Borghese gallery

1) yes 2) lovely (we were just there last May)

The gallery is beautiful if you like Renaissance and Baroque art. The grounds are extensive: you can rent a rowboat on the lake, go horseback riding, rent a bike or a segue, or hop on the cartoon-looking train. If you like walking, start at the Gallery and end up at the Pincio (lots of well-posted signage) for a view of Piazza del Popolo, then take the walking path down to the piazza.

The gallery is spectacular. It is not huge and overwhelming so it doesn't require a lot of time.

Roberta, Yes, IMHO it is worth the time. I was last there in September and the gardens were beautiful. I'm assuming that will be the same in May. One point to mention - the Galleria Borghese requires just about ALL items to be checked, which includes Daypacks, Purses, larger Cameras, etc. Also, NO photos are allowed inside. While it may be possible to "surreptitiously" get a photo with a Cell phone Camera, I wouldn't recommend it as there are Guards in each room and numerous CCTV Cameras. Being ejected from the gallery in a humiliating fashion and possibly having the Camera confiscated would NOT be a pleasant travel experience! Happy travels!

We are booked on a tour here in a few days, but we are told that even though its only 4 of us we need headsets with our own guide, how can this be?
Thanks Jenny

A lot of museums and galleries require head sets. The Vatican museums use them so the guides don't need to raise their voices to be heard. The Borghese is a small gallery so it doesn't surprise me that they would require this. They don't want your guide disturbing the other guests. Donna