Are you about to discover the beautiful city of Rome and want to visit the Studios Cinecitta? Here’s the main thing to know about this Italian cinema city!
Situated at Rome In Italy, the Studios Cinecittà are a vast complex of Italian cinema studios founded in 1937. This "city of Italian cinema" is found in Don Bosco area . It has been open to the public since 2011, thanks to the Cinecittà si Mostra project, a cultural initiative whose aim is to highlight the historical and architectural heritage through the tour of the filming boards and several exhibitions!
Do you want to visit the Studios Cinecità? Then discover our mini tour guide!
History of Studios Cinecitta
Photo credit: Flickr – Sonse
Cinecittà means the city of cinema, this name comes from "Città del Cinema". This project was born in the 1930s in the spirit of Luigi Freddi , the head of the Directorate General of the Italian Cinema of the Fascist Government of the time. This project of the city of cinema served two purposes: to create the largest complex of European cinema creation, in order to compete with them United States and their own city of cinema Hollywood , and also create a fascist propaganda cinema to influence Europe into becoming one.
The project gives rise to a formidable cinema complex: on an area of 60 hectares there are 73 buildings, including 16 scenery theatres, 4 hectares of road, 75 kilometers of street, 3.5 hectares of gardens, two large swimming pools for the "sea" shootings, spaces for the technical sectors necessary for the realization and production of the various films (decor, its light, installation). In his early years, Cinecittà will produce only fascist propaganda films, almost 300 films in total!
It is after the fall of Mussolini and the fascist regime in Italy that Cinecittà will develop and take on a whole other scale. In the 1950s and 1960s, American filmmakers will revitalize the Studios Cinecità by producing and realizing a lot of lights in Rome, including the mythical films Cleopatra and Ben-Hur ! Later, Cinecittà will be the filming place of the greatest Italian films of the 20th century, like the superb and very famous Dolce Vita . Nowadays, it was used to turn the American superproduction Gangs of New York , but also for TV series, as Pompei or Rome . Much of the season 6 of the French series Kaamelott d Alexandre Astier was also shot in the Studios Cinecittà, since she staged the youth of King Arthur in Rome.
Recently, it’s the series The Young Pope who invested the Studios Cinecità: the interiors of the Sixtine Chapel and of Saint-Pierre Basilica have been (almost) completely reconstructed for the needs of production!
What to see and do at Cinecitta Studios?
Photo credit: Flickr – Jean-Pierre Dalbéra
Visit Studios Cinecitta in Rome will allow you to discover both the studios used for different shootings, but also to better understand the professions of cinema. Two main courses are offered during the visit: the exhibition and the backstage.
L’ exhibition , in historical buildings, shows you the process of making a film. Thus, it starts from the scenario, the starting point, to post-production and marketing, the ultimate stage of the creation of a film. The exhibition of course shows you the most essential: the realization of the scenes, the shooting, etc. For 1 hour or even 1:30, you will be able to browse the Palazzina Fellini and the Palazzina Presidenziale autonomously in order to discover all the secrets of the production of a film!
The second course has the theme behind the scenes , or "Backstage". It is an interactive tour of about an hour that will allow you to discover the whole world of cinema, and in particular, the trades that are involved in the creation of a film. Under the guidance of a specialized guide, Studios Cinecittà also offers you in this second course to visit the scenes of certain films shot in the city of cinema: the site has more than 22 filming boards in the interior and numerous outdoor scenery. Most are temporary, depending on the productions of the moment. The visit focuses on three permanent decors: the Antique Rome, the Temple of Jerusalem and Florence at the time of its Renaissance. Because productions are constantly changing, some decors are destroyed and you can no longer see them. This is the case for decors Gangs of New York in particular.
In addition to traditional tours and routes, Studios Cinecittà sometimes accommodate temporary exhibitions . Do not hesitate to consult the official website Studios to learn more about these!
How to visit the Cinecitta Studios in Rome?
Photo credit : Official site Studios Cinecità
Your visit to the Studios Cinecittà is therefore divided into two different routes: visit of the exhibition in historical buildings (Palazzina Fellini and Palazzina Presidenziale) and , this is necessarily done with a guide.
If you ask where to start, I suggest you start by visiting the scenery, especially if you like to spend time reading the explanatory panels, which are on the exhibition side. You will certainly not have all the historical information (which you have in the exhibition part) in mind, but you will not have to look at your watch to not miss your guided tour!
You can restore and buy your memories at Il Caffè di Cinecittà. At the same time concept store, bookstore and restaurant, this trendy place is open Monday to Sunday at the same time as those of the exhibition.
How to get to Studios Cinecitta in Rome?
♪ Studios Cinecitta are located in Don Bosco, south-east of Rome and in its peripheral suburbs. Rest assured, they are easily accessible by public transport!
You can access it:
- By metro
The closest stop is Station Cinecittà (line A), opposite the Studios.
- By bus
The lines that go to the Studios Cinecitta are n°213, 502, 520, 654, 789 and C11. Get off at Tuscolana/Cinecitta, in front of the site.
- By car
If you have your own vehicle or have opted for it car rental in Rome , the address of Studios Cinecitta is as follows: Via Tuscolana, 1055, 00173 Roma . You can park in the ATAC underground car park for 1.50 euros per day or in Vincenzo Lamaro street.
- From Leonardo Da Vinci (FIUMICINO)
Once you arrive, you just have to take a Leonardo Express train to Termini Station and then take the A subway to Cinecittà. To find a flight at the best price for Leonardo Da Vinci Airport, don’t hesitate to take a look at our partner’s website Ulysses .
- From Ciampino Airport
At the airport, take an ATRAL bus to Anagnina Metro Station, then Metro A to Cinecittà. Here too, you can find a flight at the best price in the direction of Ciampino Airport on Ulysses .
Schedules & Rates of Cinecitta Studios in Rome
Two options are available to visit the Studios Cinecitta: buy your ticket online or directly to the Cinecittà Studios ticket office. It should be noted that the ticket office closes at 16:30. Families and individuals do not need to book the guided tour, it is included in the ticket as for exhibitions.
RATES
Here is the ticket price to visit the Studios Cinecitta:
- Adults, full rate : 15€
- Children 6-12 years old : 7€
- Less than 26 years/more than 65 : 13€
- Disabled : 7€
Special rates are also available for groups from 15 people (14€) or for families (special rates at 40€ for 4).
HORARI You can visit the Studios Cinecitta every day except Tuesday, and December 24 and 25. The studios are also closed to the public when shootings are in progress: do not hesitate to consult the official website Studios Cinecitta to be informed of these exceptional events.
The Billetterie is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Studios are open from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm. Here are the schedules of guided tours in French and English (there are other times for guided tours in Italian):
- 11:30 in English and Italian
- 12h00 in French
- 3.15 p.m. in English and Italian
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