Starting August 1, Rome's Colosseum and Pantheon, Along With Milan's Castello Sforzesco, Will Open Late Into the Night

Italy's major attractions are extending their opening hours in August to help visitors beat the heat, as the country endures a severe summer heatwave. Starting August 1, Rome's Colosseum and Pantheon, along with Milan's Castello Sforzesco, will open late into the night. On Fridays and Saturdays, the Colosseum will stay open until 11:30 p.m., more than four hours past its usual closing time, while the Pantheon will open from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily except Thursdays.

In Milan, the Castello Sforzesco will extend its hours by two extra hours daily, until 7:30 p.m., with discounted tickets available for Michelangelo's Pietà Rondanini and the Passione e Disegno exhibition. Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said the evening openings offer a chance to experience these landmarks in a particularly evocative setting. The move follows a tour guide's death at the Colosseum last August in 31°C heat, which prompted calls for better protection.

Italy has placed 27 major cities, including Rome, Milan, Naples, and Venice, under red alert this week, as Europe faces its fourth major heatwave of the summer, with Spain seeing temperatures in the mid-40s and wildfires forcing evacuations in southwest France. Scientists attribute the recurring heatwaves to Europe warming at roughly twice the global average since the 1980s.