This year (2011), Culture week in Italy will begin on April 9, 2011 and end on April 17, 2011. For nine days, monuments, museums, archaeological sites, archives, and libraries owned and operated by the State will be open free to the public. In addition, there will be special events and opportunities to visit some sites rarely open to the public.
More than 3,000 events for everyone: exhibitions, conferences, special openings, workshops, guided tours and concerts that will make it even more of a special experience for all visitors.
Culture week 2011 – Settimana della Cultura
In Lazio, the region Rome is in, there were 345 “events” scheduled during Culture Week last year – so there will be plenty to do all over Italy! Please note that the Vatican, which is a separate country, DOES NOT participate in the Italian Culture Week – so you’ll still have to pay to go into the Vatican Museums. In addition, there are a few privately owned museums that do not participate.
The Colosseo, Forum, Palatine Hill, etc. will all be free. So will the Uffizi or Academia Galleria in Florence. Despite the crush of tourists, lines are not too bad at all – even to the Colosseo! At some sites, like the Colosseo, you still have to have a ticket to go through the turnstile, so you may have to wait in line… to get your free ticket. For these reasons, I still would use the Forum or Palatine Hill Entrance to avoid the “free ticket” line at the Colosseo during peak hours.
The Ministry for Culture and Environment (MiBAC) sponsors La Settimana della Cultura. You can get more info at the website of Il Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali. As the Culture Week nears, MiBAC will update their website with a complete list of events. When you visit the website, you can look at the scheduled events by Region… so no matter where you are headed in Italy, there will be cultural events happening these 10 days. The website is in Italian.
Culture Week: April 9, 2011 through April 17, 2011.
A good guidebook can be an incredible resource in your planning and preparation. And once in Italy, it can help you know what your looking at! Above are a few guidebooks on Italy. Click on any of the guidebook images or for more guidebooks of Rome or Italy, head to our Amazon.com Travel Store!
A good guidebook can be an incredible resource in your planning and preparation. And once in Italy, it can help you know what your looking at! Above are a few guidebooks on Italy. Click on any of the guidebook images or for more guidebooks of Rome or Italy, head to our Amazon.com Travel Store!
Let Me Coach You, if you’re looking for travel assistance or some help creating an iitinerary! If you want to build your own vacation, please feel free use the information in the articles of the Ron-in-Rome website to help plan your next trip. If you need consulting, head to the Coaching page; For a list of all articles on this website, head to the Postings page. Or use the SEARCH Box, on the top right of each page!
Header: Evening in Roma – Photo by fe_ni_ks
Ron–you might have just saved me Euro 127. That was what I was going to be charged to reserve combo tickets for the Uffizi and Accademia for my family (wife and four kids). We will make our way over to the Uffizi around 1400 one day and head over to the Accademia another day at about the same time. We’ll be in Tuscany the entire week (9 thru 16). Would you recommend earlier or later in the week?
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The museums are closed on Monday, so Tuesday will be busy – as will the weekend. So I’d look at Thursday, Wednesday, and Friday in that order. I’d head to the Academia first, but go by the Uffizi and see how the lines look that day at that time. The Uffizi is usually a much longer line – Enjoy!
Hi!! I will be in Rome from 8-11 April. Please I need to know if Colosseo-Forum-Palatine are free. Thank you very much!
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Yes, from April 9-17, during Culture week, the Colosseo combo is free.
Ron, thanks for all the info. I checked the ticket info website for the Borghese for April 9 and 10 and nothing was listed as being available. This is the period of the Cultural Week. Is there any way to get into this museum on those days. If not, I will likely buy a ticket for April 08. Thanks, Fred
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If you do not have a ticket, then you COULD go to the Galleria Borghese and hope someone does not show up, and thus you might get their reservation. But other folks may be trying this also -= so it’s not a path I’d recommend. It appears you may be better off getting a reservation for April 8.
Hi, I just found your blog and have found it incredibly helpful as I am in Rome from 14-18 April, I’m thrilled that I won’t have to pay to see all these fantastic sites! Please can you tell me more about where to get the tickets for the Colloseum, Forum etc? I was in Rome 4 years ago and can’t recall getting a ticket for the Forum, the Colloseum/Palatine Hill was a guided tour so our guide took care of the tickets. Also, the E11 transport ticket, how do I get this-do you know if I can order online prior to travel, or is that a waste of time? Thanks so much, Lizzie
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You can get your tickets at either the Colosseo, Forum, or Palatine Hill entrances.
You cannot get the E11 Transport ticket online, but there are many vendors, Tabacchi shops, metro stations, and kiosks where you can purchase these. Might look at:
Riding buses in Rome : http://tinyurl.com/rome-bus
Bus & Metro Tickets : http://tinyurl.com/rome-tickets
Kiosks for Bus and Metro Tickets : http://tinyurl.com/bus-kiosk
The Metro in Rome : http://tinyurl.com/rome-metro
Metro Line A Closing at 21:00: http://tinyurl.com/metro-2100
Good Luck! Ron
Hi Ron,
I just found your blog and realized we will be in Rome during Cultural Week. I was going to get a Roma pass for myself and family but now I am not sure if I should. We are going to be in Rome from the 15th to the 18th. What would you advise? Thanks!
I am going to explore the rest or your blog.
*****REPLY****** Michele, Since you’ll be in Rome during the cultural week I would just buy a 3-day transportation ticket (E11) if you feel you will use the transportation system – rather than the E25 for the Roma Pass. The pass is not good at the Vatican anyway so all other sites you head to will probably be free! Good Luck!
Great news. I wasn’t even aware of Culture week in Italy. I booked my trip last year for this upcoming visit in April. I got lucky.
Is there a list of places that will be open for free that I can look at? Also, does this include sites in Venice? Thanks for the blog!
***** REPLY ******* During Culture Week it might be easier to make a list of places that ARE NOT included as ALL State-run sites such as the Colosseo, Forum, museums, etc. are free. And this is a nationwide program so it would include Venice, Florence, Rome, etc. The Vatican, which is a differrent country, is not covered, Nor are some private museums and/or churches that charge a modest fee.
Ron,
I love your blog. The information and photos you post are invaluable to the novice traveler to Rome, such as myself.
I just happened to plan our trip to Italy during Cultural Week. Based on your experience, will it still be advantageous to book tickets for things like the Galleria Borghese in Rome, and the Uffizi and Academia in Florence ahead of time? If booking ahead of time, does one still have to pay the regular ticket fee? Is booking those museums something I can request my hotels to do for me?
Again, thank you so much for your help!
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Glad the blog has been helpful!
You do not want to book in advance…as you will pay! The exception would be the Galleria Borghese, where you can get a reservation code without having to pay. You definitely need to book ahead there – especially during Culture Week!
If there are any special surcharges or exhibit fees, you may be required in some museums to pay those fees. I would still get my Colosseo “free” tickets at the Forum or Palatine Entrance because you still have to have a ticket to go through the turnstiles, even though it is free. Usually the lines to get the free tickets are less at the Forum or Palatine Hill.
Last year I walked into the Academia Galleria during Culture Week at 14:00 on a Wednesday and there was no line. Remember, the Vatican DOES NOT participate in Culture Week.