TRAVEL: Rome Launches Archeostations: A Museum Experience Beneath the City Streets

Visitors to Rome can now explore the Eternal City’s ancient history in an entirely new way: during their daily commute. The Italian capital has officially opened two innovative metro stations known as “archeostations,” where world-class archaeology meets modern public transport, turning subway travel into a cultural attraction in its own right.

After 13 years of meticulous excavations and nearly 20 years of construction, the stations have opened at two of Rome’s most iconic locations, one directly beneath the Colosseum and another beside a gate in the city’s third-century Aurelian Walls. Designed as both transit hubs and underground museums, the archeostations invite travelers to step back in time while moving effortlessly across the city.

Part of Rome’s expanding metro network, the project required excavation up to 30 metres underground, uncovering extraordinary ancient remains. These artifacts have been carefully preserved and are now displayed along station platforms and passageways, allowing commuters and tourists alike to encounter Rome’s layered history firsthand.

At the Colosseo–Fori Imperiali station, visitors are greeted by multimedia screens documenting the excavation journey, followed by displays of ceramic vases and plates. Highlights include close-up views of 28 ancient wells predating Rome’s first aqueduct, built in 313 BC, as well as remnants of a private home’s cold plunge pool and thermal bath. Original buckets left behind by ancient Romans, offerings of gratitude to the gods when wells ran dry, add a deeply human touch to the experience.

The new Colosseo station also provides travelers with a convenient underground alternative to the often-congested streets surrounding Rome’s most visited landmark. Meanwhile, the Porta Metronia station is set to further enhance its appeal in February with the opening of an on-site museum featuring second-century AD military barracks, along with beautifully preserved Roman frescoes and mosaics.

The stations connect Metro Lines B and C, improving access across the city and offering seamless links to Metro Line A and Termini Station, a major advantage for visitors navigating Rome’s historic center.

By transforming everyday transport into an immersive cultural experience, Rome’s archeostations offer travelers a unique way to discover the city’s past while exploring its present, reinforcing the capital’s reputation as an open-air, and now underground museum.