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?

A Birthday Weekend Filled With Strikes

April 19, 2012 By Andrea

Buon Compleanno, bella Roma!

This Saturday, April 21st, Rome will celebrate its 2,765th birthday. (Can you imagine being around that many years?!) This is based on the legendary founding of Rome by Romulus in 753 BC.

In case you’re not familiar with the legend, here is a brief overview. Romulus and Remus were twins. Their mother, Rhea, was a Vestal Virgin, and their father was a god (Mars, the god of war). Before they were born, male descendants in the family were killed by their Grandfather’s brother. When the twins were born, they were left to die. However, a she-wolf came along and nursed them. The boys grew up to become natural leaders. They decided to found a new city, but couldn’t agree on the exact location. The two quarrelled, and Remus was killed in the end. Romulus then founded the new city on the Palatine Hill, and named it after himself … Rome.To celebrate Rome’s birthday, the city will have plenty of events taking place throughout the weekend … music, dancing, theatre performances and ceremonies. For further information on the events taking place, you can check here (in English) or here (in Italian).Rome’s birthday will be celebrated with an extra bang this year. The bang will come to the people of Rome in the form of strikes! Strikes for buses, trains and flights. The scheduled sciopero (strike) details for each day are below.

Friday, April 20th – ATAC, Rome’s public transportation company, is scheduled to strike from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM, then from 8:00 PM to end of service. This will include all buses, metro lines and light rail trains.

Saturday, April 21st & Sunday, April 22nd – Trenitalia is scheduled to have a 24-hour train strike from 9:00 PM Saturday to 9:00 PM Sunday.Monday, April 23rd – The personnel of Alitalia, Italy’s largest airline, will be on strike for four hours … from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM. If you have a flight to/from Italy on Monday, it would be a good idea to check with the airline to make sure your flight plans will not be affected. Click here to access their website.Here’s to hoping the scheduled strikes don’t impact your travel plans or birthday celebrations too much.

Tanti Auguri e Buon Compleanno, Roma! Just in case you’re wondering, that translates to Happy birthday and many good wishes. 🙂

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?