At Christmas, Rome is filled with festivities, festivals, religious ceremonies, concerts, art exhibits, and just plain fun! It’s a wonderful time of year to come to the city. The streets get crowded with shoppers, the seasonal lights brighten narrow alleys, and the air is festive. There are many Christmas markets, most famously Piazza Navona

To get you in the spirit, here’s a few pictures from last year!

The lighting of the Christmas tree at St. Peter’s. We waited almost two hours to see the tree lit.Halfway through the ceremony it started to rain, and rain, and rain. We felt so sorry for the choirs and church officials who “weathered” the entire downpour. This year we will show up 1.5 hours AFTER the “scheduled” lighting time

Each year, a couple weeks before Christmas, there is the Annual Santa Claus race that starts at the Colosseo. It’s pretty incredible to see hundreds of folks in Santa Claus outfits forming up around the colosseo on a Sunday morning. There are rollerbladers, runners, families (all dressed in SC outfits), and guys like this. And then they all take off – Can you imagine riding this bike on the cobblestones of Rome? What fun!

The beautiful Fendi building, located where Via Corso meets Via dei Condotti (Rodeo Drive in Rome). This “bracelet” changes colors every few minutes. Bellisima!

This is the view from the balcony of our apartment near the Vatican. The lights are here from early December until early January. And you will see this in streets all over Rome!

These were the street decorations for Via dei Condotti. They’re beautiful, expensive, and … sponsored by Mercedes Benz. See the logo in the decoration. You would expect no less on this street. They are certainly stunning.

Shopping near the Spanish Steps at Christmas!

This tree decorated the Spanish Steps last year. Each night the steps filled up at shoppers and walkers taking a break. The tree constantly changed colors and is visible all the way down Via dei Condotti.

Piazzas and restaurants certainly get “decked out.” Here is a look at some of the restaurants in front of the Pantheon last year. Yes, a few ALREADY have their decorations in place.

Every Church has a Nativity Scene. Last year the Vatican had two -  one inside St. Peter’s Basilica and this one which is built outside in St. Peter’s Square. It takes a few weeks to build this life-size Nativity scene and they’ve already started building this year’s!

On New Year’s Eve, priorities change in Rome. Here, street vendor sells bottles of champagne. There’s no open container laws in Rome so if you want to walk down the street drinking your champagne, more power to you. Note the “makeshift” table built of cardboard boxes

A full moon over a Christmas tree welcomes in the New Year. This was shot through columns down by Trajan’s Column.

There are concerts all over town on New Year’s Eve in Rome. This is perhaps the largest. See the Colosseo in the distance in the top picture. I’m standing on Via Fiori Imperiali just in front of the entrance to the Forum. It took me about 15 minutes to get here from Piazza Venezia, That’s how crowded this street becomes. All down the street there are huge monitors and speakers so you can watch and hear the bands performing in front of the Colosseo. This is about as far as I got… and then headed for other venues!

It’s hard to explain Piazza di Popolo on New Year’s Eve. So I’ll just try and show you through the above pictures. First, think of 10,000+ people standing around, crowded, shoulder-to-shoulder, with fireworks…  for about two hours. Their goal is to “out-do” everyone else in their contribution to this “locals” firework event. Yes, for almost two hours everyone fires off their own firework stash.

In the first picture you see the outer ring, early in the evening (about 10:15 PM). Here you stand on the outer edge of Piazza di Popolo and in front of you is a clearing. In this “fire-zone,” you run out, place down your Roman Candle or bottle rocket and then run back to the safety of the crowd. While you’re doing this, other folks are ALSO running out with their fireworks. So there is a lot of people running in and out of the danger zone. While you’re running, folks from in the crowd are throwing their firework INTO the cleared area… so you’re sometimes dodging fireworks as you seek safety. How no one gets killed is still something I can’t figure out.

In Picture 2, you see a group of kids who have run to the middle of the Piazza… where the obelisk and lions are. Once you risk your life to get to the middle, you’re really trapped there. But undoubtedly, if you survive, you have the best view – especially if you sit up on one of the lions. You can see the bottle rockets and fireworks going off all around these folks.

In Pictures 3 and 4 you can see how dense the crowd can become. It gets so packed you can’t move! But people are still racing into the clearing and then racing back. Of course, This is Italy, so everyone tries to out-do everyone else. Fireworks are bundled together. multiple explosions drew applause and OOH’s and AHH’s from the crowd. I found myself near the front of the pack and the guy next to me is daisy-chaining Roman Candles together to get the BIGGEST explosion. All the while he’s smoking a cigar!

