I see on looking back at the ticketone web site that you can book just an entry ticket to the Borghese, which would let you concentrate more freely on just what interests you. The thing with a guided tour is that in two hours, with a fiercely well-informed didact in charge, one will see only a fraction of the works in the gallery. You may not be as much in need of being educated to LOOK as we were.

Your plan looks good.

I don't think there was ever an obligation to take a guided tour at the Borghese Gallery. I've been there at least twice, not recently, and never had a guide.

The Borghese Gallery has set hours when groups can arrive, and they have to leave two hours after their assigned arrival time. There is no flexibility with this. If you arrive late for your 9 AM reservation you have to leave at 11, even if you've only been there for half an hour.

What's new is that there are admissions every hour. It used to be every two hours, and the gallery was cleared out before a new group could enter. I don't know how they organize the exits now. Maybe they give badges of different colours to avoid people trying to overstay their visit.

These rules are necessary for fire safety reasons. It's a historic building, and there are no fire exits on the first floor (2nd floor to Americans). Therefore, there is a strict limit to the number of people who can be inside at any one time.

I suggest you consult the official ticket site instead of TicketOne.

https://www.tosc.it/artist/galleria-...ghese-2253937/

The last entry of the day is shorter than the others , and costs less.

The official site seems to indicate that tour groups have a defined itinerary, with a defined amount of time in each room.

You might enjoy looking at my planning thread for Rome from a number of years ago. It has a lot of great ideas and you might find it helpful.

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...hread-1182523/

On our recent, also 4th, trip to Rome we booked a late afternoon English tour through the Borghese gallery website, and it was OUTSTANDING. we had visited the gallery on our own during a prior trip, and used the audioguide, which was nowhere near as interesting and engaging. I'm also a Caravaggio lover, and find myself going back to the several churches where there are works in private chapel areas. Remember to bring some 1 euro coins for the lighting box, to illuminate the paintings.

The church of St. Peter in Chains (san pietro in vincolo) has the amazing Michelangelo sculpture of Moses, which is definitely worth a detour. We also did a private guided tour of Villa Farnesina, with Serena Cantagalli, and it was a delightful tour, followed by walking around Trastevere off the beaten path.

​​​​​​​Definitely recommended! I think it's perhaps his best sculpture.

Let jeffergray decide if this is oppressive:

​https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...​​

Well, the above link wouldn't come up on this Kindle; just Google 'bernini sculptures at santa maria della vittoria'

It's not the statue of Santa Teresa that I find oppressive. It's the heavy overdone Baroque style of the church.

https://images.app.goo.gl/BpxFEBadnt3MNFvx5
Here you can see the ceiling fresco, with the avenging angel throwing the Protestants into Hell.

I'm Catholic myself, but I find this oppressive.

https://images.app.goo.gl/4N3h94dyQQcNsSSm9

I'm not a fan of the Baroque style, myself, which is probably also why Bernini is not my favourite sculptor. In the 17th century, many beautiful Romanesque churches were redone in this style. It's a great loss to Italian architecture.

Here's a completely different suggestion: Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary.

For a cat lover and photographer it was heaven. The cats perch and pose on ancient columns!

Is it still there? I thought it had moved.

In any case, it's also an important archaeological site. It was the ancient Campus Martius, and it has the remains of four Roman temples. There was an ancient theatre here too, among others in the area. (Interesting that this has always been the theatre district of Rome, and there is still a theatre there.)

Julius Caesar was assassinated in this area. You can't enter the site, but you can see it well from the streets above, where there are also signs explaining the site.
​​​

Here is their Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary website.

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/

It doesn't say that they moved, but I don't know ...
I do know that it was very special and a highlight of my visit. But then again, I am a crazy cat man!

<There was an ancient theatre here too, among others in the area. (Interesting that this has always been the theatre district of Rome, and there is still a theatre there.)>

WOW!

PS. This thread is SOOOOO making me want to return to Italy!

Speaking of the ancient theatre district, one of the four sites of the Roman National Museum is in Palazzo Cripta Balbi, just a few steps from the archaeological site at Largo Torre Argentina. This building once housed one of the ancient Roman theatresi the area. The building was used for many different purposes over the centuries as the neighbourhood changed. This museum is the only one I know that has exhibits about medieval Rome.

Unfortunately, it's now closed for restructuring. There are plans to restore parts of the building to display more clearly the transformation of the area in ancient, medieval, and modern times.

Caravaggio expert:

https://www.tiffany-parks.com

She is a fantastic tour guide.

One of my favorite walks starts at the Church of Saint Cecilia in Trastevere. Cecilia was an early martyr who just would not die. They tried boiling her without success but in the end chopped off her head. In the late 16th century, her "incorrupt" body was unearthed during work on the church and a statue was made (by Stefano Maderno), supposedly depicting her body as it was found. It is one of my favorite works of art in Rome. There is also a beautiful fresco in the nun's choir by Cavallini that was ahead of its time (medieval) in depicting depth through the use of color gradations. There is a crypt and chapel with an altar from around 1000 AD and also evidence of a Roman home underground.

From there you can walk towards the Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere, with its mosaics ranging from the 1000-1300 period. The Piazza in front of the church is an especially nice place to get a drink or have lunch. Then continue on to the Villa Farnesina which has some lovely frescoes attributed to Raphael or his assistants. If you have any energy left, head up to the Janiculum Hill, where there are some gardens, fountains and a beautiful view (Belvedere) of Rome.

​​​​​This is indeed a very interesting and pleasurable walk. On the way up the Janiculum Hill, I suggest you pass by the Acqua Paola, a beautiful large fountain which is supposed to have inspired Trevi Fountain.

Thank you, Jean. I have long had an interest in the Etruscans, so I will try and visit the Villa Julia. For some reason, I have failed to investigate the Borghese Gardens and their museums on any of my previous trips to Rome. We will be staying near the top of the Spanish Steps on this visit, so it should be easy to finally address that!

Thank you, FTOttawa. That is an interesting idea about the Villa Borghese. It is definitely on my list. I have learned that is apparently open until 10 p.m. on Wednesday nights, so I may visit it then in an attempt to beat the crowds, although perhaps the galleries are less attractive after dark, when there is nothing but artificial light?

Thanks, KTravel. I have done all but the Cappuchin Crypt before. I had my fill of Cappuchin crypts many years ago in Palermo. However, I am planning to revisit the underground Necropolis at St. Peter's; the Baths of Diocletian; and I do want to climb to the top of St. Peter's Basilica again -- but I know there are something like 550 steps, and I'm not as young as I was when I first made that climb a little over 40 years ago.

These are almost all new to me, Traveler Nick -- so thank you for your ideas. The Church of San Luigi Franchesi is definitely on my "must see" list for the Caravaggios.

Thanks, blvenci!
 

I already had the Palazzo Massimo on my list because I want to see the frescoes from Livia's Villa. I'm also hoping (after a failed attempt in 2018) to see the ruins of the Villa itself this time, but the closed-several-days-a-week-and-only open-a-half-day-when-it-is-with-last-admission-an-hour-before-closing makes it a challenge. (I think being the on-site custodian for the Villa of Livia has got to be a pretty cushy gig!)

But I am making notes about the Barberini Gallery, the Corsini Gallery, and the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj.

Thanks, dfourh! I definitely want to make it to the heights on the west side of the Tiber this time, and also to spend some time in Trastevere. That's another one of the gaps in my previous experiences.