Halloween Nights at Cinecittà World (Witches' Nights)

A movie park turned horror set

Just a few kilometers from the center of Rome, along the Via Pontina towards Castel Romano, Cinecittà World is the amusement park dedicated to Italian cinema and television. Every autumn, in the heart of the Lazio Region, the park undergoes a chilling transformation: pumpkins, hay bales, cobwebs, and horror movie sets invade the six themed areas, leading up to the season's highlight: the Halloween Nights – Witches' Nights.

This is not just a themed evening, but a full-blown nocturnal event: the park stays open well beyond its usual hours, with music keeping visitors company until the first light of dawn. It is this formula that has made the event one of Italy's most popular gatherings for the night of October 31st.

Spine-tingling attractions

The event's strength lies in the park's permanent attractions, adapted for the occasion. Among the experiences most cited by visitors:

• Inferno — a roller coaster in the dark inspired by the circles of Dante's Divine Comedy;
• Horror House — a walk-through experience in the Far West area, populated by live actors;
• Horror Hotel — a cursed hotel where nothing is as it seems;
• U-571 — a World War II submarine transformed into a horror scenario;
• Cinetour Blackout — the most disturbing characters in cinema history come to life along the route.

Music, DJ sets, and shows

During the Witches' Nights, the park's various zones host parallel parties, each with its own musical identity: ranging from hard electronic to commercial DJ sets, from Italian rap to 80s, 90s, and 2000s revivals. Accompanying the musical program are live shows, performers, fire-eaters, the Halloween Parade, and the Zombie Walk, a procession of the undead that marches through Cinecittà Street.

Some musical events are sold separately from the basic entry ticket: it is always worth checking the official website to see which parties are included and which require a dedicated ticket.

Fun for families too

Despite the horror tone of the nights, Cinecittà World maintains a daytime program suitable for children throughout October: face-painting workshops, magic shows, candy hunts on the rides, and themed shows in the park's theaters. Families with young children will find a parallel offering that is less frightening and more playful, allowing them to experience the holiday atmosphere without the nocturnal intensity.

Why it's worth the trip

Halloween Nights has become a classic of the Roman autumn, complementing the parties held throughout the capital's neighborhoods. The added value is the scenery: a park built on the visual codes of Italian cinema, where sets naturally become horror movie environments. For those visiting Lazio in late October, it is a unique way to experience Rome, far from the archaeological circuits and closer to the imagination of Cinecittà.