Are you about to discover the beautiful city of Rome and want to visit Cinecitta Studios? Here’s everything you need to know about this Italian « cinema city »!
Located in Rome, Italy, Cinecittà Studios is a vast complex of Italian film studios founded in 1937. This « city of Italian cinema » is located in the Don Bosco district. 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 visits to the film sets and several exhibitions!
Would you like to visit Cinecittà Studios? Then take a look at our mini tour guide!
History of Cinecitta Studios
Photo credit: Flickr – Sonse
Cinecittà means « the city of cinema », and derives its name from « la città del cinema ». The project was born in the 1930s in the mind of Luigi Freddi, head of the Italian Cinema Department of the Fascist government of the time. The cinema city project served two purposes: to create Europe’s largest creative cinema complex, in order to compete with the United States and its own Hollywood cinema city, and also to create a Fascist propaganda cinema to influence Europe in the making.
The project gave rise to a formidable cinematographic complex: on a 60-hectare site, 73 buildings including 16 stage theaters, 4 hectares of roadways including 75 kilometers of streets, 3.5 hectares of gardens, two large swimming pools for « maritime » shots, and areas for the technical sectors necessary for the realization and production of the various films (sets, sound, lighting, editing). In its early years, Cinecittà produced only Fascist propaganda films – some 300 in all!
It was after the fall of Mussolini and the Fascist regime in Italy that Cinecittà developed and took on a whole new dimension. In the 50s and 60s, American directors revitalized Cinecittà Studios by producing and directing a large number of peplums in Rome, including the legendary Cleopatra and Ben-Hur! Subsequently, Cinecittà was the location for some of the greatest Italian films of the 20th century, including the superb and highly acclaimed Dolce Vita. Today, Cinecittà is used to shoot the American blockbuster Gangs of New York, as well as TV series such as Pompeii and Rome. A large part of season 6 ofAlexandre Astier ‘s French series Kaamelott was also shot at Cinecittà Studios, as it depicts King Arthur’s youth in Rome.
Most recently, The Young Pope series took over Cinecittà Studios: the interiors of the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica were (almost) entirely reconstructed for the production!
What to see and do at Cinecitta Studios?
Photo credit: Flickr – Jean-Pierre Dalbéra
A visit to Rome’s Cinecitta Studios not only gives you an insight into the studios used for various film shoots, it also gives you a better understanding of the film industry. There are two main itineraries: the exhibition and behind-the-scenes.
Theexhibition, housed in historic buildings, takes you through the process of making a film. From the script, the starting point, to post-production and marketing, the final stage in the creation of a film. Of course, the exhibition also shows you the most essential stages: set design, filming, etc. For 1 hour, or even 1.5 hours, you can explore the Palazzina Fellini and the Palazzina Presidenziale on your own, and discover all the secrets of film production!
The second tour is called « Backstage« . It’s an interactive tour lasting around an hour, giving you an insight into the whole world of cinema, and in particular, the professions involved in creating a film. Under the guidance of a specialized guide, Cinecittà Studios also offers you the chance to visit the sets of some of the films shot in the cinema city: the site boasts over 22 indoor film sets and numerous outdoor sets. Most of them are temporary, depending on the productions of the moment. The tour focuses on three permanent sets: Ancient Rome, the Temple of Jerusalem and Renaissance Florence. Because productions are constantly changing, some sets are destroyed and can no longer be seen. This is particularly true of the sets for Gangs of New York.
In addition to traditional tours, Cinecittà Studios sometimes hosts temporary exhibitions. Visit the official Studios website to find out more!
How to visit Cinecitta Studios in Rome?
Photo credit: Official website of Studios Cinecittà
Your visit to Cinecittà Studios is divided into 2 different itineraries: a tour of the exhibition in the historic buildings (Palazzina Fellini and Palazzina Presidenziale) and a visit to the major permanent sets, which must be accompanied by a guide.
If you’re wondering where to start, I’d advise you to begin with the set tour, especially if you like to spend time reading the explanatory panels on the exhibition side. You won’t have all the historical information (which you do in the exhibition section) in your head, but you won’t have to look at your watch to make sure you don’t miss your guided tour!
You can eat and buy souvenirs at Il Caffè di Cinecittà. Part concept store, part bookshop, part restaurant, this hip spot is open from Monday to Sunday at the same times as the exhibition.
How to get to Cinecitta Studios in Rome?
Studios Cinecitta is located in the Don Bosco district, in Rome’s southeast suburbs. Rest assured, they’re easily accessible by public transport!
You can access :
- By metro
The nearest stop is Cinecittà Station (line A), opposite the Studios.
- By bus
Lines to Studios Cinecitta include n°213, 502, 520, 654, 789 and C11. Get off at the Tuscolana/Cinecitta stop, opposite the site.
- By car
If you have your own vehicle or have opted to rent a car in Rome, the address of Studios Cinecitta is as follows: Via Tuscolana, 1055, 00173 Roma. You can park in the ATAC underground parking lot for 1.50 euros a day, or in Via Vincenzo Lamaro.
- From Leonardo Da Vinci (FIUMICINO)
Once you’ve arrived, simply take the Leonardo Express train to Termini station and then the A metro to Cinecittà. To find the best price for a flight to Leonardo Da Vinci airport, take a look at the website of our partner Ulysses.
- From Ciampino airport
From the airport, take the ATRAL bus to the Anagnina metro station, then the A metro to Cinecittà. You can also find the best flight deals to Ciampino airport on Ulysses.
Opening hours & Rates of Cinecitta Studios in Rome
You have two options for visiting Cinecitta Studios: buy your ticket online or go directly to the Cinecittà Studios box office. Please note that the ticket office closes at 4:30 pm. Families and individuals don’t need to book the guided tour, which is included in the ticket as for the exhibitions.
RATES
Here are the ticket prices to visit Cinecitta Studios:
- Adults, full price: €15
- Children aged 6-12: €7
- Under 26/over 65: €13
- Disabled: €7
Special rates are also available for groups of 15 or more (€14) or for families (special tickets at €40 for 4).
OPENING HOURS
You can visit Cinecitta Studios every day except Tuesday and December 24 and 25. The studios are also closed to the public when filming is in progress: check the official Cinecitta Studios website for information on these exceptional events.
The Box Office is open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. The Studios are open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Here are the times for guided tours in French and English (other times are available for guided tours in Italian):
- 11:30 a.m. in English and Italian
- 12:00 in French
- 3:15 p.m. in English and Italian