Borghese Galleria

FYI: Use the search button at the top of this page and type in "Borghese reservation" and restrict to last 6 months -- many posts about this question, answer seems to be reserve on the phone (during Rome business hours) and buy the Roma Pass when you arrive.
That's what I did in 2012.

You can call anytime and buy the pass in Roma. Just tell them you will have the passes. You still have to pay a small reservation fee.

I just called a couple days ago and I dont have a pass yet. There was no fee to make the reservation. They just gave me a confirmation number.

We just returned from Rome and I found the Roma Pass to be overpriced, but more important, not worth the money (unlike the Firenze Card in Florence which was a great deal). Also, the Roma Pass only offers two entries into museums and does not include the Vatican Museum. You'd be better off buying Borghese and Vatican tickets online before you go. Then purchase tickets to the colosseum, palatine hill, roman forum, and others when you get there.

That said, if you are dead set on buying a Roma Pass. Simply wait until you get to Rome and buy it at a Visitor Center or the train station.

As for the Roma Pass, you need to just do the math (assuming the 3 day pass at 36 euro): use it for the most expensive two (I am not including the MACRO, which costs more than the Borghese, but is not on many people's "lists"): (Borghese = 14 and Capitoline/Centrale Montemartini combo ticket = 16) and you have already got back 30 euro. Next use it for the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine (normally 12 euro, discounted to 7.50 euro = saves 4.50). So now you are at 34.50 euro. Won't take much to get back your 36 (and remember you get the metro and buses free too). Up to you and what you can do in three days (assuming you have a fourth day for the Vactican and its museums, which are not included on the Roma Pass.)

You can download the fees and discounts for all covered sites here:
http://www.romapass.it/doc/sitiAderentiCostoBiglietti_eng.pdf

As for the Borghese, I called yesterday and got a confirmation number/time without any charge (at least over the phone) and just told them I would have the Roma Pass. It is possible they will want the 2 euro reservation "supplement" when I show up, I did not include it in my calculation above.

i purchased tickets and made the reservations on line. no problem. go to their website

"Simply wait until you get to Rome and buy it at a Visitor Center or the train station."

That will work for accessing most attractions on the fly but not for the Borghese. That one MUST have an advance reservation (time slots fill up quickly), and how it is booked depends on whether you're using the Roma Pass (by phone) or not (online).

But as said in the notes above, you don't have to have the pass in hand to make the reservation.

** Also, the Roma Pass only offers two entries into museums and does not include the Vatican Museum. **

this is not entirely true. The pass offers free entry to the first two museums you visit but gives you the discounted rate to all others during the validity of the pass. The Vatican museums are not included in the ROMA pass because they are not in Rome, they are in Vatican city, which is an entirely different country.

For this pass to be of value you need to do the math and work your itinerary around it. I wouldn't visit a museum simply because it was the most expensive. Look at your itinerary and pick the two most expensive museums on it that are covered by the pass. Add in the discounted costs of any other museums you plan to visit and then decide how many times you'll use public transportation. Do the math, if you save money, buy the pass. If not, just book the sites separately from their official websites and save the extra money.

You don't need to have the pass in hand to book the Borghese gallery. Just call and tell them you'll be using the pass for free entry. You can do this at the 60 point when they open up tickets.

Donna

Thank you lovely people for your informative replies. As usual you have come through for me with plenty of information. I am very appreciative. You will make my trip to Italy so much better. Thank you again. Pat