With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

John Paul II beatification: Rome running out of accommodation

The chances of finding accommodation in Rome for the beatification of the late John Paul II are dwindling fast, with as many as two and a half million pilgrims expected to throng the city for the ceremony.

Hotels in the capital have been criticised for taking advantage of the demand, with room prices tripling in some cases.

Modest two-star hotels are asking for 700 euros a night while some four-stars are charging up to 1,760 euros for a suite.

Hotels and city authorities are bracing themselves for crowds matching the estimated three million people who descended on the Vatican when John Paul II died on April 2, 2005.

Rome’s hotels together have around 150,000 beds so cannot hope to meet the demand for accommodation....

Read entire article at Telegraph (UK)