At 12 midnight, the bells ring and that’s when I was in for another surprise. All night long I’d seen folks buying champagne bottles from the local street vendors and foolish me, I thought they were for drinking. Nope – at 12 midnight, EVERYONE popped their champagne and proceeded to SPRAY EACH OTHER. I am almost drowned in champagne. I realized now that you DO NOT wear nice clothes in Rome on New Year’s Eve. Well, not if you’re going to Popolo!

The last picture is shot outside the Northern gates of the city, as I ran for my life out of Popolo. The fireworks are from Villa Borghese and go on for another 20-30 minutes. These culminate the celebrations at Popolo!

And if you still have ANY energy left on New Year’s Day, you can head over to the Vatican to catch the Pope’s blessing at 12 noon. It’s an incredible event and St. Peter’s Square is very full.

At the conclusion of the New Year’s blessing, the multiple marching bands march out. It’s an disorganized retreat from a structured event. What a contrast.

These two USA marching bands had a great time, playing in St. Peter’s Square and then having a “jam” session just outside Castel Sant’ Angelo – a great way to celebrate the Holidays.

Credit romephotoblog.blogspot.com/

Credit: Flickr – Deborah Swain

Then, there are the markets! The most famous Christmas market in Rome is at Piazza Navona, but they are all over town. You can get all kinds of food, presents and of course, a Befana! These markets are usually open until January 6.

That’s a small taste of the sights in Rome over the holidays. There are many, many other places to see and go. If you’re coming to Rome, you’ll certainly enjoy your Roman Holiday! Auguri!

From the top of the Vittoriano (Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II)

Looking eastward from the Vittoriano, you see the Colosseo, with the mountains and San Giovanni Laterano in the background… and the ruins of the Basilica of Maxentius in the foreground.

Looking westward from the Vittoriano, the Pantheon rises majestically, it’s concrete, spaceship-looking 2nd century dome quite a contrast to the more “modern” rooftops of Rome.

From the Cupola of St. Peter’s – highest point in Rome

View from the Cupola of St. Peter’s looking down onto St. Peter’s Square!

The view of the Vatican grounds from the Cupola of St. Peter.

View on the roof of St. Peter’s Basilica

View In the Constantine Colonade of St. Peter’s Square

View through the Pantheon Oculus

At night, a shot of the waning moon, through the Oculus of the Pantheon!

And conversely, here’s an incredible view of sunlight filtering through the oculus.

From the top of Palatine Hill

The view of the Forum from the north side of Palatine Hill

And from the south side of the hill, a wonderful view of Circo Massimo in the foreground, and Aventine hill in the background.

From Castel Sant’ Angelo

Incredible photo from Castel Sant Angelo looking towards St. Peter’s Basilica. (Photo from Avisekh’s flickr stream).

Looking towards the Vittoriano from Castel Sant Angelo.

The Janiculum Hill (Gianicolo)

From Piazza Garibaldi at the top of the Gianiculum

From the top of the Spanish Steps

Day or night, the view from the top of the Spanish Steps is worth climbing for!

The Aqueducts of Rome

Aqueducts that run for miles here in the city limits of Rome (see our post: Aqueduct Park in Rome)

From the Pincio Gardens, fronting Villa Borghese

A great place from which to enjoy Rome’s picturesque sunsets – this wonderful view looks down upon Piazza di Popolo in the foreground, and the dome of St. Peter’s in the background – WOW!

Piazza of the Knights of Malta

Known affectionately by Romans as the “hole of Rome,” its abiding attraction draws queues of visitors to this peaceable “out of the way” spot. These two shots show the keyhole… and the remarkable view once you look through it!

The lake at Villa Borghese

A wonderful – and romantic – interlude in this busy, busy, city. Head to the Villa Borghese park on a Sunday and enjoy the company of many Italian families. For more info and directions, see our post on Galleria Borghese.

View from Sevelli garden atop the Aventine Hill

The overhang at Aventine Hill provides an incredible view at dusk of the dome of St. Peter’s. One of the most romantic spots in town, young men often come here – at dusk – to propose marriage! And with this view, they’re off to a great start!

Christmas in Rome

Beautiful St. Peter’s Square decorated for the Christmas season!

This is my street – just outside our balcony – dressed up for the season!

The Christmas tree at the Spanish Steps!   For more Christmas pictures, see our post, Roman Holidays!

Rome is blessed with a wide variety of places to shop… and you cannot enjoy Rome – or any city in Italy – without visiting a local market. Fortunately, in Rome there is an abundance of “local” markets. Markets in Rome sell foods, collectables, flowers, antiques… you name it you can probably find it here in a Roman market!

Detailed below is a list of markets all through town. There are MANY more markets than these listed below. In addition, there are also the vendors who just set up on the street corners. You can walk around many corners in Rome and find a neighborhood market. In the list below I hope to give a starting point. Good luck!

