We (husband and I) just signed up for Sicily tour that starts 25 November and ends 5 December. We were in Rome this spring but it was impossible to get tickets to the Borghese. Hoping we can do that this trip. Anybody got a recommendation for a good guided tour for Borghese? It seems would be better to go after Sicily tour ends 5 December when Christmas marts may be open in Rome. Recommendations on Christmas marts in Rome in early December welcome. Thanks.
Posted by
Los Angeles by way of Providence and Rome
677 posts
I don't know about the Borghese but the Piazza Navona Christmas market opens about December 6. It includes a carousel, puppet theater, and many vendors of food and goods. Also many churches have presepi at that time, some quite elaborate. And there will be a tree-lighting and display at St. Peter's piazza, all this is free. Rome is a lot of fun at Christmas.
Posted by
OP
Alexandria, Va., USA
11 posts
Thanks PonyGirl!
Posted by
Los Angeles by way of Providence and Rome
677 posts
I forgot to add, the streets are beautifully lit, from Via del Corso which usually has a theme, to the small side streets strung with white lights. It all gets turned on right around the time you will be there.
Posted by
CA, USA
1356 posts
The Borghese has guided tours, no 3rd party guide needed. We did one last year and the guide was wonderful! Be sure to use the official site since if you search online most of the results are from resellers with website names that make them sound like the gallery. The actual site is https://www.tosc.it/artist/galleria-borghese/galleria-borghese-2253937/ and you want the "Visita guidata Inglese"
Posted by
London
580 posts
We went in December 2021, and they had a very good audio guide then, in case you may prefer that. The Borghese Gallery is a wonderful museum. Something slightly unusual about it (at least when we went) is that the time slots you book are not just for your entry- they are for your exit too. Everyone who enters during the same slot gets a coloured sticker to wear and when your time slot is up they tell everyone wearing that colour to leave. For us it was just about enough time to see everything (including using the audio guide) but you may want to have that in mind as you move through.