The eleventh edition of Rome’s contemporary art week kicks off on October 19th
The Eternal City is hosting the eleventh edition of “RAW – Rome Art Week”, an initiative dedicated entirely to contemporary art, with over 450 events, 676 artists and 71 curators, as well as many exhibitions and open studios.
Rome Art Week is an annual event spread across the city. Its aim is to give art lovers, collectors and scholars an overview of the contemporary art scene in the capital, through hundreds of events in exhibition spaces, artists’ open studios and free cultural projects created specifically for the week, while building a network between venues, artists and curators.
The week opens on Monday 19 October, from 6 pm to 9 pm, at Auditorium Albergotti (Via Francesco Albergotti) with 85 secondi, a collective performance project curated by Roberta Melasecca.
RAW – Rome Art Week also organises guided tours throughout the week, divided by area or theme. They take place on foot, in small groups, with visits to exhibition spaces and artists’ studios. Don’t miss the walks through the neighbourhoods of Rome, exploring galleries, associations and museums. The tours are free and can be booked on the official website.
A varied and well-established programme, RAW aims to place Rome at the centre of today’s art scene, alongside other major European capitals. Events take place both in the city centre and in the outer neighbourhoods, involving as many local realities as possible. Galleries, foundations, museums, cultural institutions and associations, academies, Italian and foreign cultural institutes and independent spaces open their doors with exhibitions, talks, meetings, performances and special openings.
Artists open their studios to welcome visitors, collectors and professionals into their workspaces and offer new insight into their work. Curators present their research through exhibitions and cultural events in spaces across the city. Artists’ collectives, encouraged by the organisers, help new contemporary art movements emerge.
To guide the public through the many proposals, critics, curators, intellectuals and artists active in Rome offer their own selection of participants and events.
Most events are free, though some require booking and a few are by invitation only. For the full calendar, visit romeartweek.com/en/events.
The first major Pontormo retrospective ever held outside Florence
An innovator and one of the most original painters of the 16th century, Jacopo Carucci, known as Pontormo, is the subject of a major exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome, open until 7 February 2027. It is the first large monographic show on the artist ever held outside Florence, and the first time since 1956 that so many of his masterpieces have been brought together in one place.
The exhibition is curated by Cristina Acidini, with a scientific committee of Elena Capretti, Philippe Costamagna, Bruce Edelstein and Carlo Falciani, and organised by Ales-Scuderie del Quirinale in partnership with the Uffizi Galleries.
What to see at the Pontormo exhibition
The show follows Pontormo’s life in chronological order, from his early work in republican Florence to the great commissions for the Medici and the Church, with sections devoted to his drawings, his portraits and his writings. Across 10 sections it brings together over 130 works, 84 of them by Pontormo: paintings, detached frescoes and a large selection of drawings.
Loans come from the Uffizi, the Galleria Borghese, the Louvre, the National Gallery and the British Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, alongside churches across Tuscany. Highlights include the Supper at Emmaus, often seen as a forerunner of Caravaggio, and two paintings based on cartoons by Michelangelo, the Noli me tangere, restored for the occasion, and Venus and Cupid.
Don’t miss the Libro mio, the diary Pontormo kept between 1554 and 1556, filled with notes and small sketches. For centuries it was read as proof of an eccentric, tormented personality; the exhibition catalogue offers a more balanced reading.
Pontormo (Jacopo da Pontormo), Pala Capponi: Pietà (Trasporto di Cristo), 1525-1528 circa, olio su tavola, 313 × 192 cm Firenze, chiesa di Santa Felicita, cappella Capponi Per gentile concessione dell’Arcidiocesi di Firenze
The Capponi Altarpiece
One of the most striking loans is the Capponi Altarpiece (1525-1528), the Pietà also known as the Deposition, which has left its chapel in Santa Felicita in Florence together with the four roundels of the Evangelists by Pontormo and Bronzino. The display recalls the architecture of the chapel itself. Figures spiral upwards around the body of Christ in a swirl of pink and pale blue, colours so bright that they soften the drama of a scene that, on the surface, is about death.
Pontormo’s portraits
Pontormo worked for the Medici for most of his life, and the exhibition includes a large group of portraits painted for the family and for other leading figures of the time. Balanced between formal rigour and psychological depth, they feel strikingly modern: these are faces from five centuries ago that still hold your gaze.
The best example is the Halberdier, whose identity is still debated. Behind his confident, almost defiant military pose there is a hint of melancholy, as if the soldier’s composure had been broken for a moment by a thought or a memory. The exhibition also shows Bronzino’s Lady in Red, painted by Pontormo’s most gifted pupil: an elegant woman in shimmering velvet with a small dog in her arms, whose direct gaze makes her both noble and approachable.
Pontormo, Portrait of a Halberdier, c. 1529-1530, oil on canvas, 95.3 × 73 cm, Los Angeles, The J. Paul Getty Museum
Pontormo treated saints with the same freedom. His Saint Michael the Archangel is no warrior leading the heavenly armies, but a fair-haired young man in a graceful, almost casual pose, resting one leg on the shoulders of the cherub at his feet.
The Visitation and Bill Viola’s The Greeting
The theme of the Visitation opens and closes the exhibition. The first rooms feature Pontormo’s early fresco of the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth (1514-1516), detached from the Chiostrino dei Voti in Florence’s Santissima Annunziata: the work that made his name in the city. The last room is reserved for the Visitation from Carmignano (1528-1532), his most famous painting, on loan from the church of San Michele Arcangelo near Prato. Four women in vivid robes meet in an almost abstract space, in a silent embrace that is one of the most memorable images of the Italian Renaissance.
Pontormo, Visitation, 1528-1532, oil on panel, 202 × 156 cm, Carmignano (Prato), San Michele Arcangelo. Courtesy of the Diocese of Pistoia. Photo: Antonio Quattrone
The Visitation also inspired Bill Viola, whose slow-motion video installation The Greeting premiered at the 1995 Venice Biennale. To mark the exhibition, it is on show at Santa Maria Antiqua in the Roman Forum, inside the Colosseum Archaeological Park, from 11 October 2026 to 6 February 2027. Seeing both works makes for a rewarding double visit.
Pontormo’s drawings
Drawing was where Pontormo’s talent showed most clearly, and the exhibition gives it plenty of space. Many of his models came straight from the street: workshop boys sketched from life in natural, ever-changing poses. Five hundred years on, their gestures and expressions still look surprisingly familiar.
Pontormo, Nude Raising His Arm (recto), c. 1525
“The exhibition is a major organisational challenge, a bold curatorial gamble and proof of how institutional synergies can achieve extraordinarily ambitious results. But it is also, and above all, a unique opportunity for the public to come face to face with one of the most seductive and beloved artists of the entire Renaissance.”
Matteo Lafranconi, Director of the Scuderie del Quirinale
Visiting the Pontormo exhibition in Rome
The Scuderie del Quirinale are at Via XXIV Maggio 16, a short walk from the Trevi Fountain. The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 8pm, with last entry at 7pm. Allow at least an hour and a half, and book online to avoid queues, especially at weekends.
A day of shopping and family activities at Rome’s designer outlet
The Fashion Festival is back for autumn. On Sunday 11 October, Castel Romano Designer Outlet hosts a full day of discounts and special offers, at the same time as every other McArthurGlen centre in Italy. Opening hours are extended for the occasion, from 9am to 8pm, and the cafés open early at 8am.
For one day only, participating brands are offering up to 70% off the outlet price on autumn-winter clothing and accessories, with each brand discounting at least three items. Brands taking part include Nike, Michael Kors, Karl Lagerfeld, Woolrich, Adidas, Dsquared2, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Sunglass Hut, alongside a range of other promotions. It’s a good chance to stock up on winter essentials before the cold sets in.
The Fashion Festival is also designed as a day out for the whole family. There’s a playground and balloons for children, a dog area for four-legged visitors, and the chance to explore nature at the WWF-affiliated Castel Romano Oasis. When you need a break, the centre’s restaurants offer everything from quick snacks to sit-down meals, with plenty of outdoor seating.
Getting there
The outlet is at Via del Ponte di Piscina Cupa 64, off the SS Pontina at the Castel Romano exit. If you’re not driving, a paid shuttle bus runs from Termini Station (Via Giolitti), with extra departures from 8:30am. A second shuttle leaves from Eur Fermi metro station (Viale America) from 9am, free for McArthurGlen Loyalty Club members.
To plan your visit, you can browse the full list of discounted items in advance on the centre’s official website.
On Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October, the multidisciplinary festival of contemporary arts returns to Rome
This year, the fifth edition of Romadiffusa has chosen the Esquilinoneighbourhood as its stage. After last year’s success, with more than 80,000 visitors, over 100 iconic locations and more than 200 artists, musicians and creatives taking part, the travelling festival is heading to the city’s most multicultural district for 2026.
