it were me, I would take the earliest time slot, then you've got the rest of the day for whatever else.

When I visited, it was the 11am time slot the Sunday morning following the Sept "White Nights" celebration. I showed up early enough to go in with the not full 9am slot and it was wonderful because there were so few people!

When I came out, it was mayhem. Outgoing group trying to pick up from bag check while the incoming group was trying to drop off, get tickets, etc.

Go for the earliest time! Enjoy.

You could try cslling the reservation line published on the Borghese Gallery website. An English-speaking agent will be able to tell you if there are tickets available for the time you wish to go.

Good luck!

To answer your question, we didn't know if we wanted to go at the end of the day or the beginning and were trying to work it in with a couple other things. Since I was checking every day and since there were so many tickets available for every time slot, there didn't seem to be any rush. OK that's out of the way :)

So the problem is they all say 0 available now. I can't pick any time at all.

However, if it IS a glitch, I will consider what you say for the earliest time slot, if I can get the family to agree to get up that early. Thanks!

Well, I heard back from the Borghese and it is now closed on the day we wanted :(

Now I don't know if we should buy ahead for the day we arrive...debating, debating, debating!! It could be cutting it close.

So...back to my other question - can you just show up and get tickets if someone with a reservation doesn't show up?

Another option if you are going to other sites as well: reserve for the 1st day assuming you will have a Roma Pass (don't pay up front) and then if you make it in time, buy the pass on the way (or there).

You could also, ahem, say you "lost" the pass and need to settle the tab when you arrive (some risk to this, but I bet they'd take your money at the time since the slot is reserved).

A little sneaky . . . you didn't hear it from me . . .

Please make every effort to visit this wonderful museum. Book the 5:00 time slot which I'm sure you can make. It's a 2 hour time slot so even if you're a bit late you'll be able to see something of the museum.

Since you now have to pay for the tickets in advance (except with the Roma pass) there would be very limited no show reservations available, if any.

If possible, arrive 30 minutes before your ticket time to have enough time to check everything and browse the book shop.

If it's important to you to see the Borghese - and it sounds like if you were checking the site every day, it is - then I would absolutely not rely on getting tickets once you are there!

IME, the Borghese is very popular, especially as the day progresses. While someone with an 11am reservation may be able to get in for the earlier timeslot, the important thing is that she already had the reservation, and that it was early in the day. (I've gone as early in the a.m. as we could stand, and it always is much more of a zoo like Dayle described...)

<i>It's a 2 hour time slot so even if you're a bit late you'll be able to see something of the museum.</i>

Just keep in mind that it is a strict 2-hour window for each reservation time slot. Nonetheless, adrienne is right: at least you'll be able to see something of the museum! :)

// I wonder how the Borghese would have handled it if you'd bought the reservation for the 17th. Yikes!!

FYI - The Borghese online is not showing any Sunday times for any Sunday in June, not just the 17th.

Don't count on arriving late for your reservation. At about 30 minutes before a time slot, unclaimed reservations are released to anyone there. We are just back from Italy and I would strongly urge you see this gallery. The sculpture is amazing.

To get to the Borghese from our apartment, we would have to take the little electric bus (#16 I think). Does anyone know how often these busses run and how long it would take to get to the Borghese from the very first stop over by the river (west of Piazza Navona)?

We get to FCO around noon, then have to get into Rome, get the keys from the owner, leave the apt, find the bus stop and wait for the next one. Might need another trip to Rome someday to do this if we decide it's cutting it too close ;)

ggreen - I was wondering the same thing - what happens to the people who had obviously bought a ticket for that day? - the numbers of available tickets were going down every day so it's obvious that there were sales.

Why wouldn't you take a cab rather than using public transportation? It may cost a bit more money but you will get to the museum faster.

Click on a Sunday date below the map to get a schedule. Sundays and nights are a tad different than weekdays. It's the 116 bus.

http://trovalinea.atac.roma.it/zoom_...a=116&circo=NO

Electric bus map
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=9

I've walked up and purchased tickets before (last year), but was required to wait for no shows. Then you have to get in the line to check your belongings so you miss a bit of your two hour window.