Our last afternoon in Rome we visited the Borghese Gallery. We decided to have lunch and then meet in front of the Pantheon to walk to a nearby taxi stand for transport to the gallery. Most of us ate at a little pizza shop near the Pantheon, and then we descended upon the taxi stand. The line was long with no taxis in sight and we were beginning to question the wisdom of using cabs to get to the gallery and whether we would make our reservation time. Some of the more adventurous and athletic of us started walking to the gallery. Not to worry though, eventually enough cabs showed up to get us all there on time.

At the Borghese Gallery, Brian and Dianne went inside to check in and pick up the tickets while the rest of us waited outside. Once inside you have two hours to view the art before they clear the gallery for the next group of visitors. Although their approach is unusual, it makes for a really nice viewing experience. No crowds, and the art is very accessible.

The Borghese Gallery is a beautiful villa with a grand garden surrounding the house. The artwork inside was created or selected for each of the rooms where it is displayed. The Bernini sculptures are breath taking – some of our favorites were Apollo and Daphne, The Rape of Proserpine, and David. Canova's sculpture of Pauline Bonaparte Borghese as Venus is likewise stunning. The cushion that she is resting on looks like fabric with creases and indentions. It appears soft and pliable, not at all like the marble it is sculpted from.

When our two hours were over at the gallery, many of us walked to the Spanish Steps to catch the metro back to the hotel and our final dinner together.

After our farewell dinner at Hostaria Dei Bastioni, we returned to the hotel and six of us decided to go to a nearby Irish Pub since it was St. Patrick's Day. Bad decision as there had been a soccer game between Ireland and Italy that day. The Pub had people overflowing the door. We opted for the cafe next door instead. We sat outside and enjoyed each other’s company and the magic of Roma, and not wanting to think about our tour coming to an end the next morning.