Has anyone heard when Culture Week will be in 2011? We have happened to luck out and be there for the week in the past. We are now planning a trip for Spring 2011 and would like to schedule it around the week if possible.
Posted by
Chicago/Rural WI
811 posts
Hi Becky, I'm not sure if it's been announced yet. In fact, take a look at this link and read the Reader's Comments at the bottom (the last comment is from the article's author and speaks to the 2011 Culture Week): http://current.newsweek.com/budgettravel/2010/04/rome_free_admission_during_cul.html
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
By "schedule it around the week" do you mean you're trying to avoid it? I sure would, as there are few places I'd rather be than a popular museum on a day when admission is free. It would be a zoo. But given that they won't announce until February, I suggest you just go ahead and schedule the best time for you. Good luck.
Posted by
Belleville, Ontario, Canada
58 posts
Actually, we were in Rome and Naples/Pompei during culture week this year (just randomly) and the lines weren't bad at all. It was a great surprise.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
' there are few places I'd rather be than a popular museum on a day when admission is free. It would be a zoo.' Not in my experience. I think what the Italian Tourist Board/Chamber of Commerce/Finance Ministry/whatever is trying to do is stretch the tourist season by adding culture weeks at each end. It doesn't seem to be working too well. We (through no planning) have hit both a fall and a spring one in the last few years. No crowds at all. Anywhere. Actually, not all places are free, but the ones under the thumb of the national government are; it seems that many others follow suit.
Posted by
OP
seattle
2138 posts
Thank you to all who responded. About 10 years ago, we just happened upon Culture Week in Sicily. Then last year we hit it again when we were in Parma and Florence. Both times our experiences were great. We even got into the Uffizi with only about an hour wait. It was crowded, but didn't feel more so than usual. We were seeing the museum for the second time and just wanted to see the highlights any way. Our plan is to be back in Italy this April or May. we won't plan out trip around Culture Week but thought it might be nice if we happen to be there for it again.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
Someone else is asking the same question in another posting, so I'm bumping this up.
Posted by
Florence, Italy
42 posts
I've never tried the big museums on the Culture week such as the Uffizi. We did the Pinacoteca in Siena this yer during the culture week because it was free since we just had about an hour before closing time and the place was almost deserted. It was my impression that many people were surprised about the week, sort of like the whole week is not publicized enough ahead of time to get people out and to museums (as far as Italians are concerned). I think for tourists, it is just a pleasant surprise to find themselves with some museums being free (state ones). That might account for places not being more packed than normal.
Posted by
Shoreline, Washington, USA
76 posts
Looks like Italy's Culture Week 2011 will be April 9 through 17. http://www.beniculturali.it/mibac/export/MiBAC/sito-MiBAC/Contenuti/MibacUnif/Eventi/visualizza_asset.html_1672836224.html Cheers!
Jean