The Necropolis of St Peter's

After years of restoration and ongoing excavations, the necropolis hidden below St Peter's Basilica reopens to the public. Built on the site of Nero's circus, finding a resting place in the cemetery next to St Peter was a very big deal. Visitors can now see these new-found, ancient graves at close quarters and admire the incredible series of early Christian frescoes. Applications for visits must be made in writing at least 20 days before the proposed visit, stating the number of people in the group and the day and language preferred.

Alain Caron

Alain Caron, one Canada's greatest jazzmen, arrives in Rome. His three-man formation, simply known as 'Le Band', has Francois d'Amours on sax, Marco Luciani on keyboards and old chum Paul Brichu on drums. Electric bass player Caron, an acknowledged guru of the fretless technique, is best-known for his ten albums with the Uzeb Trio, but he has also performed with the likes of Mike Stern and Don Alias. This Big Mama 'Jazz in the House' event is a must for all fans of fusion.

follow through