Curling rink brings Olympic sport to Rome's Colosseum

A temporary curling rink near Rome's Colosseum is introducing locals and tourists to the Winter Olympic sport in the summer heat.

Rome installed the rink in June at Colle Oppio Park, which overlooks the Colosseum and covers the ruins of emperor Nero's palace. The rink is made of high-density plastic rather than ice.

Sport e Salute, a public body that develops and promotes sports projects in Italy, led the initiative after the 2026 Winter Olympics were held in northern Italy.

Tutors teach visitors how to hold and slide curling stones across the 40-foot rink. Because the surface is not ice, the activity focuses more on throwing the stones than on sweeping to control their speed and direction.

Curling tutor Serena Rota said people are curious when they see the rink. Another tutor, Federico Sanna, said about 50 to 100 people have been playing each day this summer, though the hottest hours make it hard to last more than one game.

Curling originated in 16th-century Scotland and is usually played on ice, with teams sliding stones toward a target while teammates sweep the surface ahead of them.