Settimana Della Cultura

[Italy4me]

If anyone is heading over this week the Settimana Della Cultura runs from 18th to 26th April and offers free admission to all the state and comune run museums.
The event now in its 11th year aims to promote Italy’s cultural patrimony and to open to the public hundreds of cultural sites that are normally closed. All state-run sights (national museums, galleries, monuments, and archaeological sites) throughout Italy are admission-free during this annual "Week for Culture".
All sorts of interesting guided tours are offered, both within individual sights as well as thematic walks across Rome.

UNESCO has estimated that 40% of the world's cultural heritage lies in Italy. Italy's heritage is indeed so rich that it would take a vast army of people simply to staff all the historic palaces, ancient ruins, minor museums, and other sights of interest, and its costs would be prohibitive, so only the top 30% or so are kept open regularly. Here’s another major reason for the Settimana della Cultura: hundreds of sights normally closed to the public are staffed by volunteers and their doors thrown open free of charge.

There are literally thousands of initiatives across Italy, and hundreds in Rome.
We are off to Rome for the weekend so are delighted to learn of this and will try to cram as much in as we can.
There's a wine tasting followed by a guided tour of the Centrale Montemartini whilst we are there that sounds particularly interesting!
Some of the Rome events can be found here:
XI Settimana della Cultura / Eventi - Portale dei Musei in Comune

Regards,
Lesley

[brynithel3]

Hi Leslie

Thanks for that information. I have seen most there is to see in Naples. Is there anything I should go to see locally?

Ciao

John

[vtrusty]

John we are over on Monday until the following Monday so if you want to meet up for a little snifter I think we can arrange that!! You will have to get back to me tonight as we have the unholy start at 03.00 tomorrow!! Although I will have my mobile with me ( Leslie has my number and I think she and Brian are back home by Tuesday.
Val & Mark

[brynithel3]

Hi Val NAd Mark

Sorry I missed your message last night. I will call Leslie when we arrive and sort out a time and date.


ciao

John

[Italy4me]

Hi John,
I am afraid we haven't really visited any museums etc locally (prefer to sit in in sun with a drink usually....).
Lesley 8-)

[Margaret]

Hi - just noticed that John was saying he'd run out of things to see in Naples and was wondering if he'd seen the excavations (still on-going) in the centre. There's some under the Duomo (which like most of Naples is built on Greek and Roman remains) and some under the streets aound it - via Tribunali etc. If he has seen them wonder what he thought of them - I thought they were more interesting than Pompeii. Will try and get a picture on here. Cheers

[Dermot Brophy]

Hello, Margaret.

That is an impressive picture. It certainly seems to rank up there with Pompeii - which I found unforgetable. At the technical level, the resolution is amazing - by fiddling about I increased it to about 600% on screen, and even at that there was hardly any pixilation, every stone was clear. You must have a magnificent camera!

Thanks

Dermot