Notturno Imperiale at the Baths of Caracalla

Thursday 16 July, Thursday 23 July, Sunday 2 August, Saturday 19 September, Saturday 26 September and Thursday 15 October: six dates, from July to October, to experience the Baths of Caracalla outside their usual opening hours.

‘Notturno Imperiale’ is the perfect opportunity to discover, by moonlight, the secrets of one of Rome’s largest and best-preserved imperial buildings.

Organised by the Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma, the special evening openings are among the most popular and eagerly awaited events of Rome’s summer season: the majestic architecture of the baths is revealed through the use of sophisticated lighting, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in a truly evocative atmosphere.

The evening tour also includes visits to the underground galleries housing the Antiquarium and the Mithraeum: secret chambers that conceal the archaeological complex’s most significant architectural finds, such as the figured capitals and the service structures that shed light on the complex technological system that ensured the baths’ operation.

This famous archaeological site is a place where past and present meet and merge in a continuous dialogue. Here, ancient artefacts coexist with contemporary artworks and with the ‘Specchio’, which, through its reflections and the interplay of water and light, renders its timeless charm even more evocative.

The Thermae Antonianae were built at the behest of Emperor Caracalla between 212 and 216 AD on the Piccolo Aventino, in an area adjacent to the initial stretch of the Appian Way, and served not only as a place dedicated to bathing, sport and personal care, but also as a space for strolling, studying and socialising.

The Baths of Caracalla. Photo: Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma