Is a visit to the Eternal City on your bucket list? Take note: the New York Times is reporting that this fall is a particularly good time to go. That’s because o Dr. Roberto Cecchi, Rome’s new Archaeological Commissioner, has made it a point to both restore and restore access to archaeological treasures that were previously closed to the public. For example, through October 2nd, the Colosseum now has extended Saturday hours and is open until midnight. You’ll also be able to see the usually closed arena level and part of the hypogeum, the area where wild beasts and gladiators awaited their turn in the arena. The Baths of Caracalla will also be open for tours after dark.
Additionally, the Temple of Romulus in the Roman Forum is now open to the public, as are some recently restored frescoes in the House of Livia.
If these exhibits pique your interest, you should go ahead and renew your passport now if you want to see them. The New York Times spoke to Colosseum director Dr. Rossella Rea, who implied that the expanded hours and exhibits would probably not last forever:
These new fall options for visiting Rome’s most celebrated archaeological parks is tremendously exciting for both travelers and archaeologists. Yet in a city where cultural financing is tenuous, it is important to seize on new openings as they come about. “We want to continue to do more here,” Dr. Rea said, “but in the end it all depends on money.”
Whether you need to renew your passport or get a new one, you should expect to wait at least 6 weeks if you apply with normal processing. For an additional $60 fee, you can apply for expedited processing, which will reduce the time it takes to process your application to approximately 3 weeks. If you can’t wait that long, don’t panic-you do still have some options. Either make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency or use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com.
Renew your passport with us today!