Italian Monuments Offer Intimate Summer Visits Amid Pandemic

Italian cultural sites are capitalizing on reduced tourism due to COVID-19 to offer enhanced visitor experiences. In Rome, the Colosseum launches 'La Luna sul Colosseo' night tours every Saturday until August 29, 2020, featuring newly discovered medieval and 17th-century graffiti, with groups limited to 20 people. The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel extend hours until 10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. The Baths of Caracalla open their entire garden for the summer after cancellation of the opera season, allowing 40 visitors per hour. In Pisa, Piazza del Duomo monuments reopen with reduced hours (10 AM–5 PM). Siena's Cathedral complex reopens with a new itinerary including the Piccolomini Library, featuring restored wooden cabinets and new lighting by ERCO. Florence offers free guided tours through 'Passeggiate Fiorentine' until September 30, promoted by Fondazione CR Firenze, for residents of Florence and neighboring towns. Naples' Cappella Sansevero, which saw 750,000 visits in 2019, reports 15,000 visits in its first month post-reopening (June 12–July 12). Turin's Museo Egizio returns to regular August hours with the slogan 'Vacanze Egiziane', open daily. Venice's Piazza San Marco remains a key attraction. Milan's Pinacoteca di Brera offers free admission all summer with mandatory reservation, as director James Bradburne expresses gratitude to the city.