Archaeological sites, Art, Beyond Rome, Events, Museums, Rome

When It’s Great to be a Woman in Italy

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Festa della donna free museums in Italy

Yes, there might be sexism in Italy — even up to the highest levels of government. Yes, it might be so bad that primetime news shows routinely show half-naked women, that the country lags behind in every statistic from the gender gap in wages to the number of female politicians, and that a million women protested in a nationwide demonstration last month.

But at least this Tuesday, March 8, women get a break: For Festa della Donna, the traditional Italian holiday for women, all nationally-run monuments and museums will be free for females only. In Rome, that includes sites like the Colosseum and Palazzo Massimo.

Hey, it's something. Ladies: Take advantage!

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Archaeological sites, Art, Churches & holy sites, Events, Rome

A Special Opening of Villa Torlonia’s Jewish Catacombs

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You've probably heard of Rome's Christian catacombs, but many visitors to the eternal city haven't yet discovered their older counterparts: the Jewish catacombs of Villa Torlonia. That's partly because they're not open to the general public.

That changes on September 5. Rome is opening the catacombs, which boast Jewish frescoes and tombs from the 2nd to 5th centuries AD, to visitors — for one day only. It's part of the city's participation in the annual European Day of Jewish Culture, celebrated by more than 25 countries. The free guided tours of the catacombs are available on the hour, all day.

Interested? Book now. Even though the announcement appears to be so new that those working Rome's main telephone line for cultural events and reservations hadn't even heard of it yet, most of the tours have already been booked up — leaving only those at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. Call +39 3407368280 to book.

For more information about Villa Torlonia (in Italian), click here. For a map, click here. Hat tip: Katie Parla.

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