Monday – Saturday

Campo de’ Fiori
Piazza Campo de’ Fiori.
Bus 44, 46. 62. 64, 70, 81, 90, 90b, 492. 46, 62, 64, 90, 70, 186
7.00 AM- 1.30 PM
Rome’s most picturesque market is also its most historical. Its name, Campo de’ Fiori, which translates as field of flowers, sometimes misleads people into expecting a flower market. In fact the name is said to derive from Campus Florae (Flora’s square) – Flora being the lover of the great Roman general Pompey. A market has actually been held in this now rather shabby, but still beautiful, piazza for many centuries. Every morning, except Sunday, the piazza is transformed by an array of stalls selling colourful fruit and vegetables, meat, poultry and fish. One or two stalls specialize in pulses, rice, dried fruit and nuts and there are also flower stalls situated near the fountain.

Piazza San Cosimato – Trastevere
Piazza San Cosimato.
Buses: 13, 44, 75, 710, 718, 719, 280.
6.00 AM- 1.30 PM
A traditional open-air, high quality, food market with stalls for flowers and household items.

Testaccio
Piazza di Testaccio
Buses: 13, 23, 57, 95, 716.
6.00 AM- 1.30 PM
Rich and lively market, in a working class area sells mostly food. Mercato di Testaccio contains greengrocers and butchers, fishmongers and sellers of cheese and dairy products, housed in a more permanent structure.

Via Magnagrecia – S. Giovanni
Via Magnagrecia
Buses: 4, 87.
6.00 AM- 1.30 PM
Covered, predominantly food market.

Via Sannio – S. Giovanni
Via Sannio. Metro A – S. Giovanni.
Buses: 118, 87, 16, 15, 81, 13.
8.00 AM- 1.00 PM, Sat until 6.00 PM.
Situated under the Aurelian walls, it is very similar to the Porta Portese market but much smaller. Mostly sells used and new clothing as well as camping goods. The centre of the market is covered, with stands on the surrounding streets. It sells mainly clothes and accessories.

Mercato dell’Unita – Prati
Via Cola di Rienzo.
Buses: 70, 81, 186, 280, 913.
7.00 AM- 8.00 PM
Covered food market, extremely interesting architecturally.

Ponte Milvio – Farnesina
Piazzale Ponte Milvio.
Buses: 911, 446, 201, 301, 168, 232, 220.
6.00 AM- 1.30 PM
Predominantly food, well stocked and well known for its fish.

Via Chiana – Trieste
Via Chiana
Buses: 57, 168, 319, 38, 58.
6.00 AM- 1.30 PM
Covered market, predominantly food and of good quality.

Piazza Alessandria – Trieste
Piazza Alessandria.
Buses: 36, 37, 60, 61, 62, 136, 137, 490, 495.
6.00 AM- 1.30 PM.
Food market housed in a liberty-style construction

Via di Val Melaina – Nuovo Salario
Via de Val Melaina
Buses: 38, 137.
6.00 AM- 1.30 PM
High-quality food market, among the most economical in Rome.

Mercato Andrea Doria (Also known as Trionfale) – Vatican-Prati
Via Andrea Doria.
Metro: Ottaviano. Bus 23, 70, 490, 907, 913, 990, 991, 994, 999.
7.00 AM- 1.30 PM
This market used to stretch the whole length of this wide avenue. Now it has been reorganized into a new building! Apart from the magnificent displays of fruit and vegetables, it has numerous stalls selling meat, poultry, fish and groceries, as well as an interesting clothes and shoe section. Situated northwest of the Vatican Museums, it is a little off the normal beaten track and has remained very much a Roman market that caters for the needs of the large local population. It is one of Rome’s best stocked and cheapest food markets.

Mercato delle Stampe
Largo della Fontanella di Borghese.
8.00 AM to 7.00 PM
This market is a veritable haven for lovers of old prints, books (both genuine antiquarian and less-exalted second-hand), magazines and other printed ephemera. The quality varies, but it is a good deal more specialized than the banche or stalls near Termini station which area more obvious tourist trap. Italian-speaking collectors can enjoy a field day leafing through back issues of specialist magazines. Other visitors might prefer the wonderful selection of illustrated art books and old prints of Rome. It is a good place to pick up that Piranesi print of your favorite Roman vista, ruin or church – but be prepared to bargain hard.

Mercato di Piazza Vittorio – Esquilino
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II.
Metro: Vittorio Emanuele. Tram 14, Bus 70, 71, 105, 516, 517, 11, 14
7.00 AM- 2.00 PM
Bustling Piazza Vittorio was, until recently, perhaps the most Roman of the city’s larger markets. Organized as a cramped corridor of stalls around a central garden, it is the place where bargain-hunting popolari, Rome’s bustling shoppers, buy their food. Stallholders offer cheap prices if you buy by the kilo. Lately it has become more international and now features African and Asian food stalls. Some stalls have moved to the new site in Via Gioiitu; it is also one of the cheapest and best stocked food market around with excellent fish and regional cheeses.

