A quarter of a million people expected at Ultimo concert on 4 July, with Rome metro lines running all night and fans already camping outside the venue 10 days early.Rome is preparing for what promises to be one of the largest concerts in Italian history, as pop star Ultimo takes to the stage at Tor Vergata on 4 July.A quarter of a million Ultimo fans are expected to attend the ticketed event, billed La Favola per Sempre, which will take place on the vast esplanade of Piazzale Giovanni Paolo II. The Roman singer-songwriter, aged 30, is celebrated for his piano-driven ballads and introspective lyrics, and his best known hits include Il ballo delle incertezze and I tuoi particolari. Last July, Ultimo sold 250,000 tickets for the concert - in just three hours - breaking Vasco Rossi's record for the 225,000 spectators at the legendary Modena Park concert in 2017. Ultimo fever With 10 days still to go before the event, the most devoted fans have transformed the area into an open-air campsite in a bid to secure the best positions in what will be an entirely standing arena divided into six sectors. Footage of fans camping in the summer heat went viral on TikTok, with attendees travelling from across Italy and even Germany. Numbers The scale of the production is extraordinary. The main stage will measure 140 metres in width, flanked by 34 structural towers reaching up to 33 metres in height. Some 2,500 square metres of high-resolution LED screens will be deployed, along with more than 1,500 lighting rigs and 18 giant screens distributed across the site. The visual concept of the show centres on Ultimo's recurring symbol of infinity. A 30-metre catwalk extending from the stage echoes this shape, while the centrepiece will be suspended 60 metres above the ground between two enormous cranes. The event will begin at 14.00 with a DJ set and performances including Fabrizio Moro, with gates opening as early as 07.00. How to get to Ultimo concert Rome has announced extensive public transport measures to manage the expected crowd. Metro lines A, B and C will remain in service throughout the night after the concert. The nearest metro stations are Anagnina (Line A) and Giardinetti (Line C). Free shuttle buses will run from Anagnina to the main venue entrances, with a journey time of around 20 minutes. The return metro journey is included in the concert ticket for those departing from Anagnina and Giardinetti stations. For those arriving by car, park-and-ride facilities near metro stations are available, although the Anagnina A, B and C and Giardinetti interchange car parks will be temporarily closed on the day to manage traffic flows. Trenitalia is also operating special overnight Frecciarossa services from Roma Termini, departing at 04.00 for Turin and at 04.30 for Bari. Future Could Tor Vergata host other big names and mega-concerts in the future?  Alessandro Onorato - Rome's councillor for major events, sports, tourism and fashion - is a driving force behind ongoing efforts to make the city a major events capital in Europe. Onorato told Il Messaggero that if all goes according to plan for Ultimo's concert, the Italian capital might be able to attract "big international artists like Oasis, Harry Styles - the list is long." Asked about Bad Bunny, he replied: "It wouldn't be bad, let's see." Photo credit: andreaguliphoto / Shutterstock.com

Rome is preparing for what promises to be one of the largest concerts in Italian history, as pop star Ultimo takes to the stage at Tor Vergata on 4 July. A quarter of a million Ultimo fans are expected to attend the ticketed event, billed La Favola per Sempre, which will take place on the vast esplanade of Piazzale Giovanni Paolo II. The Roman singer-songwriter, aged 30, is celebrated for his piano-driven ballads and introspective lyrics, and his best known hits include Il ballo delle incertezze and I tuoi particolari. Last July, Ultimo sold 250,000 tickets for the concert - in just three hours - breaking 's record for the 225,000 spectators at the legendary Modena Park concert in 2017. With 10 days still to go before the event, the most devoted fans have transformed the area into an open-air campsite in a bid to secure the best positions in what will be an entirely standing arena divided into six sectors. Footage of fans camping in the summer heat went viral on TikTok, with attendees travelling from across Italy and even Germany. The scale of the production is extraordinary. The main stage will measure 140 metres in width, flanked by 34 structural towers reaching up to 33 metres in height. Some 2,500 square metres of high-resolution LED screens will be deployed, along with more than 1,500 lighting rigs and 18 giant screens distributed across the site. The visual concept of the show centres on Ultimo's recurring symbol of infinity. A 30-metre catwalk extending from the stage echoes this shape, while the centrepiece will be suspended 60 metres above the ground between two enormous cranes. The event will begin at 14.00 with a DJ set and performances including Fabrizio Moro, with gates opening as early as 07.00. Rome has announced extensive  to manage the expected crowd. Metro lines A, B and C will remain in service throughout the night after the concert. The nearest metro stations are Anagnina (Line A) and Giardinetti (Line C). Free shuttle buses will run from Anagnina to the main venue entrances, with a journey time of around 20 minutes. The return metro journey is included in the concert ticket for those departing from Anagnina and Giardinetti stations. For those arriving by car, park-and-ride facilities near metro stations are available, although the Anagnina A, B and C and Giardinetti interchange car parks will be temporarily closed on the day to manage traffic flows. Trenitalia is also operating special overnight Frecciarossa services from Roma Termini, departing at 04.00 for Turin and at 04.30 for Bari. Could Tor Vergata host other big names and mega-concerts in the future?  Alessandro Onorato - Rome's councillor for major events, sports, tourism and fashion - is a driving force behind ongoing efforts to make the city a major events capital in Europe. Onorato told Il Messaggero that if all goes according to plan for Ultimo's concert, the Italian capital might be able to attract "big international artists like Oasis, Harry Styles - the list is long." Asked about Bad Bunny, he replied: "It wouldn't be bad, let's see." Photo credit: andreaguliphoto / Shutterstock.com