Drive-In Cinemas in Italy

Drive-In Cinemas in Italy

Italy holds a specific place in European drive-in history: the Metro Drive In near Rome, which opened in 1957, was the first drive-in cinema in Europe. It predated Germany’s first Autokino by three years. No permanent venues operate in Italy today.

Europe’s First Drive-In

The Metro Drive In opened on August 29, 1957 in Casal Palocco, southwest Rome, between Axa and the seaside resort of Ostia. Architect Eugenio Galdieri designed the site. It featured a 540 square meter cement screen — the largest in Europe at the time — on a 60,000 square meter plot. Capacity was 750 cars, each fitted with individual door-hook speakers.

The first film screened was La nonna Sabella by Dino Risi. The drive-in targeted tourists and beachgoers returning from the Lido di Ostia.

After modest success through the 1960s, the Metro Drive In went into decline and was effectively abandoned from 1986. The site became an urban ruin.

Revival Attempts

In July 1997, the Reservoir Dogs association briefly reopened the Metro Drive In. In September 2015, the Cinema America association — a grassroots cinema preservation group from Trastevere, Rome — organized screenings of Grease and American Graffiti at the site with local business support.

The site was demolished around 2021.

COVID-Era Screenings

The pandemic brought drive-in cinema back to Italy temporarily in 2020. The most prominent event was the Sunset Drive-In at Cinecitta Studios in Rome. It opened on July 3, 2020 at Theatre 3 of the legendary studio complex, accommodating 160 cars on Friday through Sunday evenings. Opening films included Grease and Independence Day. Tickets were 7.50 euros per person.

Additional pop-up events appeared in Ostia and other locations. The format was used for concerts, theater, and COVID vaccination campaigns in addition to film.

Current State

No permanent drive-in cinemas operate in Italy. Cinema Drive-In (operated by Mitograff srl) runs a touring drive-in cinema, now in its 10th edition, with over 2,000 screenings completed at shopping centers, municipal events, and corporate venues. Admission is free.

Italy’s strong tradition of outdoor summer cinema (cinema all’aperto) — free screenings in piazzas, parks, and historic villas — serves a similar function, though audiences watch on foot.

Visiting Tips

There are no permanent drive-in venues in Italy. Check cinemadrivein.it for the touring schedule. For outdoor cinema, look for cinema all’aperto programs in major cities during summer. Rome, Milan, Florence, and Bologna all host outdoor screening schedules from June through September.

Sources

• it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Drive_In — Italian-language history of Europe’s first drive-in
• cinemadrivein.it — Cinema Drive-In touring operator
• Corriere della Sera — Coverage of the 2020 Cinecitta drive-in revival
• Cinema America (cinemaamerica.it) — Grassroots cinema preservation and Metro Drive In screenings

More Countries

Browse the full country directory to find drive-in cinemas across Europe.