Theaters

When I need a break from the chaotic city life Villa Borghese park is my destination.

This is the third largest park in Rome and the most central one, in fact it’s really easy getting there with the metro (Spagna or Flaminio Stop on Line A) and in my opinion it’s the most beautiful one.

If the weather is nice you can spend an entire day here in total relaxation. I love having a picnic on the lawn. If I feel sporty I like renting a bike (€ 4 p/hour or € 12/day) or a risciò (€ 10 – 20 depends on the seat numbers) or maybe a boat because there is a little lake with a nice temple in the middle (€ 3 p.person). Then it’s time for some culture! I recommend going to one of the museums in the park like the Galleria Borghese, National Gallery of Modern Art or Bioparco which is the zoological garden of the city.

In this park there is even a theatre called Silvano Toti Globe which is a reproduction of the Globe Theatre in London (Check the event list). 

How to end your visit? Of course with watching the sunset at the Pincio Terrace where you have a breathtaking view of the city’s domes.

The Teatro Valle Occupato is the oldest theater existing in Rome and it’s astonishing for its beauty. You can go there whenever you want because since it was occupied, in june 2011, it’s open 7 days a week all day long.

There is a huge group of workers of art and citizens who take care of it. The aim of the occupation is to give a new life to the theater, bringing it back to the citizens, transforming the Teatro Valle into a Foundation in which everyone can get involved, “based on the concept of commons, on the self-government and on a direct democratic system”.

The Teatro Valle is a real jewel in the heart of Rome, for its historic, artistic and social value. When I enter in the audience my mind brings me back to the past letting me imagine the great actors of all time playing on the stage. But then, if I look at the people that live there I can easily be carried to the future and imagine what this theater could be for the city and for the people.

So if you are walking in the city center you have to stop at Teatro Valle Occupato. You can go there just to have a tour and visit the building or to enjoy one of the shows proposed. You can even go there if you want to support them, become a founder and be involved in the Foundation Teatro Valle as Commons.

Nuovo Cinema Palazzo is an ex-cinema in the heart of the neighborhood San Lorenzo. It’s a place of citizenship where people can get in touch with music, cinema, theater, history and, of course, other people.

This place has an interesting history. It was built to be a theater around 1940. During the years its function has changed. It became a cinema, a billiards room. It was closed and abandoned. In the end, not very long ago, it was decided to add a casino to this spot. The place didn’t really need a casino, but it did need a new space for people to gather in. This was the reason why some of the inhabitants of the area decided to occupy it and to manage it in a different way.

Nuovo Cinema palazzo became a place where everyone can share ideas, skills and knowledge. A place to create and offer culture not only to the neighborhood but to the whole city. This is why I used to check their scheduling, because they organize a lot of interesting activities both day and night.