Airbnb to host a 'Gladiator II' experience at Rome's Colosseum

Photo: Airbnb

Airbnb and the Colosseum Archaeological Park signed a US$1.5 million deal to allow 16 tourists a free experience at the Roman Colosseum. The promotion is a tie-in with the newly released Paramount film, Gladiator II, directed by Ridley Scott. The May 7-8, 2025, experience is free for the eight guests (and their plus ones), where they can explore rarely seen areas of the Colosseum and dress in full gladiatorial garb for their "mock battle." The winners must arrange their transportation and accommodation in Rome.

The collaboration was met with criticism from officials like Rome's councillor for culture, Massimiliano Smeriglio, and president of Rome's Culture Commission, Erica Battaglia, who are criticizing the event for turning the UNESCO heritage site into an amusement park.

The Colosseum Archaeological Park  insists the event "aims to combine conservation, education and innovation to bring an increasingly wider audience closer to the cultural richness of the amphitheatre." They said it would take place outside the Colosseum's opening hours and wouldn't interfere with access to the site. The money from the agreement would go to the site's conservation and ongoing restoration.

SOURCE | VIA