I've relied on the Hotel Portoghesi when I've visited Rome and I think it's an ideal location, just north of Piazza Navona. I found that you could walk from the hotel to a variety of sites, including the Vatican, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, Campo Fiori, even the Trastevere.
Some of these walks are more "enterprising" than others.

I second the poster who mentioned the nearby Via Coronari as an excellent place to stroll about, because of its wonderful antique, clothing, and jewelry shops.

There are some restaurants within walking distance of the hotel that you might want to check out, including Osteria del Pegno (just of the Via Coronari www.osteriadelpegno.com), La Tavernetta (www.latavernetta48.com), Al Duello (Vicolo della Vaccarella 11A), Trattoria Pino alle Coppelle (Via delle Coppelle), La Rosetta (which is pricey, specializes in fish and seafood, and is within yards of the Pantheon at Via della Rosetta), Osteria dell' Antiquario (Piazetta di S.Simeone and also just off Via Coronari), La Pollarola (Piazza Pollarola), and La Tartaruga (via del Monte della Farina 53)

If you enjoy art, I give my highest recommendation not only to the Borghese Gallery (as others do), but also to Galleria Doria Pamphili (Piazza Collegio Romano), which houses, among other things, Velazquez's extraordinary portrait of Pope Innocent X and Bernini's equally astonishing bust of Innocent X in the same corner of the gallery, along with paintings by Titian and Caravaggio. You can walk from the hotel to the Pamphili; you'd want to take a cab from the hotel to the Borghese.

Right off the Piazza Navona is the San Luigi dei Francesi, an easy walk from the hotel, a church which houses three unforgettable Caravaggios.

When I visited the Borghese, I was aware of the no purse policy. I put a couple Euros in my pocket and left everything else at the hotel.

Unfortunately a pair of expensive sunglasses were stolen out of my purse. They were the only thing of any value in there.

In spite of this bad experience, the Borghese is an incredible museum and I can't wait to visit again (without sunglasses).

The way the paintings are displayed at the Doria Pamphilij Gallery is a hot mess!

Some very good painting by the Bruegels, but the curator should be shot for hanging those paintings chock-a-block on the walls.

And who wants to look at some old aristos' worn sherry-stained sofa?

I mean, really, does anybody want to look at black/white photos of Skippy Doria-Pamphilj in a matelot?


Thin

well, Thin, it may not be to your taste but I rather like it.

And if you stay away, it'll be even less crowded than usual which is one reason that makes it so attractive.

The Doria Pamphilij Gallery is an historic palace as well as a gallery. I find the paintings a bit ad-hoc, yes, but so what? Not everything has to look like the spic new D'Orsay. The audio guide supplied free with your ticket gives some great insights as it's narrated by one of the family. One of the best things about this gallery is the lack of visitors so you can thankfully sit and look at Caravaggio's 'Rest on the Flight to Egypt' without a mob of tour groups and their pushy guide in your face.

I think the Borghese is probably the most overrated gallery in Rome. It appears on everyone's 'must do' list and yet it's highly specialised. If you're into the Renaissance/Bernini then go for it - otherwise I would find somewhere else - Palazzo Barberini, the Museum of Rome in Trasevere, the Ara Pacis are places that slip under the radar.

I've been to the Doria Pamphilij twice and were I in Rome, I'd go again.

I've never been to the Borghese.

I've been to to Doria Pamphilj three times--it was definitley definitely crowded my last visit. I like the hodge-podge way thing are displayed. Makes for quite a treasure hunt.

I love the Borghese and go every time I visit Rome. I never tire of Bernini's Daphne and Apollo.

I agree that Palazzo Barberini is terrific. The Cortona ceilings. The Fornarina.

I think they're all well worth visiting, but of course not everyone will enjoy them equally. Last time I was in Rome I saw the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the Scuderie. And a Hogarth/Reynold/Turner exhibition in Palazzo Sciarra.

Leely - when were you at the Doria Pamphilij when it was crowded? both of my visits were in February and there was barely anyone else there.

<<If the hotel calls you a cab, the meter starts as soon as the cab gets the call and heads for the hotel - not when you get inside and start your journey so be aware that this will add to the cost. >>

This is no longer true, and even when it was, there was a cap to the charge. Now there's a flat €3.50 charge for calling a taxi. For a short trip, this could be a 50% surcharge. I'd ask my hotel for the nearest taxi stand, and call a taxi only when necessary. I often have restaurants call a taxi after my meal, but never when I can find one easily myself.

The Doria Pamphilj picture gallery is the family's art collection, very little changed over the years. In fact, that's the way aristocrats displayed their art during the Renaissance.

As an historical art collection, there's a lot of stuff there from artists who have been deservedly forgotten, along with some priceless gems.

Very interesting to hear the museum discussion. To make things even more interesting is that there's a Matisse exhibit while we are in Rome which someone mentioned in another thread. It's at the Scuderie del Quirinale http://www.coopculture.it/en/events.cfm?id=291#.

So much knowledge/many ideas here.

And a chagall exhibition at the chiostro del bramante.....

This sounds like the same Chagall exhibition we saw in December at the Palazzo Reale in Milan. I also saw a Chagall exhibit about four years ago at the Ara Pacis in Rome. That's another place that has very interesting exhibits. The exhibits at the Scuderia del Quirinale are usually blockbusters, and very crowded. It's best to try to go there midweek. I'm hoping we can see the Matisse exhibit.

I've been to the Doria Pamphilj Museum several times, including in July a few years ago, and it was never crowded.

Is there a site where one can find what's happening in Rome? These are great tips. I agree the Chagall exhibition does sound like the one that was in Milan this past fall.

This site is supposed to be good, but I see it's still featuring ideas for Christmas 2014.

http://www.buzzinrome.com/

The Rome tourist office has a pretty complete list, probably too complete.

http://www.060608.it/en

Some of the pages are not really translated in full. Look for the little, tiny, "Advanced search" at the right hand side. This will allow you to specify dates, keywords, and the zone of the city. You might want to choose "Center of Rome" for the zone. The keywords aren't very useful. I think lots of the places submitting data don't supply keywords.

If you need translation, you can paste a URL into translate.google.com .

Yes travel - There is a website for the museums run by the commune of Rome, [lots of the major ones, though not all and you can subscribe to the newsletter so they send you updates of what's going on:

http://www.museiincomuneroma.it

it has some english pages, but I find that not everything is translated, so it's good for practising my italian. you get a small discount if you take the printed page with you when you buy tickets.

annhig, it was in April a few years ago that Doria Pamphilj was crowded. Lots of tour groups, including student groups. I didn't pop in on my visit to Rome this past July although I was renting an apartment very nearby. Just too many other things going on.

Thanks so much for the sites, annhig & bvlenci.

You have to forgive me for not enjoying an art museum that looks like it was curated by Nell Trent's debauched, card-playing grandfather.

AND I don't care how art was arranged by aristos on walls during the Renaissance.

It does not befit one wearing Dior boots and a Brioni opera cape to crane one's neck at a 180° angle to view a dusty Dürer.

The Doria-Pamphilj would also benefit
from Champagne service and a happy hour with 1/2 price Stoli martinis.

Thin

I loved the over-the-topness of the Doria-Pamphilj.

For Borghese, I have a vague memory that I was wearing a coat, and I kept my coat on, with my purse underneath it. Don't take a huge purse, and it will be quite possible. If you do this, don't flaunt your purse later, needless to say.