Alternative routes to tickets for Borghese?

Posted by loiterj on 04/09/25 12:11 PM

Sadly, tickets for the Borghese Gallery later this month when we'll be in Rome for two days are sold out. (As my father is fond of saying, "you snooze, you lose!"). Obviously this is not the end of the world given all that Rome has to offer, but it is my wife's birthday and she was really looking forward to this in particular. From reading other posts it seems that the possibilities are:

Check the website every day in case additional tickets are released due to cancellations.
Show up at the gallery first thing in the AM, again, if cancellations have resulted in ticket availability.

Question 1: Are there NO third-party outlets that resell tickets? I'm actually glad this is probably NOT the case, I find ticket reselling distasteful at best, but here I am being a hypocrite when I'm the one who wants access.

Question 2: Any chance anyone reading this post has a ticket for April 26 or April 27 that they may not use, or at least, would be willing to contact me if it turns out you can't use it?

Thanks much, and thanks to everyone who posts and shares here. SO MUCH great info to help with trip planning!

-J

Posted by jeff

04/09/25 02:26 PM

63 posts

It might be worth it to get a guided tour. Liv and the Roman Guy both offer tours.

I think the no-show line empties throughout the day as each time slot comes and goes, so you'd potentially need to commit the whole day with no guarantee of getting in.

Posted by SunnyBlueFlax

04/09/25 03:08 PM

120 posts

Hello,

We bought tickets only, not the tour through Crown Tours last year. I just went to their website and they have 2 tickets available at 4:00 on April 27 for a Tour. Be sure to enter the Promo code for 20% off.

I hope this helps.

Posted by loiterj OP

04/09/25 11:15 PM

2 posts

Thank you for both of these replies. Not sure I want to spring for the guided tours, will give that some thought. I did try the Crown Tours site, and while the calendar indicates there might be tickets for the 26th and 27th (because there is a small 70 Euro price under the date), I can't seem to select any date on that calendar, nor in May. I've tried three browsers. I guess the universe is telling me to make other plans!

Posted by C

New England, USA

04/10/25 11:23 AM

29 posts

I believe they release 13 tickets to the general public either each morning or per hour I'm not sure. No tips on how to get them, sorry!

Posted by funpig

Vancouver, BC, Canada

04/11/25 12:46 AM

1464 posts

I was in the same situation.
I went first thing in the morning and bought 2 tickets for later in the afternoon. I am not sure if they held back tickets or cancellations. I was not the only one doing this. So, it was worth to try. Good luck.

Posted by derek

Walnut Creek, CA

04/13/25 01:35 AM

693 posts

We also like to buy tickets at the official website, but on our third trip to Rome in 2023, my wife of 35 years asked me why we weren't visiting the Borghese.

I said we visited it 35 years ago as newlyweds. But because we are getting to the age of forgetting things, she didn't remember it and said "Well, let's go again. Since I don't remember it, it will all be brand new!

So I immediately got on the internet and went to Get YOur Guide, and saw that Crown Tours had tickets available for the next day. at 10:00 am. I booked the tickets, hoping for the best.

We got there early and went to their meeting point. At 9:45 am, a person showed up wearing a "Crown Tours T-shirt and flag" as described in the web page and handed our tickets to us.

It was just entry tickets. We bought the audio guide inside at the front desk.

I will point out that the visit is limited to 2 hours. How do they know when you're past the two hours? They put colored wrist bands on you and each timed entry has a different color. So they know. We saw a museum worker go up to a private tour group leader and nicely tell them their two hours were up.