Official deadline for Rome site restorations?

I have to agree with Quirite here. The scaffolding on the Colosseum is partial and it moves and the Spanish steps and the Trevi fountain are hardly the highlight of Rome, for me anyways.

I'm in total agreement too. There are hundreds of sites in Rome, not just the few you mention. You're going to run into restoration work no matter where you go in Europe. These cities have sites and building that are many hundreds of years old. They have to do restoration at some point. I doubt you'll find a city in Europe that doesn't have some sort of restoration going on.

Donna

I'll agree with the others that construction is no reason to skip Rome. If it isn't the structures currently under renovation or cleaning, it's going to be others, and just because there might be some sort of expected date for completion doesn't mean that will actually happen; welcome to Italy! :O)

I say that with some amusement as la dolce vita operates on Italian time - meaning it'll happen when it happens. Very old and very fragile structures (Rome has many) can also have unexpected deterioration problems at any time - as happened to Domus Aurea (still closed) some years ago. But chances, in the case of Trevi, are greater than not that it'll be finished on time; as one of the most-visited attractions, surrounding restaurant and souvenir businesses will apply pressure if things are not going according to plan.

As stated, only part of the colosseum is being worked on, and I feel the same as another poster about Trevi; I've no idea why this thing - along with the "Spanish Steps - is so high on "must see" lists as they're among the less interesting things to see in the city. Rome has much, much more to offer than these!

I agree, why some of these sites make "top 10" lists just baffles me. I've never found the Spanish Steps worth visiting and the trevi is something you look at for 5 minutes and then move on from. No one should ever follow a so called "top 10 list" when they are considering travel. Most cities are so much more than a dozen or so sites that happened to be mentioned in the first few pages of a guide book.

Donna

Part of the Colosseo scaffolding has been removed (I think today) and it's interesting to see the newly cleaned and repaired section next to the part that hasn't been scaffolded yet.

Check skylinewebcam.com for real-time video of the most famous piazze in Rome (I'm addicted). You can see how the scaffolding is placed.

You should be fine on colosseum - we were there in June and the best part was covered up - the part where it goes from high to low - so that part should be uncovered by then and the scaffolding moved elsewhere!

We saw various construction, scaffolding, cranes everywhere we went in Europe this summer. I wouldn't skip just because of that.

Kim

The other reality of traveling in Europe is that sometimes the museums will lend out their most famous pieces. I was really looking forward to seeing the Caravaggios in the Borghese a few years ago only to find little signs at each one saying they were on tour. :-(

Fortunately there was still TONS to see, both in that museum and in the rest of the Eternal City.

Michael, the same has happened to us. I badly wanted to see Vermeer's "The Milkmaid" at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam when we were there a few years ago but that piece was out on loan. Most of the top museums in the city were also either closed or only partially open during that trip, and we felt like we picked our way around construction zones a good share of the time.

But we had very good beer, and some terrific dinners!

I agree with everyone else, with one slight deviation: I really love the Trevi Fountain. But it's very true that no matter where or when you go, something you are desperate to see will be closed or not viewable during your visit. Another thread just reminded me that on my most recent trip, I didn't get to go up Mt. Etna in Sicily; and several major museums were closed for renovation when I was in the Netherlands in 2012. Prepare now, to avoid too much disappointment.

It's funny how stereotypes and myths about peoples and countries still persist in spite of what really happens in reality nowadays.
For example last week sitting with family and friends in Italy I found out that for all of them their lunch breaks range from 30 min to 1 hour, which is the typical lunch break you get in the US. Yet most Americans think Italians get 4 hours' lunch break, like it used to be when many Italians were farmers. Except for some small family run shops, which may close for about 3 hours at lunch, the long break is a thing of the past, yet the myth persists.

OMG, please let it not be true. I just came back from a working vacation at University of Bologna and I was so happy with the way the day was planned. Two hours of meetings, three hours for lunch and wine, two more hours of meetings, a shower and rest, apperitivo, then dinner and more food, drinking and conversation till 1 AM. I actually lost five pounds, I have no idea how, perhaps my scale is broken.

Apologies for the cliche; it was meant mostly as a compliment and not a "stereotype" at all but I see now that I didn't explain that very well. One of the things we enjoy about Italy is not being rushed through dinner, through coffee, etc. We have, however, experienced some looseness in opening/closing hours of minor attractions and some businesses. No big deal; it's just been interesting when hours were posted but doors locked and no one appeared to be around. Just an observation and not a complaint; many churches, in fact, usually warn tourists that they could be unexpectedly closed at any time for ceremonies not posted in advance for visitors.

