Kelley

Regarding guided tours of the Galleria Borghese, www.romeguide.it shows guided tours only on Sat. and Sun which doesn't fit in with our travel plans. I would like to hear from anyone who has visited this special place recently or from anyone who has made res to tour. Perhaps guided tours can be arranged by a tour company outside of the museum itself. Can anyone help me?

Paulo

The Villa Borghese Gallery is relatively small. You should be able to visit it in 2 hours (and see it all). Among the museums in Rome that I know, the Borghese Gallery is the one that is best suited for visiting on one's own. If you have reserved your ticket (entry every two hours) you may show up early and spend a time on a computer terminal browsing the multimedia info on the main artwork on display. For the visit itself get a personal CD player guide ... it's much cheaper and (IMO) more convenient than a guided tour ... you do the visit in your own pace. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>

Kelley

Dear Paulo, How kind of you to take time to reply with what I needed to know. I shall take your advice and do it on my own. Do you know a web site where I can make the reservation? Seeing the Borghese is very important to me...Thank you again, Paulo.

Suse

<BR>Hi Kelley, <BR> I was in Rome in February and the Galleria Borghese was the highlight of my trip. I agree with Paulo. You do not need to take a tour. The place is not that large. I was afraid the 2 hours allotted would not be enough time so I hurried through. I had enough time to leisurely go back through. Don't miss the art collection upstairs. I few people I talked to later said they missed it. It's not very well marked. Be sure to make reservations as soon as you can. I was lucky and go tickets the same day but I was there in February. I met a woman who had been there 3 times before in the summer and was never able to get tickets during the few days she was in Rome each time. Have a great trip.

Molly

Kelley -- I made a reservation on-line back in February for the Gallery Borghese at www.ticketeria.it. I received an email back telling me that the reservation was made, that there would be a 2000 lire surcharge for having made the reservation (the ticket itself was 10,000 lire), and that I should pick up my ticket at the museum an hour before the time of my reservation (they didn't ask for payment over the internet). I can't vouch for this site, though, because I didn't end up having to put the reservation system to the test. I arrived at the museum just a few minutes before the time of my reservation (9 am). I told the woman at the desk that I'd made a reservation and she charged me the 2000 lire surcharge but didn't ask my name or ask me for my reservation number. My experience might be unusual (and they might be looser in February, when fewer tourists are in town), so I don't recommend that you try just showing up without a reservation, but I just wanted to add the caveat that I can't really vouch for this site. Good luck -- I was so glad I made the effort to get to the Galleria Borghese, and I'm sure you will be too.