I used my phone as a map. I am not sure about the Rotunda on Sunday as we were there during the week.

The Rotunda tour starts in the visitor center of the rotunda building. I think it is about an hour long. Go to the link: rotunda.virginia.edu

Got this off the website - not sure if it changes for summer, but the number to call is below! The Rotunda is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Historical Tours: During the academic year, historical tours are offered free of charge and meet daily at 10 am, 11 am, and 2 pm in the Rotunda's Lower East Oval Room. Student Study Hours: Open to students for studying from 5-10pm Sunday - Tuesday throughout the semester, and until midnight during exams. For more information about visiting the Rotunda, please call 434-924-7969.

The tour is not necessary. You can definitely appreciate the architecture without it. I'd say tour is more for prospective students.

You do not need to make a reservation. You just need to show up at the gallery at the scheduled times. You can find the tour times and location on the college website.

The campus is well worth walking around and like others stated you don't need a tour however if there is one going on I would just jump in and listen to the guide as they offer a lot of great historical information about the campus. You will find a cart (Got Dumplings) on campus selling dumplings that are amazing and worth standing in line for. We wanted to tour the Thomas Jefferson Monticello but did not make reservations and didn't want to wait 3 hours til we were able to jump on a tour. It is rather pricey but if your in the area and sounds like something you might want to see be sure to buy tickets ahead of time. Unfortunately Charlottesville was a short stay for us but I did hear if you like wine there are some nice winery's to tour.

2-3 hrs will not be enough to enjoy uva without help. The campus is very beautiful. You might need to check with the admission office and do one of the introductory visits that some of the volunteering students might be interested to do for you. Those 4 kids could get impressed enough to become future uva kids

To reiterate, The Corner is quintessential UVA. Little Johns is a fixture. The Virginian is more of a sit down place. Boylan Heights is newer but we like it - great burgers!

The Grounds (what others call the campus) are free and open to the public. The Lawn and Range (the oldest architectural parts of the University) are still in use: on a nice day doors will be open for a quick peek. The Rotunda (the original library) is currently undergoing a lengthy restoration (2015-2016), so unfortunately you can't go into it right now. Might I recommend that you read Gary Wills short book "Mr. Jefferson's University" before you visit? You can stop just about any one on Grounds and ask questions: Where's Special Collections (for the permanent display and wonderful temporary exhibitions)? Where's Old Cabell Hall (for Lincoln Perry's murals)? Can you tell me where Newcomb Hall Bookstore is (for books about the U and by U professors and local history)?