Night at the Colosseum...

Earlier this year, the Italian Ministry of Culture announced there would be a unique opportunity during the months of August to October to visit the Colosseum (and the Baths of Caracalla) between the hours of 9pm and midnight.

So I was all excited about this, until I discovered that the final night-time Colosseum visit was on October 2nd, which was exactly 2 days before I was scheduled to arrive in Rome!!! So close and yet so far!

BUT... 

Following an extraordinary response, the Culture Minister announced they would extend the Colosseum openings for the remaining Saturday's in October.  And thankfully, it will work in with my plans as I will be back in Rome on Saturday 16th. 

I've been trying to make a reservation all week and every time I call, they kept saying they aren't taking reservations today, but try back tomorrow - so very Italian...

Well I'm very, very happy to report that finally, after a week of trying, I've got a confirmed reservation for Saturday 16th @ 9:20pm.  I'm so excited, it's going to awesome and a very unique experience. 

And with that I think that all my pre-planning is now complete.

This is an extract from the official website.

Also this year, the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici di Roma offers the possibility to visit the Colosseo and the Terme di Caracalla by night.  Small groups of tourists, lead by an archaeologist, will walk throught the monument, reaching the most important spots.

In the section of the finds from the Colosseo's digs, will be explained the history of the monument: marble fragments and statues will introduce the architecture of the amphitheatre and its decorations.

The end of the visit will lead to the arena: it will be possible to look at Colosseo underground rooms, to know their functioning and how they were employed during the games.

This amazing visit will be enlightned by the light of a "private" moon, over the monument: the atmosphere recreated will be as close as possible to the full moon nights of the Ancient Empire.

During the visit, the details of explanations will suggest the amazing luxury and the grandeur of the monument: the visit will help rebuilting the architecture, together with the rhytes and costumes that right in the baths created one of the most peculiar sides of the Roman civil life.

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