Warning to tourists heading to Rome as city under construction

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Tourists protect themselves from the sun as they walk near the Colosseum on July 11, 2024 in Rome where temperatures reach 38 degrees celsius Taking advantage of the event, a special celebration traditionally held every quarter of a century, Rome has pooled billions of euros of state and European funds to overhaul tourist sites, transport hubs, parks, streets and even its rubbish bins. “We are going to get a more sustainable, inclusive and innovative city that enhances its extraordinary heritage.” open image in gallery A fan sprays water along the gates of the Colosseum to refresh tourists on July 11, 2024 in Rome where temperatures reach 38 degrees celsius A record 3,200 public construction works are under way, he said, including 322 projects that are deemed essential for the Jubilee, such as the creation of what Gualtieri promises will be “one of the most beautiful squares in the world” by the Vatican. open image in gallery A view shows a construction site in Piazza Pia near the Vatican as major works for the 2025 Roman Catholic Church's Jubilee year are underway across the city in Rome It has also put together financing for a further 4 billion to complete Rome’s third metro line, which will connect the city’s two main basilicas - St. Peter’s and St. John Lateran - and dissect the heart of the art-rich centre. open image in gallery Workers are seen at the subway station construction site in central Piazza Venezia in Rome, Italy “It is true that 10 years seems like a lot compared to the timelines for work in Madrid or London, but it is also true that in these stations we are not only handling the engineering but also the archaeology,” said project manager Andrea Sciotti.