My niece and I will be on the BOI tour in May. Fri & Sat in Rome. We'd like to make ticket reservations to visit Borghese Gallery during our "explore on your own" time. Does anyone know approximately when during the afternoon/evening that time might come up? Or maybe it won't?? Thank you!
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11872 posts
Day 16 after the Vatican Museum tour, finishes noonish-1PM as I recall, would be when you could do a brief walk through of St Peters and then do the Borghese before dinner. Are you leaving Rome immediately after the tour?
If possible stay a few more days so you can do justice to both, and not just be dashing from place to place.
Posted by
Ohio
1601 posts
I agree that the afternoon after visiting the Vatican would be the time to schedule. However, I wouldn't recommend it. I would not have enjoyed the very quick jaunt through the Vatican followed by another art museum. I would have been overloaded. If you aren't staying another day I recommend skipping it all together. YMMV
It is a wonderful tour, by the way. You will have a fabulous time.
Posted by
755 posts
Vandrabrud makes some good points. But it depends on how much additional time you would want for the Vatican. And whether you are still recovering from jet lag.
The Borghese tickets are not very expensive, so why not book and see how you feel on the day. I’ve seen lots of Italian museums over the years, but the Borghese collection and the Villa were special. Those Bernini sculptures, I still think about them.
Have a great trip!
Posted by
Placerville, ca, us
158 posts
If you are not too tired the Borghese is really an amazing collection and we are going to see it again next month. Last was about a dozen years ago...it really is a stand out if you like Bernini especially. Only allow so many in per 2 hour window so you can really enjoy the space without getting jostled as can happen in the Vatican....enjoy
Posted by
OP
White Bear Lake, MN, MN
18 posts
Grazie a tutti for your information and counsel! I have seen the Bernini statues before (35 years ago!) but my niece never has. If there was ever only 1 reason to see Rome, for me it would be Bernini's statues! I'll be returning in the fall (fingers crossed!) and could do Borghese then, but this is the only trip to Europe my niece can likely do for a very long time to come. So we will need to consider if seeing them is important enough that we rush(?) to pull it off before the good-bye dinner that evening. Or do we just saunter peacefully through the Roman streets for that last afternoon... Very fortunate to be faced with such a dilemma!