Fiera del Linro (Book Show)
Via delle Terme di Diocleziano
9.00 AM to 7.00 PM

Tuesdays

Mercato dei Fiori
ViaTrionfale.
Metro Ottaviano. Bus 23, 70.
10.30 AM to 1.30 PM
Essentially a trade market, the Flower Market, just north of Via Andrea Doria, is open to the public only on Tuesdays. Housed in a covered hall, it has two floors brimming over with cut flowers – upstairs and all kinds of pot plants on the lower floor. Anyone who has an interest in flowers will enjoy this wonderful array of Mediterranean blooms, which are on sale at giveaway prices.

Fridays

Mercato Villaggio Olimpico – Flaminio
Viale della XVII Olimpiade.
Buses: 910, 225.
08.00 AM to 1.30 PM
Stalls laden with food, household items, straw goods, jewellery, clothing; captures the flavor of a roving country market, excellent prices included.

Saturdays

Via Tirso and Via Metauro Market
Via Tirso 14-Via Metauro 21
Open Saturdays and Sundays; Closed on the fourth Sunday of the month
10.00 AM to 8.00 PM
Interesting antiques and jewellery
Phone: 06-855-27-73

Lungotevere Capoprati
Ponte Milvio
Afternoons from 15:00
Charming antiques market along the banks of the Tiber: antique furniture, collectors’ items.

Sundays

Eco-Solidale
Comunità di S. Egidio, Via del Porto Fluviale, 2
Metro: Piramide ‘B’ line, FS Ostiense
6.00 AM to sunset
Solidarity and antique trade at the “eco-solidale market”, organized by the the S. Egidio community – Charity sale of toys and bric-a-brac.
Tel. 06/8992234

Palatenda – Il Circo del Mercanti
Between Ponte delle Valli (Via delle Valli) and Via Conca d’oro
Metro: Tiburtina ‘B’ line, change for FS Nomentana
9.00 AM to sunset
Some 40 stalls of crafts, clothing and collectables
Info 339/1305115

Centro Sportivo
Via Angelo Battelli
All day
Open-air antique market, books, collectors’ items

Via Tirso and Via Metauro Market
Via Tirso 14 &Via Metauro 21
Open Saturdays and Sundays; Closed on the fourth Sunday of the month
10.00 AM to 8.00 PM
Interesting antiques and jewellery
Phone: 06-855-27-73

Via Francesco Crispi
All day from 10:30 (Closed during Summer)
Antiques and collectors’ items.

Piazza della Marina (also known as the Garage Sale at Borghetto Flaminio)
Piazza della Marina, 32
10.00 AM to 8.00 PM
A wide selection of various articles from clothing to small antiques, books, and handmade articles. Some high-end designer clothing.

Porta Portese
Off Viale Trastevere
5.00 AM to 2.00 PM
This is the largest market in Rome. Stallholders come from as far away as Naples and set up shop in the early hours of the morning – if you are strolling in that direction after a late night in Trastevere, it’s well worth pausing just to watch them. Anything and everything seems to be for sale, piled high on stalls gin carefully arranged disorder – clothes, shoes, bags, luggage, camping equipment, linen, towels, pans, kitchen utensils, plants, pets, spare parts, cassettes and CD’S, old LPs and 78s.Furniture stalls tend to be concentrated around Piazza Ippotito Nievo along with what they call “antiques”, though you may have to sort through an awful lot of junk before finding a real one. And then you will have to bargain for it. A lot of people go just for the fun of it and always end up buying something. A must if you have a Sunday morning to spare. For more info, see our separate post on Porta Portese  

Porta Portese 2
Viale Palmiro Togliatti and Via Predestina
Metro: Anagnina ‘A’ line
6.00 AM to 2.00 PM
Rome’s biggest market moves northwards, to the Prenestina area on the Viale Palmiro Togliatti, with 100s of stalls offering new and used items of all kinds.

Pulp Fashion
Via Monte Testaccio, 66
Metro: Piramide ‘B’ line
All day
Vintage clothing, tie-dyed hippy shirts, music and street gear.
Tel. 33975539923

Paradise at Hotel Parco dei Principi – Atelier Ritz
Via G. Frescobaldi, 5, in the elegant halls of Hotel Parco dei Principi
10.00 AM to 7.30 PM
This market aims primarily at women’s clothing and accessories.