Expect roving performances, concerts and live music in the square, exhibitions spread across the area, open studios by artists and artisans, private homes opening their doors, readings and stand-up comedy in bars and osterie, workshops, tours and much more.
The dates are 10 and 11 October, when the neighbourhood becomes a diffused cultural platform connecting artists, residents, communities, cultural institutions and local businesses, with a programme that winds through squares, markets, gardens, museums, historic buildings, bars and shops.
Piazza Vittorio will be the heart of the event, and from here a packed programme will spread out across the area: from the work of eight artists at the Nuovo Mercato Esquilino (among them Fiamma Montezemolo, Wu Ming 2 and Lorenzo Teodonio, Lulù Nuti and Andreco) to readings of Chinese diaspora literature at Hang Zhou (Sonia‘s well-known Chinese restaurant), all the way to jazz concerts under the porticoes of Gatsby and video art at Machiavelli. The Accademia Costume & Moda will host several events: a video screening by Rä di Martino, a live show of the podcast Dicono di te by Malcom Pagani (Chora Media) and, finally, a site-specific installation by Numero Cromatico on the building’s façade.
The concept behind the 2026 edition
The theme of the fifth edition is “ROMA CITTÀ ETERNA ODIERNA” (Rome, city of eternity today). The title reveals the aim of placing, alongside the Rome known worldwide for its historical and artistic heritage, a contemporary Rome that is alive and changing. A city that is not just an “open-air museum”, but a dynamic, participatory place that produces culture today.
“All too often, the way the city is portrayed, even when it’s done well, relies on the ‘open-air museum’ idea and on a narrative that ignores its contemporary, vibrant side. At the same time, Rome struggles to work as a system: the public sector rarely talks to the private sector, artists and creatives find it hard to secure funding for larger-scale projects, and there are countless organisations working on similar projects without knowing about each other, with no container where they can come together and emerge. Romadiffusa wants to be that container.”
Sara D’Agati, Artistic Director of the festival
The all-female team behind Romadiffusa, a project founded in 2021 by Sara D’Agati and Maddalena Salerno, is mapping the entire city, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, in search of its most authentic and interesting places: artisan workshops, bookshops, artists’ studios, libraries, museums and historic buildings, but also hidden courtyards, traditional bars and osterie, grocery shops, bakeries, creative spaces and small galleries. Original places that, sadly, are often at risk of disappearing.
At the same time, for each edition, artists, musicians, performers and designers are brought in through a research process and a “call for content” to create site-specific work.
The Romadiffusa Esquilino programme
Piazza Vittorio becomes one of the festival’s main hubs, with a programme that blends music, talks, sport and performance.
Art takes over the streets with a series of exhibitions and installations across the neighbourhood: works by Cecilia Sammarco appear at Torrefazione Ciamei and Bar allo Statuto; Caterina Silva curates an exhibition of emerging women artists from different cultures, spread between a bakery, a minimarket and local shops; and Andrew Iacobucci creates a site-specific installation at Bar D’Amore.
Many artists are opening their private studios to the public, including Fiamma Montezemolo and Tarek Elhaik, Mohamed Keita, Serafino Maiorano and Elena Bellantoni, while the neighbourhood’s galleries host special events at Ultravioletto and La Nube di Oort, with the finissage of Mexican artist Hiram Constantino.
The area’s cultural institutions are also taking part with special openings and events: Palazzo Merulana hosts a performance by Chinese artist Yuan Gong, curated by Liliana Liao; Acquario Romano and the Giardino di Confucio join the programme with performances, dedicated activities and talks (including one featuring the Eterobasiche and the Bambole di pezza, organised by Fanpage in collaboration with Romadiffusa). Fondazione Treccani Cultura brings a lecture performance by Thony and Sofia Assante to the square, at Horti Magici.
Tours
Rounding off the programme are tours and workshops to explore Esquilino from unexpected angles: from architecture tours with Panteon Magazine and Casa dell’Architettura to places of worship with Superdiversa, a neighbourhood tour with Unexpected Itineraries, an esoteric tour, and workshops in mosaic, woodcarving and tailoring.
All events are free, except for some workshops, tours and talks with limited places, which can be booked here.
Where to Drink in Esquilino, from Piazza Vittorio to Via Machiavelli
Esquilino’s bar scene has grown a lot in recent years. Around Piazza Vittorio and along Via Machiavelli you’ll find natural wine bars with a local crowd, historic enoteche, cocktail bars in unexpected spaces and a rooftop with views over the city.
Most of them are a short walk from Termini, and prices are generally friendlier than in the historic center. These are the places worth knowing, whether you’re after a morning coffee, an aperitivo or a late-night Negroni.
Callimaco
Via Machiavelli, 21 Open Mon-Thu 8.30am-midnight; Fri 8.30am-2am; Sat 6pm-2am; Sun 6pm-midnight instagram.com/callimaco_
Callimaco, on Via Niccolò Machiavelli in Esquilino, is a laid-back neighborhood wine bar with a very local crowd, perfect for an unfussy glass of wine. The selection leans toward small, artisanal labels (often natural), paired with simple bites, making it ideal for an easy aperitivo or a night that stretches on. A straightforward, well-curated spot to keep on your list when you want to drink well in the area.
A fourth-generation wine bar, Angelini offers the classic, timeless enoteca experience in Italy. Wine is stacked to the ceiling. Tables sized only to fit a couple of glasses and some taralli. A relaxed atmosphere, made for the 5pm aperitivo. Inexorably nostalgic and affordable, it’s easy to see why it’s an obligatory stop on the way to the opera house nearby. The staff are incredibly friendly, and will doubtless help you find the perfect glass.
Horti Magici
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, inside the Giardini Nicola Calipari Open daily 9.30am-midnight instagram.com/hortimagici/
Tucked inside the gardens of Piazza Vittorio, Horti Magici is a café and bistro set in a small Liberty-style casina that was once the gardener’s shed. It’s run by the team behind The Gatsby Café across the street and stays open from breakfast to after dinner: coffee and pastries in the morning, proper dishes at lunch, then aperitivo with natural wines and cocktails at tables among the trees. In the evening, the program of DJ sets and events keeps the park lively.
Machiavelli 64
Via Machiavelli, 64 Open Mon-Sat 12pm-3pm, 6pm-midnight; closed Sundays machiavelli64.com/
Machiavelli 64 is a bit of everything. A bubbly, open space, the wine bar is seriously dedicated to its craft, and even offers full-on private tastings and underground “meetings in the cellar” for those who want an introduction to wine, culture, and Italy. No bar is complete without its snacks, and Machiavelli 64 changes its menu every month, to capture the beauty of seasonal ingredients and ever-expanding creativity. Everything here is a conversation; the gathering of friends, the relationship between wine and food, and even the kitchen is open, so everyone can feel at home.
Masa Rooftop
Via di S. Maria Maggiore, 143 Open daily 12pm-11pm masarooftop.it/
Perched on the rooftop of Hotel Major, Masa Rooftop reinvents the classic Italian aperitivo with a refined Middle Eastern twist. Guided by the spirit of conviviality, Masa invites guests on a culinary journey through an elegant selection of small plates crafted by the chef. Whether you’re planning a romantic evening with panoramic views of Rome or looking to enjoy a night of sophisticated Oriental-inspired finger food and cocktails, Masa is the perfect destination for a truly memorable experience.
Materia Café
Via Andrea Provana, 7 Open Tue-Fri 8am-midnight; Sat-Sun 9am-midnight; Mon 8am-4pm materiacafe.com/
Materia Café, located near Basilica di Santa Croce, has a laid-back bohemian atmosphere. This café has a menu of healthy food options, such as avocado toast, a rice-based protein bowl, and many types of filling salads. Materia Café also offers a selection of teas and fresh-squeezed juices.
Quartino Enoteca
P.za Vittorio Emanuele II, 103 Open Mon-Sat 10am-1am; closed Sundays quartino.eu
Just across from Piazza Vittorio, Quartino Enoteca is an elegant and welcoming wine bar. Shelves stacked high with bottles give the impression of a curated archive, walls lined with around 2,000 Italian and French wine labels. Alongside its impressive wine selection, Quartino offers a thoughtfully crafted menu of Italian classics, with a few international flavors and fusion dishes. With so many bottles and dishes to choose from, you should definitely ask their knowledgeable staff, who are always ready to help you find the perfect pairing.
A bohemian bar in an industrial loft, Salotto Caronte is all dim lights and urban feel. Dripping in style, it’s the perfect choice for a glamorous steak night or a late-night snack with your cocktails. The menu feels modern, the beverages like they come with a little drama. Prepare to take your time, drinking in the artsy atmosphere and a flawlessly crafted Negroni.
