Rome Directions
 

When visiting Rome I need to get from Castel St Angelo to the Villa Borghese gallery. It's a tight time frame so I would prefer to know how to get from point a to point b before we leave rather than strgulle with a language barrier to get directions while there. Can anyone advise? Thank you in advance.

How tight a time frame? In most places in italy, if you need to be someplace at a certain time -- I assume you have a reservation -- you either get a taxi or you drop your previous plans. MUST you be at Castel Sant'Angelo before your appointment at the Galleria Borghese? Could you go to the Castel after?

If so, you can walk. It's a long walk, but you can walk.

http://www.centralromehotels.net/map/rome_map.jpg

Go to Google Maps and ask for directions from Castle of Sant' Angelo, Roma, Italy to
Piazzal del Museo Borghese, Roma, Italy

I forget to say that it looks like a 45 minute walk.

We do need to be at Castel first. It's not so tight that we will risk not getting there in time. We can leave Castel earlier than planned if needed. Is there a way to take the metro or the bus or is that not really doable. How long of a walk are we talking? SJJ...sorry but I have never been to Rome so I need more specifics than google map can give such as take this metro here or take this bus here.

Yes, I would peg it as a 40-45 minute walk for fit walkers -- but need to add that a great deal of it is uphill. In warm or rainy weather, I would prefer a taxi, and if I didn't see one handy near the Castel Sant'Angelo, I would walk to the Palazzo di Guistizia (next door) and failing that, walk to the Piazza del Popolo (which is often crammed with taxis).

If you don't have time to walk, seriously consider rearranging your day so that you don't have a tight run to the Galleria Borghese.

Sorry, Our posts crossed.

Buses in Rome are not very reliable, but you can use this site to see if there is one that might work for you:

http://rome.angloinfo.com/information/17/busses.asp

Thanks zeppole, one more question for you. How much roughly would that cab ride cost?

I don't know, nicbur. I would think 10e or less, but I'm not sure. You should consult with your hotel about getting a taxi in that area. It's not always easy to find a taxi in Roma, and they should be able to point you to taxi stands or -- even better! -- arrange a driver to meet you at a designated spot at a designated time.

Out of sheer curiousity, I used the Rome bus website to see if there was a bus -- and there is, but it runs a milkroute through the centro, and I tend to think walking would be faster.

The bus is the 116

http://infopoint.atac.roma.it/naviga...398&bwreturn=1

Thanks Zeppole, you are so wonderful!

Not really. Have a great time in Rome. Check out David Downie's new food guide to Rome, available on Amazon. Absolutely up to date and budget minded.

I'd take a taxi. The walk to Museo Borghese takes a long time, buses should be avoided in strange cities because you don't know where to exit, and there is no metro line of any use to you. Zeppole's suggestion to walk to Piazza del Popolo is a good one. The walk is about twenty minutes, and every time I've been there I've seen taxis. The Google Maps page or the Michelin page will give you good walking instructions to Piazza del Popolo. And there's an added bonus. The Santa Maria del Popolo church, described here by Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_del_Popolo

has wonderful art in some of the side chapels, and it's free.

I would still ask your hotel for advice. They might know an even better spot for a taxi pickup, or tell you that the Piazza del Popolo is having an art fair that day, etc...

I checked for taxi stands near Castillo Sant'Angelo and the two nearest are not near. One is at the spanish steps and the other is near St Peters. Couldn't you arrange through your hotel to have a cab pick you up in front of Castillo Sant'Angelo at a specific time?
Here are a few numbers you can call for taxis (06 is the area code for Rome and must be dialed before the local taxi number as shown below):
Radio Taxi 4157: Dial 06-4157
Radio Taxi 3570: Dial 06-3570
Pronto Taxi 6645: Dial 06-6645
Other Taxi companies: 06-5551, 06-4994, 06-4157

When you call for a taxi, they give you the number of the taxi dispatched for you. This number is in the form of a placename and a number (e.g. Gange 10 as shown below). This name-number is displayed on the outside of the taxi, on the driver side door.

Goodluck