Micca Market
Via Pietro Micca 7/a – In the Micca Club, a short way away from Porta Maggiore
Many funny and bizarre objects “Carnaby Street style” and the opportunity to listen to live music and to taste a “Milanese aperitif”
Tel. 06/87440079

Special Markets

Anticaglie a Villa Glori
Viale Maresciallo Pilsudski
Saturdays & Sundays
9.00 AM to 8.00 PM
Antique porcelain vases, paintings, furniture

Piazza Augusto Imperatore
Piazza Augusto Imperatore
First and third Sunday of the month
Just a short walk from the Piazza del Popolo or the Spanish Steps with 70 stalls of antiques, collectables and bric-a-brac.
Tel. 0636005345

Ponte Milvio
Ponte Milvio (Milvian Bridge)
Metro: Flaminio ‘A’ line, then No. 2 tram to Piazza Mancini
First Sunday of the month
On the River Tiber, large antiques, crafts and collectables fair.
Tel. 069077312 / 069042459

Mercantino dei Partigiani
Piazza dei Partigiani
First Sunday of the month, except August
This small flea market is held in the basement of a garage and sells furniture and objects from 1940s and 1950s. Sometimes you even see middle class housewives from smart districts selling family items. The prices are really low, a style Italians refer to as modernariato

La Soffitta in Garage
Underground car park off piazza dei Partigiani, Ostiense Station (Park-Si).
First Sunday of the month
10.00 AM to 7.00 PM
Show-market, trades, collection exchanges and antiques.

Piazza Mazzini
Piazza Mazzini
Metro: Lepanto ‘A’ line
Second Sunday of the month
Over 100 stalls of antiques, collectables and crafts,
Tel. 069044263 / 3389657690

MONTEROTONDO
Just outside of Rome
Second Sunday of the month
This market is called the “the island of treasure” antique market.
Tel. 06 906 74215

Underground
Via Crispi, 96
Second Saturday and Sunday of the month.
This is a relatively new flea market that is held in a huge 4-floor garage between Piazza del Popolo and Via Veneto. There’s a bit of everything here, including a certain Mario Ambrosini, a screenwriter who worked with Fellini, who sells the miniature gifts you find in Kinder chocolate eggs to collectors and members of the Kindermania club. Prices vary and are often on the high side – All year except July, August, September.
10.30 AM to 7.30 PM

Villa Glori
Viale Maresciallo Pilsudsky
Metro: Flaminio ‘A’ line, change for train to FS Piazza Euclide.
Second Sunday of the month
9.00 AM to 8.00 PM
100+ stalls of furniture, collectables, crafts, artisan artefacts, and clothing in the upmarket Parioli area.

Valnerina (Villa Chigi markrt)
Via Valneria
Second Sunday of each month
7.30 AM till Sunset
Antique books and magazines

ALBANO LAZIALE
Castelli Romani Park
Second Sunday of the month.
Antiquary and handmade products

Giardino d’inverno
Via Panama, 25
Second and fourth Sundays of each month
10.00 AM to 7.00 PM
A little bit of everything

Mercato Antiquaria dell’ E.U.R.
Piazzale Luigi Sturzo
Metro: EUR Magliana or Palassport, ‘B’ line
Third Sunday of the month
90 stalls of furniture, collectables and bric-a-brac in the Fascist-era EUR suburb of southern Rome.
Tel. 065915750

Hotel Hilton
Roma Hotel Hilton, Via Cadlolo 101
Metro: Cipro, ‘A’ line, then bus (907,913, 991, 999) or walk to Via delle Medaglie d’oro)
Third Sunday of the month,
Stalls of collectables and bric-a-brac.
Tel. 0636307220

Prati Market
Via Lepanto
Metro: Lepanto ‘A’ line
Third Sunday of each month
9.00 AM to 8.00 PM
This market exhibits and sells an array of handicrafts, antiques, and hobby articles.

Curiosita’ in Terrazza Peroni
Via Mantova, 24 – Fourth floor of the car park
Third Sunday of the month,
10.00 AM to 9.00 PM
This is located in the underground parking garage of the former Peroni brewery.

Hotel Palatino
Via Cavour
Third Saturday of the month and the fourth Saturday in May
Comic books

Mostra Antiquaria di Villa Lazzaroni
Via Appia, 520
Third Sunday of the month
Antiques

Piazza Verdi
Piazza Verdi
Metro: Policlinico ‘B’ line then #3 or 19 tram to Piazza Ungheria – North-east of Villa Borghese
Fourth/last Sunday of the month
130+ stalls in the heart of the sophisticated Parioli district. Antiques and modern antiques: furniture, miscellaneous items, documents, coins and stamps.
Tel. 068552773

Antiquari in Testacio
Piazza S. Maria Liberatrice
Fourth Sunday of the month
9.00 AM to 8.00 PM

Galleria delle Stimmate
Largo delle Stimante, 1
Fourth Sunday of the month
10.00 AM to 7.30 PM
Mostly household goods and some jewelry. Also has excellent buys on antique lace, serving dishes, and old cutlery.