The Gatsby Café
P.za Vittorio Emanuele II, 106 Open Sun-Wed 8am-midnight; Thu 8am-1am; Fri-Sat 8am-2am gatsbycafe.it/
The Gatsby Café is an intimate cafe and bar themed after F. Scott Fitzgerald’s titular novel, with decadent and playful 1920s style wallpaper and decor. This is a beautiful place to stop for a coffee or cocktail, especially in the evening when it turns into a jazz bar. The Gatsby Café is located across the street from Piazza Vittorio.
From Roman Trattorias to Chinese Hot Pot: The Best Places to Eat in Esquilino
Esquilino is one of the most multicultural neighborhoods in Rome, and its food scene shows it. Around Piazza Vittorio, century-old trattorias and historic pastry shops sit a few doors away from Chinese hot pot, Indian kitchens and new-wave bakeries and pizzerias. Prices are generally lower than in the historic center, and it’s all a short walk from Termini. These are the places worth knowing, from Roman classics to the neighborhood’s newer openings.
Ardecore
Via Buonarroti, 32 Open Tue-Sun 6pm-11pm; closed Mondays ardecore.it
Ardecore brings Irpinia, the inland area of Campania around Avellino, to Esquilino. Pizza chef Alessandro Zirpolo makes contemporary Neapolitan-style pizza, and the menu leans into Campanian classics: montanarine and other fried starters, pasta e patate, genovese. The wine list focuses on Irpinian producers. It’s much bigger inside than it looks from the street, but book ahead anyway. Ardecore was named among the Pizzerie Eccellenti in 50 Top Pizza Italia 2025.
Bottega Trattoria De Santis
Via di S. Croce in Gerusalemme, 15/A Open Mon-Sat 12pm-3pm, 7.30pm-11pm; Sun 12.30pm-3pm bottegatrattoriadesantis.it
A super local restaurant that combines thoughtful food with affordable prices. De Santis has a small menu, and you get the sense it’s been carefully selected to include the Roman classics, but save room for special ingredients and ideas to surprise seasoned locals. They’re not afraid to use the most rustic local ingredients, like Roman tripe and veal tongue, but neither do they shy away from the refined, in their tuna tartare, black truffles, and cornbread-coated anchovies.
Casadante is a spacious, open-concept restaurant. It has a trendy, intellectual vibe, and delicious food to match. The cuisine is primarily classic Roman, but the menu also features a selection of DOP hamburgers, plus an alluring wine list. Casadante is located off Piazza Dante.
At De Zhuang Restaurant, an exciting variety of menus awaits, each dedicated to the unique experience of Chinese Fondue or hot pot style dining. Imagine each table adorned with a central, steaming metal cauldron, inviting guests to partake in the interactive joy of cooking their own meals, picking and mixing different tastes.
Forno Conti is a bakery (and more) in the heart of Esquilino. With its minimalist, Nordic-inspired vibe, it offers a mix of international, Italian, Scandinavian, and French recipes. From Venetian buns and cardamom rolls to croissants, pain au chocolat, and a wide variety of breads, there’s something for everyone. Lunchtime features tasty savory pastries, quiches, and pizza, all paired with specialty coffee from Aliena, the renowned roastery born in Montesacro.
Not to be confused with the Roscioli bakery near Campo de’ Fiori, this forno a few steps from Piazza Vittorio was opened by Pietro Roscioli in 1986 and is now run by the third generation of the family. Come for the bread, the pizza bianca and the small pizzette rosse the neighborhood is fond of, or for pizza alla pala and the hot dishes at lunch. It still keeps up the old tradition of a second daily bake, so there’s fresh bread well into the afternoon.
Gelateria Fassi
Via Principe Eugenio, 65 Open Mon-Thu 12pm-10pm; Fri-Sat 12pm-midnight; Sun 10am-10pm gelateriafassi.com
What is a neighborhood without a go-to gelato place? This gelateria, open since 1880, has been a staple for many either visiting or living in Rome. The gelato is well worth the trip to Esquilino. Unlike many gelaterias, Palazzo del Freddo has plenty of seating for everyone.
There is no better place for this unique Chinese dining restaurant than in Esquilino itself, as the neighborhood is often nicknamed the “Chinatown” of Rome with its abundance of diversity. Look no further than Hang Zhou da Sonia to get your Asian food fix, as their extensive menu is enough to satisfy any palate. Sample their dumplings to start, followed by their raved-about Sichuan-style spicy chicken.
With Esquilino being one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Rome, it comes as no surprise that one of the best Indian restaurants in the city, Krishna13, is situated right next to Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. This is the perfect spot if you are craving a break from pasta, pizza, and other carbs: indulge in their wide selection of Northern and Southern Indian meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes in a warm and inviting environment.
La Pecora Pazza
Via Statilia, 35 Open Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm, 6.30pm-11.30pm; Sat-Sun 6.30pm-11.30pm
A family-run trattoria, La Pecora Pazza (The Crazy Sheep) feels like eating at your parents’ house. If your parents were Calabrian, of course. While there’s barely a menu in Rome that doesn’t have Carbonara and Amatriciana, the more southern region’s influence comes through in the n’duja (spicy Calabrian sausage), spicy gnocchi, and provola cheese. Fair prices, and everything’s homemade, which explains why the eggplant meatballs taste so incredible.
Marco G’s Osteria
Via Statilia, 12 Open Thu-Sun 12pm-11pm; Mon and Wed 5.30pm-11pm; closed Tuesdays marcog.it
Marco G’s is the restaurant you think doesn’t exist in Rome anymore. Small and welcoming, packed with locals until the late hours of the evening, dishing out Roman pasta and pinse (a thick, almost focaccia-like, Roman-style pizza) with warmth and authenticity. It’s the kind of place where you hesitate, just a little, before telling others about it; but then you think, it would be selfish not to share.
Mercato Centrale
Roma Termini, Via Giovanni Giolitti, 36 Open Sun-Thu 7.30am-11pm; Fri-Sat 7.30am-midnight mercatocentrale.it
Present in Florence, Rome, Turin, and Milan, Mercato Centrale is an expansive collection of gourmet restaurants and cafés, a foodie’s paradise. They call themselves a workshop, and those making the food the artisans. Whatever you’re after (Italian truffles, Argentinian empanadas, Chinese dumplings, Neapolitan sfogliatelle pastries, trapizzino, a smashburger, or simply a gelato and a glass of wine), you’ll find it at Mercato Centrale.
Pasticceria Regoli
Via dello Statuto, 60 Open Wed-Mon 7am-7pm
Even if you do not have a sweet tooth, stopping by Regoli for a pastry is an absolute must. This pasticceria is famous for its maritozzi, a Roman pastry filled to the brim with whipped cream. Other delights include a custard-filled shortbread dotted with fresh strawberries, or the fagottine, “little bundles” of ricotta.
Trattoria da Danilo
Via Petrarca, 13 Open Tue-Sat 1pm-3pm, 8pm-11pm; Mon 8pm-11pm; closed Sundays
A few streets from Piazza Vittorio, this small family trattoria is run by Danilo Valente, with his mother Lina behind the stove. The menu sticks to the Roman classics, and two dishes bring most people here: the carbonara, often named among the best in the city, and the cacio e pepe, tossed at the table inside a wheel of pecorino. Book ahead, especially for dinner, and be on time: service starts right on the hour.
Trattoria Monti
Via di San Vito, 13 Open Tue-Sat 12.45pm-2.30pm, 8pm-10.30pm; Sun 12.45pm-2.30pm; closed Mondays
Come indulge in this sophisticated Italian restaurant owned by two Italian brothers. Highly recommended by locals, the eatery’s best-loved recipes are its egg-yolk tortello and truffle dishes. The traditional and authentic feel and taste of the restaurant will have you come back repeatedly. Make sure to book a table in advance as seating is limited.
A great place to get a taste of many rustic Roman specialties, such as trippa, coratella, and pajata to name a few. Perfect for family style dining to try multiple different dishes. The seafood pasta is quite a popular choice on the menu. And despite their offal offerings mentioned above, there are surprisingly great options for veggie eaters as well.
This isn’t just a restaurant: it’s an establishment. Started in 1916, Trattoria Vecchia Roma serves locals with very classic Roman dishes. The familiar carbonara, cacio e pepe and amatriciana are all features, but so are those less familiar to tourists: coda alla vaccinara (oxtail), rigatoni con la pajata (pasta with small intestines). Their porchetta (slow-roasted pork) should not be missed.
Quartiere Vino Pigneto, the festival that turns Pigneto into one big natural wine tasting, is back on Saturday October 10, and for the first time it takes place in autumn. From 4pm to 9pm, more than 40 winemakers from Italy, France and Slovenia will be pouring in the neighborhood’s wine shops, bars and restaurants. A €20 pass gets you a glass and unlimited tastings.
The first three editions were held in spring, when winemakers are at their busiest in the vineyard. Moving to October makes it easier for them to come to Rome, and it also catches them at a different point in the year: the harvest has just ended and the new wine is only starting to take shape in the cellar. The organizers, SO2 Enoteca and Solovino, have called this edition the Ottobrata Romana, after the old Roman habit of spending sunny October days eating and drinking outside the city walls.
The route covers the whole of Pigneto, from the pedestrian stretch of Via del Pigneto to Largo dei Condottieri. Alongside the bars and restaurants that have been part of the festival since the start, some of the neighborhood’s historic shops will host winemakers for the first time. One of the new entries is Bar di Antonio, an old Pigneto bar that has found a second life with its cremolati made only with fruit. Necci dal 1924, a neighborhood institution, is the main partner.
Piazza Nuccitelli and Enoteca SO2 are the two points where you pick up your pass and glass. Piazza Nuccitelli also hosts talks with winemakers and experts from midday, focused on climate change and how farming and the way we consume are adapting to it.
Among the names already confirmed are Paraschos, a reference point for Collio wine, the Slovenian estate Stekar and Natalino Del Prete, one of the first to make natural wine in Puglia. Several producers are taking part for the first time, some of them from France. On the day you can buy bottles at a dedicated price, either from the winemakers themselves or from the participating wine shops.
Not just wine
The other new feature is a partnership with Campagna Amica, the Coldiretti farmers’ network, which brings a small market of Lazio producers to Piazza Nuccitelli. The idea is to put natural winemakers side by side with other small farms that work outside industrial production, with the same care for the land and for quality.
The festival has grown quickly. Last time, more than 2,000 people bought a tasting pass and over 10,000 walked through Pigneto, drawn also by the off events organized by local venues. When the tastings end at 9pm, the evening usually carries on in the neighborhood’s bars. If you want to make a day of it, start with our guide to Pigneto.
Discover all the markets planned for this month in Rome!
October marks the real restart of Rome’s market season. After the summer break the city’s independent markets are back, several of them with new venues, new formats and news worth flagging. Here are the ones to keep on your radar this month.
Unique Mkt
Two to start with. Unique Mkt returns for its autumn edition on October 10-11 at Industrie Fluviali, in the heart of the Ostiense district. Dedicated to contemporary craftsmanship and well-made, original products, it brings together selected exhibitors from across Italy over several floors, in one of the most striking spaces on Rome’s market scene.
Unconventional Market Rome
Later in the month comes Unconventional Market, on October 24-25 at Mediterraneo al MAXXI. Rome’s independent fashion and design market features emerging brands, craft and creativity, with music and DJ sets throughout the weekend. It’s one of the best places in the city to discover new labels and one-of-a-kind pieces.
Vinyl lovers can start on October 3 with Vinyl Village at Monk, which returns on Sunday October 18 with La Domenica Vintage, a free market of vintage, vinyl, illustration and handmade stalls. On October 10-11, Unique Mkt brings its autumn edition to Industrie Fluviali in Ostiense…
The VGMT Market (Vintage Market) goes itinerant for the first time, opening at Forte Trionfale Hub (Ex Officina) on October 10-11 with 120 exhibitors of vintage furniture, design, posters, memorabilia and collectibles.
Ficus al Massimo is back at Garum Museo della Cucina, facing the Circus Maximus, on October 10-11 and again on October 24-25, with vintage items, handmade creations, floral design, fashion, ceramics, illustrations and vinyl.
Modern Mrkt returns with a special “uncommon & rare” edition on October 17-18, with a preview on October 16, also at Forte Trionfale Hub (Ex Officina). The focus this time is on unusual, hard-to-find and collectible pieces, with an outdoor food and drink area and a vintage DJ set.
Japan lovers can look forward to Japan Days at Ippodromo Capannelle on October 24-25, with artisanal goods and cultural workshops.
The Green Market is back with a new home at Hacienda on October 25: sustainable craft, small local producers, holistic treatments and a plant-based food corner. Open from 10:30am to 7pm, with free entry and an optional donation.
Every weekend, there’s also Merkat*, the market at Alcazar Live in Trastevere, with vintage, artisanal and handmade stalls and DJ sets throughout the day.
Be sure to explore these markets and discover the treasures they have to offer.
Discovering the best things to do in Rome in October
As Rome welcomes the cooler temps of October, it also welcomes new opportunities, events and adventures for visitors. Whether you’re a film enthusiast excited for the screenings and encounters at the Festa del Cinema, an art aficionado ready to immerse yourself in numerous exhibitions , or simply someone eager to party along to live music, Rome has something in store for everyone this October. In this article we have gathered some of the best events in October 2026 in Rome. Take your pick and enjoy.
Exhibitions this October in Rome
October is one of the richest months of the year for art in Rome, with the autumn blockbusters now open and a wave of new shows joining them.
The season’s biggest draw remains Vassily Kandinsky at Palazzo Bonaparte, the first monographic show devoted to the Russian master of abstraction in Rome in 25 years. Advance booking is recommended.
At the Museo Storico della Fanteria, from 17 October, Renato Guttuso: Mediterranean Soul pays tribute to one of the great figures of 20th-century Italian painting.
Two major openings follow: Keith Haring at the Museo di Roma – Palazzo Braschi, with over 140 works from the Nakamura Collection tracing his path from New York subway drawings to his final paintings, and Pontormo at the Scuderie del Quirinale, the first monographic exhibition ever dedicated to the Florentine master of Mannerism, built around loans from the Uffizi.
Two more not to miss: AQVA at the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, opening the five-year cycle Catastrophe and Wonder with JR, Bill Moran and chef Fulvio Pierangelini, and, from October 17, FOOD. The Taste in Art at the Chiostro del Bramante.
October in Rome promises to be a month filled with electrifying live music performances that will captivate music enthusiasts of all genres. From rock legends to indie sensations and everything in between, the city’s concert scene is set to deliver an unforgettable experience. Whether you’re into classic hits, contemporary tunes, or experimental sounds, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Get ready to immerse yourself in the vibrant music culture of Rome!
October is when Romaeuropa Festival really hits its stride. The 41st edition is one of the richest ever, with 100 shows, 240 performances and around 1000 artists from all over the world, and the autumn months bring the densest part of the programme: music, theatre, dance, digital arts and work created for younger audiences, staged at venues across the city.
The festival dedicated to the contemporary Italian trattoria returns to Rome for its second edition, this time stretched over eight days with around 60 chefs and 20 dinners across the city. Hypertrattoria celebrates the format that has done more than any other to shape how Italy eats: informal, regional, family-run, and now being reinvented by a generation of young cooks. Rather than a single venue, the festival unfolds as a series of collaborative dinners in trattorias and restaurants around Rome, each bringing together kitchens from different parts of the country for one night only.
Romics is the semiannual comic book, animation, and gaming convention in Rome. Taking place over four days, the convention will include special exhibitions, previews for upcoming works and meet-and-greets with authors and publishers.
Tevere Day returns from 2 to 11 October for ten days dedicated to the river that made Rome. More than 130 events unfold along the Tiber, from boat trips, guided walks and the Vogalonga regatta to open-air sport, clean-ups, talks and family workshops, in a part of the city most Romans cross every day but rarely set foot on. The highlight is Saturday 10 October, when thousands of flowers are handed out on six bridges to be cast into the current. It’s also one of the rare chances to see Rome from the water rather than from the street.
For one weekend Rome becomes a single open-air concert hall. Piano City arrives in the capital for the first time on 3 and 4 October with more than 200 free concerts, over 100 pianos and around 130 musicians across 90 locations in every district, from the historic centre to Ostia.
Born in Berlin in 2010 and already established in Milan and Palermo, the format turns squares, parks, museums, metro stations and even boats on the Tiber into stages, with 48 hours of continuous music from dawn concerts to late-night sets. It also includes House Concerts, intimate performances hosted by Romans who open their homes and their pianos to the public. The festival closes in Piazza del Campidoglio with Leonora Armellini, Gilda Buttà and Rita Marcotulli.
Now in its sixth edition, Roma Jewelry Week returns from 8 to 11 October, four days dedicated to contemporary, artist-made and goldsmith jewellery across the city. This year’s theme is The Crown of Ingenuity: jewelry as a story, a journey through the last 80 years of Italian art and culture, where design, craft and memory come together in a single contemporary object. Expect exhibitions, open workshops and encounters with designers and goldsmiths in galleries and studios around Rome.
The Ottobrata Monticiana returns to liven up the Monti neighborhood: three days filled with events, exhibitions, shows, and concerts to rekindle the cheerful and carefree spirit of the Romans who once participated in the famous Roman “Ottobrate”. These were traditional Sunday trips outside the city that took place in the month of October, coinciding with the beautiful sunny days and the grape harvest.
EurHop, Rome’s craft beer festival, returns from 9 to 11 October for its twelfth edition at the Salone delle Fontane in the heart of the EUR district. Over 800 beers flow from 400 taps, poured by 88 breweries hand-picked by Manuele Colonna, one of the leading figures on the European craft beer scene: 74 from across Italy and 14 from countries including Belgium, Germany, Denmark and England. Many of the brewers are there in person to present their best beers of the year and preview the season ahead.
October 9 – 11 | Longines Global Champions Tour Roma 2026
The “Formula 1 of show jumping” returns to Rome for the 14th leg of the 2026 circuit, which also marks the Tour’s 20th-anniversary season. For this special edition the event moves to the Ippodromo Militare di Tor di Quinto, home of the 8th Lancieri di Montebello Regiment and the cradle of modern show jumping, where Federigo Caprilli revolutionised the art of riding. Over three days, the world’s top rider–horse pairs will compete before the Tour heads to Cairo (Oct 22–24), the Rabat Finals (Oct 30 – Nov 1) and the season-deciding GC Playoffs in Riyadh (Nov 18–21).
October 10 | Quartiere Vino Pigneto – Ottobrata Romana
Quartiere Vino Pigneto, the neighborhood festival dedicated to natural wine, moves to autumn for the first time with a special Ottobrata Romana edition. On Saturday 10 October, from 4pm to 9pm, more than 40 winemakers from Italy, France and Slovenia pour their wines in the enoteche, bars and restaurants of Pigneto, and for the first time in some of the neighborhood’s historic shops, from the pedestrian zone all the way to Largo dei Condottieri. The €20 pass includes a glass and unlimited tastings at every producer’s table, and bottles can be bought on the day at dedicated prices.
For its fifth edition, Romadiffusa moves to Esquilino, turning one of Rome’s most multicultural neighborhoods into a stage for contemporary art and music. Under the claim “ROMA CITTÀ ETERNA ODIERNA,” the festival brings music, talks and performances to Piazza Vittorio, artworks and readings to grocery stores, bookshops, bars and restaurants, and site-specific interventions by artists including H. H. Lim, Lulù Nuti and Fiamma Montezemolo to the Nuovo Mercato Esquilino. Artists’ studios and private homes open to the public, alongside tours and workshops. Most events are free; some require booking. Last edition: over 80,000 attendees and more than 200 artists.
The Festa del Cinema di Roma returns for its 21st edition, running a day longer than planned: the festival now opens on 13 October and closes on 25. It begins with Il rumore delle cose nuove by Paolo Genovese, presented in the Grand Public section, with an opening ceremony hosted by Ema Stokholma. Among the names announced is Javier Bardem, who receives this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The Auditorium Parco della Musica, designed by Renzo Piano, hosts the main screening theatres, while the avenue leading to the Cavea becomes one of the world’s grandest red carpets. Beyond the Auditorium, screenings, talks and encounters spread across cinemas and venues throughout the city.
The Wizz Air Rome Half Marathon by Brooks is an unmissable event for sport enthusiasts this October. Now in its third edition, it takes place on Sunday 18 October 2026, starting at 8am from a new location under the Roman walls at Porta Ardeatina and finishing, as always, at the Colosseum. The 21.1 km route winds through the historic streets of Rome, passing iconic landmarks such as the Colosseum, Circus Maximus, the Baths of Caracalla, Piazza Navona and more. Alongside the main race there is the Longevity Run, a non-competitive 5 km focused on prevention and wellbeing, and a Charity Program that lets participants raise funds for non-profit organisations.
Now in its eleventh edition, Rome Art Week is a citywide annual event entirely dedicated to contemporary art. It offers the public a broad view of Rome’s contemporary scene through hundreds of free initiatives: exhibitions in galleries and institutions, artists’ open studios, and cultural projects. During RAW week, artists open their studios to enthusiasts, collectors, and professionals, while curators showcase their research through exhibitions and cultural events hosted across the city.
more than 200 locations in Rome discover moreRome Art Week
October 23 – 25 | Maker Faire Rome
Maker Faire Rome returns to the Gazometro Ostiense from 23 to 25 October 2026 for its 14th edition, with something for everyone from curious kids to creative, tech-loving adults. Innovators come from across Europe to present new ideas on hot topics such as artificial intelligence, robotics, aerospace, digital manufacturing, healthcare and the circular economy. Attendees can also experience these ideas hands-on through the fair’s workshops and educational activities for all ages.
Explore Rome’s markets in all their variety: vintage finds and collectibles, artisan craft, independent fashion and design, plus food and wellness-focused markets with something for every taste.
Vinyl Village – Monk Rome – 3 October
Ficus al Massimo – Garum Museo della Cucina – 10-11 October
VGMT Market – Forte Trionfale Hub, Ex Officina – 10-11 October
Three days of events in the Monti neighborhood to relive the charm of the roman “Ottobrate”
Ottobrata Monticiana returns to enliven Rione Monti, Rome’s first and oldest district. From October 9th to 11th, 2026, enjoy three days of initiatives: wellness and sports activities, exhibitions, shows, and concerts that revive the cheerful, carefree spirit of Romans who once celebrated the famous Ottobrate Romane. These were traditional Sunday trips outside the city that took place in the month of October, coinciding with the beautiful sunny days and the grape harvest.
The Ottobrata Monticiana retraces these memories, encapsulating them within the Monti District. This initiative was born after AS Roma’s 1983 Scudetto victory, thanks to the efforts of Prof. Adolfo Cecilia, the founder of the Associazione culturale ricreativa e sportiva Rione Monti, whichaimed at preserving and passing on the traditions and identity of Monti. The goal was to bring together Monticians who had moved to other neighborhoods over the years or were about to do so.
Since that first edition, the Ottobrata Monticiana has become a tradition and a regular event for both old and new Monticians, as well as for tourists and visitors who come to experience the neighborhood’s genuine and authentic atmosphere.
The three-day programme, running from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October, is packed. The 2026 edition brings the district to life starting from the main stage in Piazza Madonna dei Monti, alongside the events on the Scalinata degli Ibernesi and the moonlight concerts in Largo Visconti Venosta, with many more initiatives spread across the whole district. Beyond concerts and performances, there are exhibitions and roving events, plus workshops open to all ages.
Friday 9 October
Piazza Madonna dei Monti
16:30–17:00 — Carabinieri Band
17:30–18:00 — Address by the Municipio administration
18:00–18:30 — Awards for the district’s historic businesses (presented by Councillor Cristina Michitelli)
18:30–19:30 — Francesca Bessi, “Tutte le notti in sogno”, Roman songs (accompanied by Corrado Amici)
20:30–21:30 — Stefy Camboni (piano and vocals) and Massimo Mattia
22:00–22:30 — Ottobrata Monticiana lottery draw
22:30–23:30 — Massimo Mattia & Greta Mattia
Scalinata degli Ibernesi
20:00–21:30 — Monti canta Napoli, with Romolo Bianco (vocals and guitar)
Largo Visconti Venosta
20:00–22:00 — Canzoni in prestito, Mirai band & Aula 7
Over the three days the district will also come alive with roving performances (Rugantino & Rosetta, the Lodi Circus, and the Società di Danza in period costume), widespread exhibitions, guided tours, and workshops for all ages.
One of the highlights of 2026 is City Adventure, which turns Rione Monti into a large open-air urban game across all three days of the festival. You download the app (iOS and Android), follow a route through the alleys and squares, and play by the “play, shoot, discover, win” formula: historical riddles to solve, questions to answer and hidden details to photograph, with a final leaderboard and prizes up for grabs. There is no set start time: you begin whenever you like, on your own or as a team. All the info and rules are at cityadventure.it.
Here is a day-by-day rundown of the exhibitions, cultural initiatives and roving events of Ottobrata Monticiana 2026.
Exhibitions (all three days)
Giuseppe di Legge, “I Luoghi dell’Uomo” and Federico Ruxo, “L’Immaginario Marino” – Bar La Licata, Via dei Serpenti 165 – 9, 10 and 11 October, 07:45–21:30
Micro Art Shop – Via Tor de’ Conti 21 – the “Just One Day” flash-exhibition format with a rotating line-up of illustrators, plus the SLURP graphic project on show at Bar La Licata – 11:00–19:30
“Stagioni d’Oriente” by Francesca Maffucci – Galleria Moca, Via degli Zingari 1 – Friday 10:00–13:30 and 15:00–18:30, Saturday and Sunday 15:00–18:30
Mostra delle Macchine parlanti e degli Organetti, by Mario Valentini – Via dei Serpenti 35, c/o FITEL – Friday 16:00–20:00, Saturday 10:00–13:00 and 18:00–22:00
Yarn Bombing, textile art installation (AssemblAbili GlobAli OdV) – Cavour metro exit, Piazza della Suburra – installation on view across the three days, with an open workshop 10:30–12:30
Roving events (all three days)
Rugantino & Rosetta – roving, starting from Via del Pozzuolo – 18:00–20:00
Lodi Circus, a circus show with stilt-walkers, acrobats and jugglers – roving – Friday and Saturday, 20:00–22:00
La Tavolata Monticiana – Via del Grifone – 17:00–20:00 – three open discussions with experts and institutions: Friday Environment and quality of life, Saturday Maintenance, upkeep and safety, Sunday Over-tourism and its impact on the district
Friday 9 October
Convento di San Bonaventura (14:30–15:30) – free guided visit, booking required, limited places
Gran Ballo dell’Ottocento (20:00–21:30) – a roving period-costume performance by the Società di Danza Circolo Nomentano, starting from Largo Corrado Ricci
Agriculturando – extra-virgin olive oil and Rome’s farming past (from 19:00) – Via della Madonna dei Monti 86 – a talk with an Oculus virtual-reality experience, 45-minute slots, max 15 people, booking required
Saturday 10 October
Istituto Centrale di Patologia degli Archivi e del Libro (11:30–12:30 and 14:30–15:30) – guided visit, max 25 people, booking required
Mathias Menanteau’s violin-making workshop (12:00–13:00 and 16:30–17:30) – visit, max 15 people, booking required
Convento di San Bonaventura (14:30–15:30) – free guided visit, booking required
All’ombra delle Torri (16:30) – roving guided tour with Dr Alessandra Rossi, meeting point in Piazza del Grillo
Rione writers in the bookshop (17:00–18:00) – Libreria 220, Via Panisperna 220
Schola Cantorum di Roma, sacred music (18:30–20:00) – Santa Maria ai Monti parish church
Marco Agamennone on the Capofarfa farm (19:00–20:00) – Via Madonna dei Monti 86
Sunday 11 October
Fitness & More with Rome by Run and WIP Fitness (from 09:00) – Piazza Madonna dei Monti and Largo Gaetana Agnesi – a running tour of about 7 km at 9:00, HYROX functional training for adults at 10:00 and 11:00, WIP Kids (ages 8–16) at 12:00 – free, limited places
Games for children (11:00–13:00) – Via Baccina at the corner of Via del Grifone – free ice cream from Il Gelatone for the children taking part
Gli uomini illustri di Monti (11:00) – roving guided tour with Dr Alessandra Rossi, meeting point in Piazza Madonna dei Monti
Il cinema a Monti (16:00) – roving guided tour with Dr Alessandra Rossi, meeting point in Piazza Madonna dei Monti
Workshops
Hands-on, informative sessions blending tradition, craft and creativity, open to the public and in many cases by booking.
Mani che creano – LabCreativo (Arte e Moda in Corso, FITEL) – Via dei Serpenti 35 – free workshops in crochet and amigurumi, sewing and dressmaking, watercolour and creative arts, with demonstrations of embroidery and tatting. Saturday: crochet 15:00–16:30 (max 20) and watercolour 16:30–18:30 (max 15). Info: 388 1626760
Lost-wax craftwork and life drawing – Sottobosco, Via Baccina 40 – Friday and Saturday, 10:30–23:00
Candle Store, workshop with Koche Dama – Via dei Serpenti 127 – Friday and Saturday, 17:00–18:30 – max 4 people, by booking
Gold leaf on fabric + demonstration – Via degli Zingari 37 – Saturday, 11:00–13:00
Build your own themed book, workshop for children (ages 4–8) – Libreria 220, Via Panisperna 220 – Saturday, 15:00–21:30
Yarn Bombing, textile art workshop – Cavour metro exit, Piazza della Suburra – across the three days, 10:30–12:30 – open to all, learn to make woollen flowers with the volunteers
Agriculturando, extra-virgin olive oil between health and history – Via della Madonna dei Monti 86 – across the three days from 19:00, 45-minute slots, max 15 people, booking required, with an Oculus virtual-reality experience on the world of the olive tree
Over 200 free piano concerts across Rome on 3 and 4 October
For the first time, Rome is hosting Piano City. On 3 and 4 October, more than 100 pianos will be placed around the city for over 200 free concerts, performed by more than 130 artists, from established names to young Conservatory graduates. The line-up includes Nik Bärtsch, Rita Marcotulli, Leonora Armellini, Cesare Picco, Ramon Valle, Giovanni Guidi, Anna Gourari, Andrea Morricone, Gilda Buttà, Dénes Várjon, Dominik Wania and Andrea Lucchesini.
Concerts will take place in over 90 venues: monumental squares and concert halls, parks and museums, pubs and private homes, bridges and boats on the Tiber, metro stations and shopping centres, from the historic centre to the outer suburbs. The music ranges from classical and jazz to pop, rock, folk and electronic.
4pm, Spanish Steps: Seville-born pianist Laura de los Ángeles plays flamenco from the top of the steps.
5.30pm, Parco Tor Tre Teste: Angelo Pelini of Têtes de Bois performs the songs of Claudio Baglioni.
6.30pm, Ostia pier: Francesco D’Errico plays Antônio Carlos Jobim by the sea.
7pm, Palazzo Poli (Trevi Fountain): an evening of water-inspired music in the Sala Dante.
7.30pm, Teatro Palladium: Rita Marcotulli in concert.
10pm, Pantheon: Cesare Picco gives the world premiere of music from his new EP Edge, out on Decca Records at the end of October.
Sunday 4 October
6.45am, Pincio: a sunrise concert with Gilda Buttà, Ennio Morricone’s long-time pianist, playing the Maestro’s music.
10.30am to 8.30pm, Piazza di Pietra: a Chopin marathon in the Temple of Hadrian, from preludes in the morning to nocturnes at night.
12pm, MAXXI: Andrea Riccio performs Philip Glass’s études alongside original video works by Shirin Neshat and others.
From 3.30pm, Metro A: two travelling concerts on board a train between Anagnina and Battistini.
4pm to 8pm, Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere: an afternoon of Battiato, Glass, Debussy and Sakamoto, closing with Alessandro Martire.
6.30pm, Giardino degli Aranci: Jacopo Petrucci plays Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition on the Aventine.
6.30pm, Casa Sordi: Andrea Morricone and Cecilia Grillo play Ennio Morricone in Alberto Sordi’s former villa.
Grand finale, 9pm, Piazza del Campidoglio: Leonora Armellini, Gilda Buttà and Rita Marcotulli share the stage, followed by Pianobici, a convoy of bikes fitted with speakers carrying music into the suburbs through the night.
Concerts at home
Anyone with a piano can host a house concert for friends and neighbours, with the pianist provided by Piano City. A few are open to the public on booking, including Salotto Papale (Andrea Riccio, 4 October at 6pm) and Marco Arcieri’s villa (4 October from 5pm). To book, email [email].
Beyond the concert hall
Piano City also reaches places closed to the public: young pianists from Piano City Kids will play for patients at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Marco Arcieri will perform Chopin for guests of the Caritas hostel at Termini, and there are concerts at a seniors’ centre in Ostiense. Luiss University hosts readings and talks, including a Scarlatti reading-concert with writer Alberto Riva and Leonora Armellini (4 October, 4pm).
Practical info
All concerts are free. Some venues require booking. Full programme on pianocityroma.it.
Looking for a moody, cool jazz bar hidden in a fashionable part of town with cocktails, great live music and a good aperitivo?
Charity Cafe, with its fully-stocked bar specializing in whiskey, rum and killer shaken concoctions, is the jazz & blues aficionado’s dream. It’s gritty New York and Roman elegance fused with music nights ranging from Chicago blues to Harlem jazz standards. Situated on Monti’s iconic Via Panisperna, this small big locale offers live music from Tuesday to Sunday.
The musical scene is the following: 60s and 70sClassic Rock, Soul and Folk every Tuesday with Andy’s Corner; Blues Jam & Friends on Wednesday; Jam Session Jazz on Thursday; Jazz Night on Friday, and a groovy Blues Night on Saturday, all from 10 pm. On Sunday there’s an Early Concerto: live music from 7 pm to 9.30 pm.
The concerts take place in two sets, and given that there are not many indoor seats available, the Charity Cafe has introduced an ‘American’ style system, meaning that each set will be tied to obligatory consumption of €10. You wish to dine at the Cafe, and enjoy a lovely meal alongside the music? You’re more than welcome to!
Rome’s independent fashion and design market returns to Mediterraneo, inside the MAXXI complex, with a curated line-up of emerging brands, DJ sets and a real community feel.
Unconventional Market is a Rome-based format dedicated to independent fashion, craft, design and creativity. Launched in Rome in 2024, with eighteen editions behind it, it has become one of the go-to appointments for discovering independent talent in the city. The idea is straightforward: give emerging brands, artisans and creatives a real showcase and a place to sell.
Through the end of the year the market is resident at Mediterraneo, the restaurant and garden inside the MAXXI complex on Via Guido Reni. Each edition turns the space into a creative hub where shopping meets entertainment, in a relaxed, contemporary setting.
The heart of the event is its selection of exhibitors: contemporary craft, forward-looking fashion, design, illustration and collectibles. It is a chance to spot new trends early and take home one-off pieces you won’t find in mainstream shops.
There is more to it than shopping. Continuous DJ sets run from late morning to aperitivo hour, setting the mood as visitors browse. The format also introduces a new music strand created with DJ Martina Alegra Tirone, designed to give young DJs from the Roman scene their own space and visibility.
The wider goal is to build a series of recurring, recognisable dates across the year, bringing together exhibitors, creative projects, music and entertainment. More than a market, it is meant to be a regular meeting point for the city’s community.
Next edition
When: Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026 Hours: 11:00 to 20:00 Where: Mediterraneo al MAXXI, Via Guido Reni 4A, Rome
MAGEÍA is a new three-day festival running from 17 to 19 September 2026 at Palazzo Esposizioni in Rome, pairing a free daytime art installation with three nights of DJ sets and live music. Created and produced by Lux Entertainment, the format brings together visual art, sound experimentation and new technology inside one of the landmark venues on via Nazionale.
For three days the building’s monumental architecture becomes part of the work, as light, material and sound play against the volumes of the exhibition halls in a composition that shifts through the day. The name comes from the Greek magheía, evoking transformation and wonder, the guiding idea behind a project designed to bring different audiences and generations together.
The visual side is led by Quiet Ensemble, a studio known for its research into light, technology and perception. For MAGEÍA they present a site-specific piece that reworks some of their best-known installations in dialogue with the spaces of the Palazzo. From 10am to 4pm the halls are open free of charge, a chance to walk through the transformed building without a ticket.
Three nights of music
From 6pm to 2am the focus turns to music, with a different lineup each evening.
Thursday 17 September, No Limits Party. The opening night celebrates Rome’s own scene, with Gemitaiz, Sine, Gengis, Frenetik and Whtrtrsh behind the decks.
Friday 18 September, Club Culture. A night built around the dancefloor, mixing Italian and international names: a live set from Elasi, a DJ set by Korean artist Shubostar, Whitesquare, and clubbing heavyweight Alex Neri, with more special guests.
Saturday 19 September, French Touch. The closing night pays tribute to the movement that shaped European electronic music, with Breakbot & Irfane among the headliners.
The evening programme is for over-18s only. Info and tickets at mageia.it.
Looking for the best exhibitions in Rome this autumn 2026? Rome is preparing to welcome art lovers with a full season of exhibitions, featuring some of the biggest names in art history alongside modern and contemporary masters. From Kandinsky‘s leap into abstraction to Keith Haring‘s street-born visual language, by way of Pontormo‘s Mannerist genius, Rembrandt‘s revolutionary etchings and the Mediterranean colour of Guttuso, the autumn scene promises a journey through time, borders, culture and artistic expression.
Palazzo Bonaparte opens the season with a major retrospective on Vassily Kandinsky, bringing together around seventy works that trace the artist’s entire path across Russia, Germany and France. The show follows his early figurative years, the birth of abstraction in Munich, his return to Russia during the revolutionary period, the Bauhaus years and his final Parisian phase. A significant part of the works comes from the collections of the Centre Pompidou. The exhibition is curated by Angela Lampe.
The Historical Museum of the Infantry pays tribute to one of the greatest printmakers of all time with a show devoted to Rembrandt’s graphic work. Curated by Patrizia Foglia, it brings together around fifty works on loan from public and private collections, including the etching Self-Portrait with Saskia featured on the exhibition poster. The selection captures the revolutionary force of his prints: light and shadow, the sacred and the everyday, self-portraits and scenes of daily life, all used to probe the depth of the human soul.
Rembrandt: Absolute Black. The Revolution of Etching
Palazzo Braschi presents more than 140 works and documents, drawn largely from the Nakamura Keith Haring Collection. The path runs across the artist’s whole career, from his early New York pieces to the celebrated Subway Drawings, alongside political posters, sculptures, paintings and works from his final years. The show reconstructs the visual language with which Haring turned the line into an immediate, instantly recognizable public sign. New York and the urban culture of the 1980s form the essential backdrop, where art, music, the street, activism and pop culture all enter the same visual system.
Keith Haring
Museo di Roma at Palazzo Braschi
October 6, 2026 to April 11, 2027
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The Scuderie del Quirinale stage the first major monographic exhibition ever dedicated to Pontormo. Produced in partnership with the Uffizi Galleries, it brings together the artist’s key masterpieces and presents him as one of the most original figures in sixteenth-century Florentine painting, at the turning point between the High Renaissance and Mannerism. The show follows how the classical language is transformed into a deeply personal style, with works on loan from the Uffizi and from major Italian and international institutions. Curated by Cristina Acidini with a team of specialists in the Florentine Cinquecento.
Pontormo
Scuderie del Quirinale
October 9, 2026 to February 7, 2027
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The Historical Museum of the Infantry also hosts a tribute to the Sicilian master Renato Guttuso, one of the leading figures of twentieth-century Italian painting. Curated by Vittorio Sgarbi with Marina Giordano, the show gathers around sixty works spanning the 1930s to the 1980s, including the oil Ritratto di Mimise con il cappello rosso, together with drawings and prints. The selection highlights the visual, symbolic and chromatic elements rooted in Mediterranean culture and reworked by the painter from Bagheria.
Rome’s biggest wine event returns to Villa Borghese from September 7 to 13
The 23rd edition of Vinòforum returns to Rome from September 7 to 13, 2026, once again in the stunning setting of Piazza di Siena in Villa Borghese. Over seven evenings, visitors can taste their way through 3,200 labels from 800 wineries, alongside a line-up of acclaimed chefs, restaurants and producers.
Beyond the tasting stands, the program features guided tastings, show cooking sessions and signature dinners bringing together top chefs, master pizzaioli and industry experts to celebrate the flavors and terroirs of Italian and international food and wine.
What’s on the program
At the heart of the event are the Wine Top Tastings, twice-nightly masterclasses guiding the public through some of the most prestigious wineries and surprising terroirs in Italy and beyond.
Back by popular demand are the Casa Barolo tastings, dedicated to one of Italy’s noblest wines: Barolo and the wines of the Langhe.
This year’s edition also welcomes the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium as a special partner, with guided tastings and events marking the Rome launch of the first Parmigiano Reggiano Tasters Course, starting in October. Olive oil lovers can join Unaprol and Evooschool for guided tastings of Italian extra virgin olive oil, exploring different cultivars and food pairings.
The gastronomic highlight of the week is The Night Dinner series, organized in collaboration with La Molisana. This year’s theme, Human Factor. Past. Present. Future, pays tribute to the human touch in the culinary arts. Each dinner unfolds in several acts (memory, gesture, vision), accompanied by images and music, turning the evening into an immersive experience paired with great wines.
Alongside the dinners, the Temporary Restaurants return with the theme Rome: Roots and Future, weaving the city’s culinary traditions together with their most contemporary interpretations: over 20 restaurants and 40 dishes across 7 days.
Pizza lovers are in for a treat with Pizza d’Autore, co-produced with Molino Caputo: six exclusive dinners hosted by some of Italy’s most respected masters of the craft, exploring unexpected pairings of doughs, flours and premium ingredients.
Vinòforum will also host the final of La Città della Pizza, the national competition dedicated to discovering Italy’s emerging pizza talent. On Sunday, September 13, seven finalists will compete for the title of best up-and-coming pizzaiolo of the year.
Talks, workshops and exhibitions on innovation: over 400 events across more than 150 venues
After a record-breaking edition with more than 75,000 participants, Rome Future Week returns: the city-wide event will take over more than 150 locations across Rome with over 400 events, running from 21 to 27 September 2026.
Historic palaces, parks, event spaces, university halls, labs, offices and coworking spaces will set the stage for hundreds of talks, workshops, exhibitions, immersive experiences and networking moments, organized by companies, startups, institutions, universities, public bodies and professionals.
“Materia Prima” (Raw Material) is the theme of this new edition of Rome Future Week, an invitation to recognize what comes before and makes every visible innovation possible.
The week is also about work. Rome Future Week 2026 will be a place to look for new opportunities, professional and personal: where companies meet talent and talent discovers who’s looking for them. A thread that runs through the whole event and has its own dedicated moments in the programme.
Cinema takes center stage this year. Corti Futuri returns, the contest dedicated to new audiovisual languages, now in its second edition and produced in collaboration with Rai Cinema and RUFA. Filmmakers and videomakers under 30 will tell the story of the city and its possible futures, shooting original short films over the days of the event, and the winning work will be made available on Rai Cinema’s channels.
And then there’s a neighborhood getting ready for a special week. Ostiense, with ROAD – Rome Advanced District as the edition’s main partner, will be one of the symbolic districts of Rome Future Week 2026: where the industrial archaeology of the Gazometro meets the Rome of tomorrow.
Participation is free. To explore all the available events, visit the official RFW website.
Exploring the Appian Way, one of the most ancient and well-preserved Roman roads.
Rome might be a bustling capital, with trafficked streets and packed attractions, but it also offers opportunities to unwind in nature, while breathing in ancient Roman history.
The Appia Antica, or the Appian Way, is what could be considered the first ancient highway, connecting Rome to Brindisi in Puglia. This historic road was once referred to as the Regina viarum or queen of the streets, a testament to its significance in ancient times.
The Appian Way owes its name to Appius Claudius Caecus, a Roman censor who oversaw the construction of the first part of the road, built as a military path to the south in 312 BC. Yes, it’s that old!
In July 2024, the Via Appia was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, becoming Italy’s 60th listing and cementing its status as one of the most significant cultural routes in the world.
Today, the road is a remarkable relic of Rome’s past. It’s an essential stop on any Rome itinerary!
The first 16 kilometers of the Appian Way are now part of the Parco dell’Appia Antica regional park. This stretch of the road begins from Porta San Sebastiano and is lined with many ancient monuments on both sides. The road is remarkably well-preserved, constructed from large, flat stones known as basoli.
Some of the sites that have stood the test of time along the path include the Catacombs of San Sebastiano and the Catacombs of San Callisto. These catacombs served as burial sites for Christian martyrs. They are a fascinating and unique attraction to visit in Rome.
Further along is the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, built in honor of Cecilia Metella, daughter-in-law of Marcus Crassus, who was a prominent figure under Julius Caesar.
Another highlight is the Circus and Villa of Maxentius, a grand arena where chariot races were once held, situated next to the remains of Emperor Maxentius’ vast villa.
Next up is the Villa of the Quintili. It stands as Rome’s most extensive suburban villa, once owned by the two brothers Sesto Quintilio Condiano and Sesto Quintilio Valerio Massimo, notable figures during the era of Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius.
Each monument/museum has its own opening times and prices, some being free. Or if you’re just looking for a daytime refuge from busy Roman life, bring a picnic and enjoy the sun on the park’s grounds!
The Appia Antica offers a perfect blend of history, sightseeing, and physical activity, especially if you opt to explore it by bike.
How to explore the Appian Way
The Appia Antica Regional Park is not far from the centre. To arrive directly at the official entrance of the park, take bus 218 from the San Giovanni area, bus 118 from Circo Massimo, or bus 660 from Metro A stops Colli Albani/Arco di Travertino.
This tour offers the opportunity to glide along the 2300-year-old Roman road effortlessly, passing by ancient ruins and monuments. Departing from the Ancient Appian Way, you’ll journey towards the ancient Roman aqueducts rising over the fields on the horizon and follow them on their way back to Rome.
Bike Tour of the Ancient Appian Way
4 hour off-the-beaten-path guided bike tour of Rome with quality electric-assist mountain bike.
For a different kind of adventure, consider a golf cart tourof the Appian Way & Roman Catacombs. This 3-hour excursion ensures a comfortable ride aboard an electric golf cart, with stops to admire highlights like the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, the Circus and Villa of Maxentius, and the Roman catacombs.
Golf Cart Tour of the Appian Way & Roman Catacombs
Jump on a golf cart, and combine the allure of the Appian Way and the mysterious depths of the catacombs hidden in a stunning protected area.
An excursion to the Appia Antica is perfect for the tourist who is tired of being squeezed into the capital’s most-visited sites, or for the Rome resident who is looking for something fun and different.
Either way, don’t forget to bring a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water!
Guide to using buses in Rome: how to pay for public transport and where to buy bus tickets in Rome
In Rome you’ll walk a lot, and walking is never a bad option here. When the distances or the heat make it less appealing, the metro is the fastest way to cross the city, but there are only three lines (the newest, line C, is still expanding, with recent stops at Colosseo and Fori Imperiali), and they leave out a good part of Rome: Trastevere, Monteverde, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona all sit well away from a metro stop. That’s where buses and trams take over, and where you’ll end up spending most of your rides. The good news is that paying has become much simpler: tap a contactless card straight onto the reader and you’re done, no ticket needed. A standard ticket costs €1.50, lasts 100 minutes and works on all three.
Bus tickets cost €1.50 and are valid for 100 minutes from first activation. Remember, as soon as you get on the bus you must validate your ticket in the machine found near the doors. Not validating your ticket is the same as not having one and you are risking a fine from €100 to €500, reduced to €50 if you pay within five days. If the ticket validation machine isn’t working, use a pen and write the date and time you got on the bus, this way you won’t risk any fine.
How the ticket works and what it covers
One ticket covers everything: buses, trams and the metro all use the same BIT, which costs €1.50 and lasts 100 minutes from the moment you validate it. Within those 100 minutes you can take as many buses and trams as you like, changing as often as you need, but only one metro journey.
You can change between metro lines on the same ticket, though you can’t go back through the turnstiles between lines A, B, B1 and C. The only exception is the change between line A and line C.
What’s not covered by Rome public transport tickets
While the same ticket will allow you to travel on buses, trams and metros, they aren’t valid for other means of transportation. These include:
private airport shuttle buses to and from Rome’s Ciampino airport (though the standard €1.50 ticket does work on city bus lines 520 and 720)
the Leonardo Express train
How to pay for buses in Rome
There’s no buying a ticket from the driver in Rome (except on a few lines). The quickest way to pay is simply to tap a contactless card as you board, but if you’d rather have a physical ticket there are plenty of places to get one. Here are all the options.
Tap & Go
You can skip the ticket machines entirely and use Tap & Go: just tap your contactless card, or your phone or smartwatch, at the metro turnstiles or on the readers on board buses and trams. It charges you a standard €1.50 BIT, valid 100 minutes, with no ticket to buy in advance and nothing to validate. The clever part is the daily cap: if you tap more than five times in 24 hours with the same card, the system automatically switches you to the €8.50 daily fare, so you never pay more than a ROMA 24H ticket.
Two rules to remember: one card per person, so everyone travelling with you needs their own card or device, and always use the same card all day, because if you alternate between phone and card the cap doesn’t add up. If an inspector boards, just show the card or the wallet you tapped with.
Tap & Go works on all ATAC and Roma TPL buses and trams, across the whole metro network and on the urban stretches of the Roma-Lido and Roma-Viterbo lines. It does not work on the Leonardo Express, Cotral regional buses or Trenitalia regional trains.
Tabacchi Shops
In Italy, Tabacchi shops are the go-to shops for many different purposes: buying cigarettes, buying public transportation tickets and paying your bills, to name a few. Just go to any Tabacchi in Rome (the shops with the black and white T sign) to purchase your bus ticket. If you’re staying in Rome for a while and are planning on using the public transportation system often, we recommend you get a monthly pass, which you can top up at most Tabacchi shops.
Edicola (newsstands)
The newsstands you see spread around the city are called edicole. In addition to purchasing magazines and newspapers, they also sell bus tickets.
Ticketing Apps
If you’d rather buy on your phone, the main option is MooneyGo, the app formerly known as myCicero, which sells ATAC tickets and passes and works with more than 140 transport operators across Italy, so it’s useful well beyond Rome. You need to add a payment method or top up your wallet before buying, so set it up before you travel rather than at the bus stop. ATAC also accepts tickets bought through other partner apps, including Telepass, Wetaxi and Urbi, and all of them display a digital ticket you show to inspectors.
Metro Stations
Buses, trams and the metro all use the same tickets, so the self-service machines in every metro station are one of the easiest places to buy. You’ll find the €1.50 single ticket, the MULTIBIT with ten rides for €15, the ROMA 24, 48 and 72-hour tickets and the weekly CIS card. The machines take cards and cash and switch to English. The queues at Termini can be long in high season, so if you have a contactless card, tapping straight at the turnstile saves you the wait.
Roma Pass
If you’re in Rome for a few days and plan to visit museums, the Roma Pass combines unlimited public transport with free or reduced entry to the city’s cultural sites. It’s sold in 48 and 72-hour versions and can be bought online before you arrive.
Beyond the single BIT, there are tickets for unlimited travel. The ROMA tourist tickets cost €8.50 for 24 hours, €15 for 48 hours and €22 for 72 hours, each valid from first validation. If you’ll be taking several rides a day without needing a full pass, a MULTIBIT gives you ten single tickets for €15. For a longer stay, the weekly CIS card costs €29 and runs until midnight on the seventh day, while a monthly pass is €35, or €53 for the transferable version that more than one person can use. Children up to the age of 10 travel free when accompanied by a paying adult.
Worth knowing: if you use Tap & Go, you don’t need to work any of this out. Tap more than five times in 24 hours with the same card and the system charges you €8.50, the price of the daily ticket, automatically.
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