Another complication can be transport or worker strikes. Most transport strikes are scheduled and published in advance (and can also be cancelled) but very occasionally can be unannounced - as happened to us. Same with some of the larger attractions: a Rome tour agency has this on its website:

"Please however keep in mind that the Colosseum is subject to unforeseen closures due to weather conditions and worker strikes, which are out of Real Rome Tour's control. Though rare, these do happen 5 or 6 times every year, and we will need a reliable method of contacting you in the event that your tour is affected…"

Yes, I knew (and completely understand) about all the complications with Line C and Domus Aurea. My comment there was a reaction to a rant I'd just read (on a different website's forum) from an irate tourist who clearly did NOT understand why D.A. was closed, why tourists are "not informed" of that, and how dare "they" have so many other attractions under renovation and spoil his trip. Clearly, it was someone who had not done advance homework plus didn't have the flexible traveler's ability to shrug it off and go find any of 1000+ other fascinating things to see!

Restoration of fragile antiquities can be a very tricky, with all sorts of unexpected complications which can delay expected completion dates. It's more important that it be done with care, and done right versus take shortcuts just to meet a timeline?

Stuff happens; sometimes you just have to "go with the flow" - which probably more accurately describes what I was trying to explain! :O)

Just got back from Rome; Trevi fountain and the sinking boat fountain at the base of the Spanish Steps are fenced off and being restored, and the church at the top is scaffolded. Take yourself to Piazza Navona and see the Four Rivers fountain instead. Have a glass of wine. All will be well. :) Part of the Colosseum was scaffolded, but it was no big deal. I'm just glad all these treasures are being cared for.

Oh I understand the idea that there is always SOMETHING SOMEWHERE that is going to be renovated, relocated, off on an exposition elsewhere, and other unforeseen things. Last September in Paris, the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries from the Cluny Museum were in Tokyo, and we had no idea about that. So smaller things like that, sure, but everyone gets something different from their trips.

This would be the first trip to Rome for my wife, but my second. I'll be more focused on the more subtle nuances of Rome because I've seen the biggies already, but she hasn't. Money and time is a factor. That's why I mentioned that we'd postpone the Italy trip till the biggies have finished their facelift.. Though I mentioned the Trevi Fountain in my OP, it's more the Colosseum that I'm concerned with. I won't call my trip a failure if I miss the subtle nuances like a day at a café, or if I miss the Colosseum for unforeseen reasons - but I can have the cafe at home, I can't have the Colosseum. And as beautiful as Saint Chappelle was in Paris, there was just a touch of disappointment when, for a little bit of research and patience, we'd have known when its restoration was complete and we could have had the perfect (as can be expected) view. If I can avoid that with the next trip, I will. I love Europe, with the biggies and the hidden things. But I've been there before, and she hasn't. That matter a lot to me.

Very sweet of you to want this trip to be as perfect as possible for your wife.

I've been to Italy more times than I can count, and something is always scaffolded or out on loan. On the other hand, the Tritone Fountain and the colonnade at St. Peter's are cleaner right now than they have been in years.

DK, I understand how you might be disappointed and concerned about so many landmarks in Italy currently being under construction as they are being restored. Italy’s three top tourist destinations--Rome, Florence and Venice all have their most iconic and historically important sites under major restoration--San Marcos in Venice, the Duomo in Florence and the Colosseum in Rome—each is partially covered with major scaffolding. Likewise the Duomo di Milano is with some scaffolding as its long term restoration continues. In fact several of the top and most popular visited places all across Italy such as Lucca’s Duomo and the Basilica di Sant’Antonio in Padua, as last reported, cannot currently be seen unobstructed and for many, may not be able to be fully appreciated due to the restoration work underway. Although restoration work is continually needed there is an unprecedented amount currently in progress. Along with the sites previously noted—in Rome the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain as well as several archeological sites are closed or being renovated. In Florence the Uffizi Gallery is under renovation with several rooms closed and some artwork out on loan. The Baptistery is completely covered and the Duomo and San Marcos Museums in Florence are closed. The notion that in all European cities similar work is being performed to the same degree on their monuments and tourist sites is not correct. Never in their long history has the Basilica of San Marcos, the Cathedral Santa Maria dei Fiore and the Colosseum all been under major renovation (and scaffolding) at the same time. Yes, these historic treasures need to be preserved and protected—the work currently being done is essential and yes, there are an endless number of other gems to see and experience in Italy. I personally think there is no greater or more important place on the planet to visit and learn about than Italy but I also believe it is certainly understandable why someone would be disappointed and perhaps would want to wait and visit after the current major cycle of restoration is completed.

My point is many of us travel to Italy to stand in the Forum and think about what it must have been like to be a citizen of Rome 1700 years ago and witness Emperor Constantine’s triumphant return into the city down the Via Sacra after his victory over Maxentius in 312. It is just far more difficult to imagine when in front of you the Arch of Constantine is covered with scaffolding.