Gigi Proietti Globe Theatre Silvano Toti

The basics

Constructed entirely of oak, the theater opened in 2003 and was financed by Silvano Toti, a wealthy patron of the Italian arts, and is now under the eye of art director Gigi Proietti. The roof of the theater is open to the elements, and the interior has a capacity for an audience of 1,206. Circular seating on different levels overlook the rectangular stage, which is surrounded by standing room for the least expensive ticket holders.

The theater's box office is on Viale Canonica, and most plays are presented in Italian, with occasional productions in English. You can also see the theater as part of a tour of the Villa Borghese park, which also includes the Galleria Borghese, the Pietro Canonica Museum, the Bioparco—Rome’s zoo—and the Pincio Gardens.

Things to know before you go

• Shakespeare fans can choose an English-language performance to enjoy some of the playwright’s most famous works in a historically accurate theater.

• Since the theater is open-air, be sure to bring a light jacket for cooler evening temperatures.

• Photography is not permitted inside the theater once the performance has begun.

• The theater is partially accessible to wheelchairs; inquire at the box office.

How to get there

The theater is located on Largo Aqua Felix inside Villa Borghese, and can only be reached by walking through the park. There’s parking on Largo Picasso a few minutes’ walk away, and the nearest metro station is Flaminio on line A.

When to get there

To see a show, you’ll need to book tickets for afternoon or evening performances from June through October. Otherwise, the exterior of the theater can be seen by passing through the park from morning to evening.

The Villa Borghese Park

Villa Borghese is today Rome’s third-largest public park, but the gardens were originally built in the 17th century for Cardinal Scipione Borghese as a private pleasure ground. The park extends across almost 200 acres (80 hectares) of lawn, woods, and lakes, and is home to the Galleria Borghese, National Gallery of Modern Art, Villa Giulia Etruscan collection, and Rome’s Bioparco zoo.