LosAlamosNM

Do you think it would be art overload to go to the Vatican museum in the morning and then do the Galleria Borghese in the afternoon? I'm trying to make my schedule work out right and the only other possibility for fitting in the Borghese is, on another day, do the colosseum/forum/Palatine Hill in the first half of the day and then Borghese in the afternoon.

LoveItaly

Hello LosAlamos, it would be an overkill for me! I would opt for your second idea, the colosseum etc., and Borghese in the afternoon. Others might have a different opinion however.

Poohgirl

I agree- big overload. They are also not very near each other. I'm always happy to back up LoveItaly's brilliant ideas; I agree with what she suggested.

bouradly

Your second possibility sounds better. However, I will say that when I went to Rome, I did the Vatican Museums and Borghese on the same day (it fit better in my schedule) and it was fine.

bouradly

PS if you are planning on spending time at St Peter's Basilica that same day, then that might be stretching it a little.

LosAlamosNM

Mandatory reservations for the Borghese are challenging for spontaneous people such as myself!

LoveItaly

I sure understand, LosAlamos and I have often thought and said I am so glad that I was able to be in Italy way back when..one didn't have to have reservations for anything except for some restaurants of course. How it has changed!
You could make the reservation for the Borghese but if you decide that day it doesn't work out just don't show up. Btw, visiting the Borghese Gardens is such a peaceful and beautiful experience and no reservations needed! Best regards.

Cries_Van_Notebook

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

You can't even begin to imagine how overwhelming the Vatican Museum is, not to mention the crowds.

Just wait until you enter the Sistine Chapel and hear the guards yelling, "Silence!" at the chattering masses. Sharpen your elbows because you will have to fight your way to an exit.

After all of this you will need two martinis, certainly not another museum.

Thin

LosAlamosNM

Oh my Thin! Do you think the crowds will be that bad next month in the Vatican/Sistine Chapel?

bouradly, I will be doing St. Peter's after the Vatican Museum. I have a 10:30 reservation for the Vatican, plan to spend about two hours there, then move on to the Basilica by way of the shortcut exit. Figure I'll spend about an hour in the Basilica, maybe more if I go up the dome. Ugh, so hard to schedule everything!!

alanRow

We did Vatican Museum / St Peter's - in the corner of the Sistine Chapel furthest from the entrance there's an exit direct to St P's that's supposed to be for tour groups but they don't seem to stop you going that way

<<< I have a 10:30 reservation for the Vatican, plan to spend about two hours there, >>>

So did we - we left the Vatican at 4:00pm.

kja

I also spent basically an entire day at the Vatican - didn't leave until it was time to close, and would easily have stayed later if it was open longer!

bouradly

If you are planning on spending time at St Peter's also, I'd advise against seeing the Borghese Gallery on the same day.

In the situation I was in, I did the Vatican Museums at night (special thing they were doing for the month of September and October on Friday nights). I had the scavi tour at St Peter's scheduled on a different day, so I visited St Peter's on that day instead. I did the Borghese Gallery on the day I went to the Vatican museums because it worked best that day to maximize my use of the Roma Pass for the days I was visiting Rome.

annhig

hi losalamos,

can i 2nd/3rd/4th the suggestion NOT to try to see the vatican AND St. Peter's, AND the Borghese in the same day.

I suggest that you try to book the earliest slot possible for the Borghese [9am, I believe] so as to free yourself up for spontenaity later in the day.

regards, ann