Italy’s Colosseum reopens after three-month closure under Covid-19 lockdown

ITALY’S famed Colosseum reopened its doors to the public on Monday along with several other cultural attractions in the country as Italy begins to return to normality post-coronavirus. 

After three months of closure, visitors were finally able to enter the ancient amphitheatre in Rome again, albeit in small numbers and with strict safety measures. 

Visitors to the Colosseum, one of Italy’s most famous cultural sites, were able to avoid long queues and were free from souvenir and tickets touters on Monday. 

New safety measures require visitors to pass in front of an electronic device upon entering that checks temperature and ensures the subject is wearing a mask. 

Advanced booking is compulsory and there are two new tours planned that will run until June 30. 

While Italian visitors are enjoying the crowd-free attractions, the lack of visitors spells disaster for Italy’s tourism sector, which amounts to 13 per cent of the country’s GDP. 

Today, June 3, Italy has opened regional borders and is allowing travel from EU states. But even with the increase in visitors from relaxing travel restrictions, the social distancing and safety regulations mean profits will remain low for the sector. 

The Colosseum usually holds up to 3,000 visitors at a time, but post-coronavirus it can only welcome groups of 14 people at a time, with a 15-minute wait between them. 

The Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Vatican Museums, and the Pompeii archaeological park have all reopened to the public.

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Rebecca Ann Hughes

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