Rome Closes Parks and Historic Sites Amidst Orange Wind Alert

City-Wide Closures Implemented for Public Safety

Rome's Mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, issued an ordinance on February 18, 2026, leading to the closure of all city parks, historic villas, and cemeteries on Thursday, February 19, 2026. The decision was made in response to a medium-risk orange level weather warning for strong southerly winds expected to affect the capital for 18 hours from Thursday morning.

The emergency measure, outlined in Order No. 26 of February 18, 2026, aimed to protect public safety from dangerous wind conditions and potential gale-force gusts, particularly in coastal areas near the city.

Affected Locations and Prohibitions

The closure encompassed a wide range of public spaces and cultural sites across the city. Specific venues affected included:

• Museums of Villa Torlonia
• Technotown
• Museums of Villa Borghese (Canonica and Bilotti)
• Casina di Raffaello Children's Play Centre
• Largo Argentina Sacred Area
• Circo Massimo Archaeological Area
• Celio Archaeological Park
• The garden beneath the Torre delle Milizie at the Trajan's Markets
• The Caffarelli Garden at the Capitoline Museums
• The courtyard of the Museum of Roma in Trastevere

The directive also extended to several libraries, including Laurentina, Giovenale, and Vaccheria Nardi, as well as tourist infopoints at Piazza Pia and San Paolo.

Beyond closures, the mayor's order introduced several prohibitions to safeguard residents. These included forbidding access, transit, and circulation in all city parks, gardens, and historic villas. Outdoor recreational and non-competitive sporting activities in public areas exposed to the wind were also prohibited. Entry to river parks and areas adjacent to waterways was banned due to the combined risk of wind and potential hydrogeological issues.

Public Advisories Issued

In conjunction with the closures, the city issued a series of recommendations to the public. Residents were advised to:

• Avoid parking outdoors in areas exposed to the wind.
• Exercise caution around mobile structures.
• Avoid crossing green spaces and tree-lined roads.
• Be careful in coastal areas and shorelines, specifically avoiding parking on piers and docks.
• Refrain from driving high-sided tarpaulin vehicles and caravans, which are vulnerable to crosswinds.

This weather event follows a period of severe weather across central and southern Italy, with previous alerts and impacts from storms earlier in February 2026.