Every nation has its heroic myths, and, in Italy, one is the tale of the hapless Ramses III, the pharaoh who lost his head after mistake after mistake. But the modern-day version — a boozy tour of Rome’s Colosseum — adds a salty twist.
A group of tourists hopped into the ancient structure on Tuesday night, after hours on the market with the intention of enjoying a beer and mingling with other visitors, the BBC reports. When they ignored warnings and went up on the steps to the Capitoline cathedral and the Roman Forum, the tour company there saw the stunt and took to Twitter to complain. No one was injured, and the tourists apparently didn’t stop to talk with tourists or ask any questions. But the hours-long building tour was enough to make the Romans furious.
“I feel extremely sad because this image is huge in Italy,” one man tweeted. “In my 30 years of work, I have never had anything like this happen.” A special Vatican invitation for the tourists has been set up for Wednesday, and they are due to return to the Colosseum.
Read the full story at BBC News.
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