Market of Piazzale Ankara
Flaminio neighborhood
Fourth Sunday of the month
8.00 AM till sunset
Antiques, paintings, furniture, books
Tel. 339/7484573

Curiosit d’altri tempi (Curiosities from other times)
Viale Kant
Fourth Sunday of the month
8.00 AM till sunset
Antiques

Fashion al Tiberio
Grand hotel Tiberio -Via Lattanzio 51
Second-hand market. About 50 stalls with accessories like silk foulards, pashminas, pochettes, earrings and even shoes. And then clothes (also by famous stylists like Giorgio Armani, Dolce e Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli), and handicrafts like embroidered bags and costume jewellery.
Info 338/8645063.

 Market information was pulled from these links… Go to these for more great info! 

• Rome Guide
• Roman Rental – Markets in Rome
• Rome – Anglo-info – Markets
• TRF – Cotober 2008 – Rome Markets

Unfortunately, the ticketing procedures for the Galleria Borghese are not as incredible as the artwork. If you plan to pre-purchase your tickets you CAN use the online ticketing service and pay with your credit card. But if you plan to use a Roma Pass, it gets a little more confusing.

The bottom line is this – To get into the Borghese you WILL need a reservation. If you pre-purchase using a credit card you HAVE a reservation. You can use a VISA or Mastercard to purchase your tickets online. There will be a €1 web charge per ticket. Tickets can be collected at the box office of the Museum or at the automatic kiosks the day of your visit. The website for tickets is Ticketeria.

If you want to use the Roma Pass to get into the Borghese you still must have a reservation – but you do not want to prepay… as you will use the Roma Pass once you get here. So to use the Roma Pass, you STILL need a reservation – without paying for one. It can be done, BUT NOT ONLINE. In order to get your reservation so you CAN use your Roma Pass YOU MUST CALL the Borghese ticket office during their hours of operation – and that’s Rome time, not U.S. time.

The good news is that getting a reservation (and a reservation code) to use with your Roma Pass costs nothing! The bad news, as we said, is that you cannot get this online (at least as of April 2009). To get a code, you must call the Borghese Galleria at +39 (06) 32810 OR SEE THE NEW CALL BACK FEATURE UPDATED BELOW!  The office is open during ROME HOURS as charted below. Their listed hours of operations are:

• MON – FRI 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• SAT 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• SUN Closed

To save you money and the hassle of an International call, email your hotel or B&B and have them call for you. You will need to provide:

• The DATE you want to go to the Galleria
• The NAME to put the reservation under
• The TIME you want to go (2 hour periods starting at 9 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM, 3PM, and 5 PM – pick your time)
• The NUMBER of tickets you will need

 UPDATED – As of May 2009, the Galleria Borghese has implemented a new “Call Back” service that will save you the hassle and money  of trying to call internationally. Go to this page for your “call back” reservations: http://www.ticketeria.it/quick_reserve-eng.html . The page will look like this on your computer screen:

The Call back button is on the top left, Click here – Call us free.  Once you click on this, a new screen will “pop up” and you will get audio directions by the service provider, KIWII.

You will select yor country and then enter your phone number… just numbers – no spaces, hyphens, or parenthesis. For Americans, make sure to include your area code as part of the number.  Once you click enter… based on the phone number you entered…. that phone will ring.  Answer it and you will be connected - For Free! You have to love technology! This will save you a lot of money of calling from the USA. Good Luck! 

Whichever method of contact you select, the Galleria Borghese ticket reservationist will provide you will a code. You need this code, and your Roma Pass (and they say some form of identification – but they’ve never asked me for any….) when you enter the Galleria. You should enter the Museum about 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time slot. Present both the Roma Pass and your “reservation code” at the ticket desk on the right and you will be given “tickets” – it’s that easy! Just be on time – especially during season. They sell a limited amount of slots for each two hour period (360). Many folks, who DO NOT have a reservation show up hoping you WON’T show up on time…. so they can snag your reservation slot. So in-season especially, be 30 minutes early!

Some folks have suggested you can email the Borghese Galleria asking for a reservation. Since I live here, I have no applicable experience, and I would imagine this would depend on the amount of “email traffic” the Borghese office is handling. On many travel boards it has recently been posted that this method has BEEN DISCONTINUED. But it’s certainly worth a try. Their email address is info@ticketeria.it ,Simply request your “reservation” without a ticket purchase. Again, provide the information listed above: DATE, NAME, TIME, NUMBER of tickets, and you should also include the Museum Name (Galleria Borghese ) as there are many museums in the Villa Borghese property. If you do not get a response in a day or so you should try again or seek other options. During season this option sometimes gets backed up to due the heavy requests.

