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To/from the Baths at Caracalla and seeing the Opera there (for Rome first-timers!)

Your input is welcome along with any helpful advice and/or a sanity check on what we're doing. This is offered in the spirit of "hey is this crazy?" to a community of travelers who might know the logistics better than we. It's our first time in Rome.

Puccini's Tosca is being performed at 9pm at the Baths of Caracalla (BoC) on July 8. (We start the RS Heart of Italy Tour the next day). Our hotel is by the Vatican Museums, the BoC are south by Circus Maximus. We will have already checked in to the hotel two days before. And we already have tickets to the Opera. Using transportation guidance from Rick's book, we will spend earlier parts of that day, prior to the performance, seeing some things that are not on the RS tour (like Capitol Hill Museums). We will end our touring at the Circo Massimo Metro Stop and walk the 5 minutes to BoC.

The performance is at 9pm, getting out sometime after midnight. It's a Saturday and the Metro runs until 1:30, according to Rick's book. We will walk back to Circo Massimo Metro station and take Line B and Line A to Ottaviano Station and walk to our hotel, collapsing on our bed joyously enculturated with Italian Opera! (Several days later on the Heart of Italy tour we will enjoy seeing Lucca, Puccini's home town!)

Is there anything crazy about this, or any tips or advantages we are missing? We are already fans of Opera, so you do not need to warn us about the art form -- we know that Opera is not for everyone, but we enjoy every aria, and every powerful and tragic phrase (I'm not sure a single character survives in this one)! :-) But if you have some logistic or practical advice about this plan, please tell us!

Thanks so much!

Posted by
11658 posts

It is not at all crazy! We attended the opera at the BoC last year and it was memorable! Just be aware of your surroundings late at night. Rome is safe but it is always good to make sure your belongings are secured.

Do take a nap if you are feeling the effects of jet lag, and perhaps have a light dinner. There is a bar at the venue, but I do not recall the food situation.

Posted by
16396 posts

Nope, I don't think you're crazy either. The baths themselves are pretty darn impressive and should make for a dramatic backdrop!

Posted by
11613 posts

I would opt for a taxi after the opera, depending on how easy it is to get one.