eva

I'm planning a trip to Rome in March,It is not my first visit,and I'd like to see some sites I can't get info about. <BR>1.Palazzo Farnese <BR> According to Fodor's exploring there are guided visits on Sun 10am.Has anyone ever been there or ever heard about this possibility? <BR>2.Cloister of Bramante next to Santa Maria della Pace <BR> It was open 1997-2000,there were temporary exhibitions of modern art in it but I could not find any info about 2001. <BR>3.Palazzo Montecitorio <BR>.I've read somewhere-I can't remember the site's name-that it is open to the public on Sun,but the opening times were not mentioned,Any experience? <BR>The following qustions are about reconstruction work,open or closed ,finished or not yet finished. <BR>1.Santo Stefano Rotondo <BR> It's been under reconstruction since ages,but may be for 2000 it is reopened.Has anyone been there recently? <BR>2.Santa Maria della Pace <BR> Same question,open or closed? <BR>3.Palazzo Barberini <BR> I know it is open,and but last year the first floor /Gran Salone-Cortona's ceiling-/was closed,there was no info on the museum's web site,and there is no info about it this year,too. <BR>Public Transport. <BR>What about the J busses,were they running only in 2000,or operating this year again? <BR>Last question.Where can I download a map where the bus lines are indicated?I could find dozens of Rome's maps,but none of them has the bus lines indicated. <BR>Thak you for any information regarding my questions

Gina

Eva, I'm not an expert, but I do have some info on a couple of these. The Palazzo Barberini is definitely open, but I'm not sure about the Grand Salone part. I went to the second-floor galleries, where the centerpiece currently is an exhibit featuring Raphael's "La Fornarina." (She's the baker's daughter who was the great love of Raphael's life.) <BR> <BR>The Palazzo Farnese requires advance ticket requests; during my tour of the Vatican necropolis, I met an art history professor whom I later encountered at the Domus Aurea, the day after he and a friend who lives in Rome had visited the Farnese. They were raving about it. Since I visited Domus Aurea on a Saturday morning, I'm guessing their visit to Farnese was on Friday. If you'd like to ask him about the details of how they arranged their visit, please e-mail me privately and I can give you his e-mail address. (Mine above is real.)

Paulo

I haven't seen a bus map of Rome on line (I've got a folded one but it's outdated). If there is one, I'd be interested too. <BR> <BR>The best I could find online is <BR> <BR>http://infopoint.atac.roma.it/ <BR> <BR>Click on the right map, then choose trip planning, fill in the boxes ... and it'll give you details on how to travel between any two points on public transportation. If you take the time to explore the site, you'll find out many goodies (like locations of hotels, restaurants, monuments ... just about everything) <BR> <BR>Santo Stefano Rotondo was open (morning and late afternoon) in July 97! It didn't look then that it was calling for restoration works. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>Does Palazzo Farnese still house the French Embassy?

nancy

Paulo, <BR>P.Farnese; supposedly is still the French Embassy. <BR>Since we are renting an apt. basically next door to the Palazzo, I got the E-address of the gentleman Gina mentioned, and will write to him tomorrow, about the tour. <BR>I would love to see the inside of this buiding. <BR>When/if I find out definite info, I'll post it, of course. <BR>

kathy

No help, but a question. Is it necessary to make resevations to tour Domus Aurea or just to arrange for guided tour?

pam

Kathy, <BR>I have notes (probably from posts here) that reservations _are_ required for the Domus Aurea, and can be made by calling 39.06.4815576 or 39.06.39749907. According to these notes, the tours are 45 minutes, groups are limited to 25 people, and tickets are 10000 lire plus 2000 lire booking fee. Also, a Google search just turned up www.romeguide.it/domus_aureaeng/ (for the English language version), and this site has lots of info plus visiting hours--but seems to send one to a Cooperative Il Sogno for tours. HTH, Pam

pam

another site I found for the superintendent of archaeological sites in Rome says that reservations can be made by calling 06.39967700. The site is http://www.archeorm.arti.benicultura...omus_aurea.htm, and it is in Italian.

Paulo

If you have no luck with the gentleman you emailed, Nancy, the French Embassy may possibly be of help (+39 06 686011) <BR>http://www.france-italia.it/ <BR> <BR>Regarding the Cloister of Bramante, it appears that it's under the responsability of the Centro Culturale Internazionale - 00186 - Roma - Arco della Pace, 5 - Tel. +39 06 68809035 Fax +39 06 68809036. See at <BR>http://www.chiostrodelbramante.it/eright.htm <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>

nancy

Thanks Paulo for the #/ address of the French Embassy. <BR>Palazzo Farnese is still the French embassy in Rome. <BR>I e-ed the gentleman Gina recommended and received a prompt reply ! <BR>It seems that there are no "tours" per say for a person off the street. <BR>A friend of his who lives in Rome (and speaks impeccable french , per him) sent a request months in advance to the embassy requesting permission for 2 art historians (gentleman is a professor) to view somew frescoes. <BR>Permission was granted.They visited and were escorted by a security guard. <BR>So, I think if one wants to visit the P.Farnese, one needs to have a reason that may be more extensive than "I just want to see it " <BR> and maybe one also needs to speak French? <BR>I will try by composing a very (humble ) missive in English (or should I try Italian? ) and see what happens. <BR>My husband works with historic plaster in buildings such as Colonial Williamsburg , Mt.Vernon, and other historic properties,so maybe that would be "reason" enough. <BR>We shall see. <BR>And if not, we will peek through the windows at night like everyone else does. <BR>

Walter

This might also be of interest: The Palazzo Spada (1540) in which part of the Palace also houses the Galleria Spada. Has Sunday tours of the Palace which is off limits during the week because it houses the Council of State (Supreme Court). The tour starts ~10/1030 and is in Italian. The tour does the art gallery and then the Palace. My main interest was only to see the "Statue of Pompey" which *might* (probably not be the statue that Julius Caesar died at the base of. But the Palace was also worthwhile to see. I stopped by on a Saturday and visited the Gallery and was told to just show up on Sunday and buy tickets for the tour, this was in Nov99. I have two phone # the most recent from the "Little Known Museums In And Around Rome" is 06/686/1158 and from the "Blue Guide Rome" 68271. HTH Regards, Walter <BR>