Evening hours for Italy's main attractions
In August, due to the intense heat, Italy extended the working hours of three iconic tourist sites. On Thursday, August 6, the Ministry of Health declared the highest level of weather danger in all major cities of the country. In certain regions, the air temperature can rise to nearly +40°C. To help tourists and museums cope with the extreme conditions, the ministries of culture and tourism launched a program extending access to monuments and museums for up to four additional hours. For Russian-speaking travelers, this is a convenient opportunity to visit famous sites in the evening when the daytime heat subsides.
Which sites are available for longer
The program included three locations:
- On Fridays and Saturdays, the Colosseum in Rome will be open from 19:45 to 23:30 — beyond the regular schedule.
- The Pantheon operates daily from 19:00 to 23:00, but is closed on Thursdays.
- The Sforza Castle in Milan is open for two hours longer — until 19:30. An evening ticket to the famous Michelangelo sculpture "Pietà Rondanini" will cost just over two pounds sterling, around 120 hryvnias. Also, a free exhibition Passione Disegno. Da Leonardo da Vinci a Keith Haring is open for a longer time in the same castle.
The head of the Italian Ministry of Tourism, Gianmarco Mazzi, explained that the initiative arose after discussions with guides and industry representatives. Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuliani added that the evening mode allows visitors to see the monuments in a special atmosphere.
At the same time, the intense heat has triggered one of the most dangerous wildfire seasons in history in Europe: hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes. In Crete and Paros, thousands of people were evacuated due to major fires.
Extending the operating hours of famous sites is not only a way to adapt to extreme weather but also a measure to support the tourism industry during the height of summer heat. Meanwhile, large-scale fires in Europe remind us of the serious consequences of climate change: they threaten the health and safety of people, force mass evacuations, and can affect tourist flows and the economy of several countries.
As Italy grapples with an influx of tourists, measures have been implemented to manage visitor flow at popular sites, including the iconic Trevi Fountain. To learn more about how record numbers are shaping visitor policies and the impact on the tourist experience, read about the recent changes in visitor regulations at the Trevi Fountain.