Travel Times in Rome

Hi Julie. 10 - 45 minutes for each, depending on your method (cab, bus, metro, walk). Enjoy your trip!

Are they really close enough to walk?

Sure, but it depends on what you define as walkble ? For some more than a mile is too much and others five miles is just getting started.

The Borghese suggests showing up 20 minutes before your appointment. You should check to see if bus #116 passes near your hotel - it's a mini-bus that takes you to Via dei Cavalli Marini (street of the seahorses, a fountain on the street) on the Villa Borghese property, then walk a hundred meters or so to the Gallery. I've also walked from the Termini station, it took about 25 minutes but I tend to dawdle. You will also need to check your bag (purses included) but if there are items you want to keep with you, they will give you an opaque plastic bag (much cuter than it sounds). The Vatican Museums are across town from Termini, it's a heck of a walk, but I did that once during a transportation strike. The museums themselves are so huge that you may prefer a bus or taxi. I know there's a bus that stops near the entrance to the Vatican Museums, but I can't remember the number - check the Ron in Rome site, or perhaps someone at this forum can help. There is a bus information booth in the Piazza right outside Termini station and they can give you the best advice about which bus to take.

I think Zoe meant to say you must pick your tickets up 30 minutes before your entry slot. At 30 minutes prior they start giving away reservations as they consider you a "no-show" I would get there about an hour early to get checked in, check all your bags and rent an audio guide if you want one. There is also a small cafe and bookstore inside. From the termini you can walk to the Borghese or take the metro to the Barberini stop and continue walking from there. For the Vatican area I would take the metro to the Ottaviano stop. From there it's a 5 minute walk to the entrance of the museums. donna

Thanks, Donna. Best to be early rather than on time. My group of 5 was told to be there 20 minutes before the appointment (we got there about 40 minutes before), it was early summer so perhaps not a sold-out week.

Thanks for all the responses. That helps a lot.

And don't forget Google maps. They have a great feature that works in almost every Italian city. Choose "Get Directions" and then click on the pedestrian icon. They'll tell you how far it is and how much time to allow, assuming you walk at a decent pace and don't stop into any place along the way. (That's not saying you shouldn't stop - It just lets you know the minimum amount of time to allow.) You can also click on the icon that looks like a bus and it will show you what the public transportation options are as well. I wouldn't rely on that feature 100%, but it seems to be pretty good. And don't forget Streetview, of course, to get a look for yourself at what the route looks like and whether you want to work out a more scenic way to get there. (It's not all about efficiency on a vacation, right?) :-) just drag the little guy from the directional arrows over to the map, and plop him down where you want to take a look. OR you can just keep zooming in and eventually it switches you over to Streetview. And, remember, there's graffiti practically everywhere in Italy, and Rome is no exception.

The last time I came up out of a metro stop completely befuddled as to where I was, was our trip to the Borghese. Allow a little time for confusion. We were glad we did. Save some time to walk or bike around the park too either before or after your visit. It's a lovely break from the busy city.