Free Entrance With Night of the Museums

May 14, 2012 By Andrea

On the night of Saturday, May 19th, many of Rome’s museums, monuments, galleries and archaeological sites will be open late and free of charge to the public. La Notte dei Musei, or Night of the Museums, will actually take place all throughout Europe, with more than 3,000 museums participating in 40 European countries.

This is the fourth consecutive year Rome has participated, and more than 90 spaces throughout the city will be taking part in the program this year. Some of the venues participating this year are the Capitoline Museums (this would be a great time to check out Lux in Arcana: The Vatican Secret Archives Revealed once in a lifetime exhibit), MACRO, Castel Sant’Angelo, the National Gallery of Modern Art, Trajan’s Markets, Palazzo Barberini, Galleria Borghese, along with many others. Free admission will be from 8:00 PM – 2:00 AM, with last entrance at 1:00 AM.

Why Rome?

Another Transportation Strike Scheduled in Rome

May 9, 2012 By Andrea

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but another transportation strike is scheduled to take place in Rome this Friday, May 11th. I mentioned this the other day on Twitter and Facebook, but in case you missed it, here are the details.

Yes, you read correctly, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. There is scheduled to be yet another transportation strike. This one will interrupt service for buses, trams, metros and the light rail service between the hours of 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM, and from 8:00 PM to the end of the day this coming Friday, May 11th. Try to plan your day accordingly. Good luck out there!

Why Rome?

Rome Under the Stars: Night Openings of Two Popular Sites

May 9, 2012 By Andrea

If you are a night owl, or are looking for something fun to do on the weekends, the city of Rome has just the thing for you. Two of the most popular sites, the Vatican Museums and the Coliseum, will be offering extended opening hours to visitors.

From now until October 6th, you will be able to visit and view Rome’s Coliseum by the light of the moon. La Luna sul Colosseo, or The Moon Over the Coliseum, will extend the Coliseum’s opening hours to visitors on Thursday and Saturday nights from 8:20 PM – midnight (last entrance at 10:45 PM). The cost to visit the Coliseum at night is €15, and the cost to visit with a tour of the underground and tunnels is €20. Tours run about one hour, and are available in English and Italian. Reservations are required, and can be made by calling +39 06.3996.7700. For tours during regular opening hours, click here.

The Vatican Museums will also be welcoming the lovely, warm nights by extending opening hours every Friday night from 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM (with last admission at 9:30 PM). The late Friday openings will take place from now until July 13th. Regular admission is €15, and online booking is mandatory. To reserve your Vatican tickets, click here.

Why Rome?

Limited Opening Hours on Rome’s Metro A

April 10, 2012 By Andrea

Beginning Tuesday, April 10th, Rome’s Metro A line will return to decreased opening hours. From Sunday – Friday, it will be closing early at 9:00 PM. For the next 40 days, work will take place at night to reduce noise and vibration caused by the Metro A line. The decreased opening hours schedule is listed below:

Sunday – Friday: 5:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday: 5:30 AM – 1:30 AM

During the early closing times, the metro service will be replaced by the MA1 and MA2 buses. The buses will run along the Metro A line, allowing riders to reach and travel between the same locations as they would with the metro.

Why Rome?

Free Museums in Italy with 14th Annual Culture Week

April 9, 2012 By Andrea

Beginning this weekend, Italy will celebrate its 14th Annual Culture Week. From April 14th-22nd, monuments, museums, archaeological sites and archives owned and operated by the State will be open free to the public. Yes, you read correctly … for 9 whole days they will be FREE! This applies to museums and sites all throughout Italy, not just in Rome. One thing to note though, the Coliseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill in Rome will not be participating in Italy’s Culture Week this year. A regular ticket will need to be purchased to visit these venues. For additional information, and to see the events and openings throughout the regions, visit this website (in Italian).

Why Rome?