Being away from friends and family on Halloween can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be—especially when you’re in Italy! While it is not a recognized holiday in the country, its popularity is growing and students studying abroad in Rome can still experience Halloween with an Italian flair to it.
You can celebrate Halloween in a whole new kind of way whilst in Italy. It’s an experience that can even give you a new perspective on the holiday, too. Here’s how you can make the best out of being away from friends and family while abroad during Halloween.
To Get in the Halloween Spirit, Check Out Some of Rome’s Spookier Attractions
Even if Italy isn’t known for embracing Halloween the way Americans have for years and years, Rome has got some pretty eerie and spooky places to check out that’ll get anyone in the Halloween spirit. For example, take the opportunity to visit the Capuchin crypts of Santa Maria della Conzecione (home to the remains of 4,000 friars, and originating from a time period where cults for the dead were formed); St. Valentine’s Skull at the Basilica of Santa Maria; or the Lacus Curtius, a mysterious pit referred to by some as one of the gateways to Hell. There’s also the Largo di Torre Argentina (also known as the square where Julius Caesar was assassinated), as well as the Catacombs of San Sebastiano on the Appian Way, which is one of Rome’s multiple ancient burial grounds. If you happen to be in Vatican City, visit the Vatican Necropolis to look at the tombs of various popes throughout history.
If You’re Craving Candy or Other Spooky Treats, Have Lunch in the Tiber Café
Every year, the staff of the Tiber Café take it upon themselves to get dressed up and decorate the entire cafeteria for Halloween! This helps make the American students at JCU feel more at home while meanwhile introducing the international and Italian students to the American holiday. From the menu, to the music, to the cafeteria lighting, not a detail goes missed! Stop on by today for some black squid-ink pasta or a ghost-shaped cookie - you might not be scared, but you sure won't be disappointed.
Get Involved in Rome’s Various Halloween-Related Festivities While You Study Abroad
Italian movie theatres across the country often show horror movies on October 31, and various towns have their own distinct traditions related to the holiday. The country even has a town, Corinaldo, that calls itself the Italian Capital of Halloween. However, Rome’s festivities in particular are also worthy of discussion, including the yearly Halloween party at the city’s historic Teatro Quirinetta, dress-up parties at pubs, and even Halloween pub crawls. You can also visit the Cinecittà World theme park south of the city, where multiple Halloween-related attractions are on during the season. In any case, there’s plenty you can do while you study abroad in Rome to give yourself a unique and distinctly Italian Halloween experience.
Do you want to study abroad in Italy?
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