Often times though you can only book your slot 3-4 weeks in advance, although this time period varies quite erratically. Better to have someone local call then to waste money on an international call and find out they are not accepting bookings for your time period…. yet! Once I did book about 6 weeks out for someone… no one seems to understand “WHEN” their booking system will make dates available.

The Museum is not very large and two hours is sufficient for most folks to all of the collection easily. Many of the most famous sculptures are on the first floor. Know that you CANNOT take pictures inside the Galleria. If they see a large camera bag – or anything larger than a standard purse – you will have to check that bag. Bag check is easy, free, and to the left of the counter where you get your tickets.

The Audio Guides are very informative and in many languages. There are over-sized laminated “info sheets” in each room that you can read. They provide info similar to the Audio Guide, so whichever way works for you. If you do rent the guide, get there in time to pick it up BEFORE your entry time.

If you get there early there is a small cafe’ in the Entry Area of the Museum. You can certainly head here before your entry and have a coffee, pastry, or treat. After your visit you might want to hit the gift shop which is just as you come into the Museum Entry Area. It has all the books, postcards, and momentos you would expect. The Museum does provide guided tours, which you have to reserve when you arrive – not online. These tours are conducted by curators of the Museum and are usually very informative. For more info, see the Galleria Borghese website info below.

Outside the Galleria Borghese, you can walk through the Gardens adjacent to the Museum. They are quiet, serene, and while not overly abundant, quite beautiful.

Some Galleria Borghese Facts and Info   

 The original sculptures and paintings in the Borghese Gallery date back to Cardinal Scipione’s collection, the son of Ortensia Borghese – Paolo V’s sister – and of Francesco Caffarelli, though subsequent events over the next three centuries entailing both losses and acquisition have left their mark.

Cardinal Scipione was drawn to any works of ancient, Renaissance and contemporary art which might re-evoke a new golden age. He was not particularly interested in medieval art, but passionately sought to acquire antique sculpture. But Cardinal Scipione was so ambitious that he promoted the creation of new sculptures and especially marble groups to rival antique works.

Borghese Gallery and Museum
Piazzale del Museo Borghese, 5
00197 ROMA
Tel. 0039 06 8413979

Information and tickets booking – tel. +39 06 32810

Groups booking – fax +39 06 32651329

Guided tours – fax +39 06 8555952

Opening time
- Tuesday to Sunday, from 8.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.

Closed
- Mondays
- December 25th, January 1st

Ticket office close at 6.30 p.m.
Admission is strictly reduced at only 360 persons every 2 hours (mandatory exit at the end of time slot). Access up to half hour before the closing time

Tickets – Ticket reservation needed
No exchange, refund or cancellation of tickets is allowed. Service charges are not refundable under any circumstance.

All groups composed by more than 4 persons escorted by a guide must wear an audio receiver/headphone. The devices can be rented at this service only for the visit of Borghese Gallery at the cost of 1 Euro per person. The guide and the escort are free of charge. The use of external devices must not interfere with the internal devices.

Reservations can be made, as long as ticket availability lasts. It is compulsory to collect reserved tickets 30 minutes before your time slot. Failure to purchase the tickets half an hour before your scheduled admittance time may result in the loss of your reservation. Tickets may also be purchased the days before if available.

Full price € 8,50

Reduced € 5,25
- European Union citizens between 18 and 25 years old
- European Union full-time public school teachers

Free € 2,00
- European Union citizens younger than 18 years old
- European Union citizens older than 65 years old
- European Union students and teachers of Arts, History of Arts or Architecture courses
- European Union full-time public school teachers
- ICOM members
- European Union schools with teachers by reservation
- Journalists only by showing valid membership card

Free € 0,00
- European Union citizens with handicap with accompanist
- European Union tourist guides
- European Union interpreters

When a special exhibition is held in the Museum, the price of the ticket may be increased.
The price difference must be paid at the ticket office.

Audio guides
Available in Italian, English, French, German and Spanish
€ 5,00 + entrance ticket

Guided tours
In English: 9.10 a.m. – 11.10 a.m.
In Italian: 11.10 a.m. – 3.10 p.m. – 5.10 p.m.
€ 5,00 + entrance ticket

You can’t reserve a guided tour, online or any other way. They are given at 9:10 am and 11:10 am in English. When you pick up your admission tickets, you can pay for the guided tour. It’s 5.00 Euro in addition to the ticket.

Cloakroom
It is compulsory to deposit every kind of bag, purse, camera, video camera, umbrella. They have a free bag check. You give them your bag and they give you a numbered tag to claim. No problems.

Museum shop
Situated on the ground floor, next to the cafeteria, carries several guide books, art books, catalogues, postcards, posters and items inspired by and dedicated to the masterpieces of the Gallery. Shop hours are the same as those of the ticket office. Tel. +39 06 8557377

Public Transport
- Bus n°: 5, 19, 52, 53, 63, 86, 88, 92, 95, 116, 204, 217, 231, 360,490, 491, 495, 630, 910, 926
- Underground Line A: Piazza di Spagna stop (follow the signs Villa Borghese – Via Veneto)
- Taxi: ask for Galleria Borghese, entrance from Via Pinciana, Via dell’Uccelliera

It is forbidden
- to take photographs and videos
- to smoke within the Gallery
- to eat inside the Gallery

When a special exhibition is held in the Museum, the price of the ticket may be increased.
The price difference must be paid at the ticket office.

How to the Galleria Borghese!

The Galleria is located on the northeast side of the Villa Borghese park, one of the most beautiful places in all of Rome. See the maps below.

The above map gives you a “wide-view” of the entire park. The three blue circles represent bus stops. The “red circle” is the Galleria itself. The closest bus top is on the top right of the picture!

Here’s a “close-up” of the bus stops. The top right stop is frequented by buses #’s 52R, 53R, 53RD, 910R. This stop is named: PINCIANA/MUSEO BORGHESE. The 910 is perhaps the most frequented bus on this route. You can take the 910 from Termini Station to the Galleria Borghese. It’s about five stops from Termini to the Pinciana/Museo Borghese stop.

This is the Google Map Streetview of the entrance to the Museo from the Via Pinciana. The bus stops JUST past this gate, so if you see this on your let, hit the button to jump off at the next stop!

This is the bus stop, PINCIANA/MUSEO BORGHESE, which is the closest to the Museo (yellow sign on the right side of this picture). Villa Borghese is to your left on this picture. You would jump off the bus, and head back in the direction from which this Google Map Streetview picture was taken. I’s only 100+ yards so very easy… and you’ll see the Museo gate entrance – as is shown on in the top Google Map Streetview picture!

The other way to come on the bus is to head to the top of the hill of the park and then walk down. In the two Google Maps posted above, this is the CENTER blue circle, located toward the bottom center of each map. This stop is San Paolo del Brasile – a huge stop with multiple bus options. You could ride the metro to Flaminio (BLUE circle on the LEFT in each map) and then ride a bus up to the top of the hill…. or you can ride buses from the other direction, coming up Via Veneto through the Aurelian Walls to the San Paolo del Brasile bus stop – either way works. At the San Paolo del Brasile stop buses are coming from either direction and include these bus options: 5, 19, 63, 86, 88, 92, 95, 116, 204, 217, 231, 360,490, 491, 495, 630, 926. So as you can see, there are many ways to get to this stop!

Here is a Google Map Streetview close-up of the San Paolo del Brasile bus stop. It is on the Viale San Paolo del Brasile just before this road runs into the Corso d’Italica …if you’re coming from Flaminio. From the other direction, the buses would come up Via Vittorio Veneto, through the Aurelian Walls, and across the Corso d’Italica onto Viale San Paolo del Brasile. The bus routes for either direction are listed above. You would walk to the NE on the path, designated on this map as Viale del Museo Borghese.

Here is a series of photos from the San Paolo del Brasile bus stop headed towards the Galleria Borghese on Viale del Museo Borghese:

Head northeast from the San Paolo del Brasile bus stop – You’ll see this sign above.

Even though it’s designated as a “road” on the map, this is a picture of the Viale del Museo Borghese as you head toward the Museum!

Walking STRAIGHT down the Viale del Museo Borghese, you will see the Galleria Borghese Museum directly in front of you!

Here is a view of the front of the Galleria Borghese Museum, coming up from Viale del Museo Borghese.

Coming from the Metro…

Many travel books suggest coming from the Metro to Villa Borghese. The primary suggestion is to come from Spagna Metro on Line A. I find this one of the most confusing ways to come… and one of the longer walks… but it is an option. Inside the Spagna Metro Station follow the signs labeled VIA VENETO — NOT VILLA BORGHESE!!!! If you follow the Villa Borghese signs, you will end up in the middle of the park, far away from the Museum. If you follow the Via Veneto signs you come out near the San Paolo del Brasille bus stop and then follow the directions above. This is QUITE a walk, and it is all underground until you come up at the Corso d’Italica, fronting Via Veneto.

Villa Borghese

The Villa Borghese is a HUGE and wonderful park. It has a lake, a zoo, fountains, footpaths, green spaces, paths to roller blade or skate on, and even a running track. This estate, located just north of the “Centro” district is a great place to unwind after a long day of touring. Do what many locals do – bring a picnic! Enjoy these pictures of Villa Borghese!