A new spin-off edition featuring open studios, a citywide exhibition format, and performances in one of Rome’s most creative districts.
After the success of the last edition in the Historic Center, Romadiffusa is back with a new spin-off edition and heads to San Lorenzo, one of the Roman neighborhoods with the highest concentration of creative spaces. On March 21–22, 2026, for an entire weekend the district will turn into a roaming cultural festival of open studios, pop-up exhibitions, performances, workshops, tours, and meetups with artists, curators, and gallerists, bringing contemporary art into everyday and unexpected places.
At the core of the program is a network of over 50 artists’ studios, artist-run spaces, and galleries, with special openings and dedicated events. Fondazione Pastificio Cerere will host a weekend centered on its current exhibitions, with guided visits, activities for children, and performative moments. Neighborhood galleries will welcome the public with meetups and evening openings, from MATÈRIA to Monitor, Monti8, and Gilda Lavia, while experimental spaces like ORO Project and LEMBI expand the route with installation-based research and new crossovers.
Among the most interesting highlights, Numero Cromatico will open its studios with a special activation featuring lecture performances and a participatory project linked to the festival’s official merch. Contemporary art will step outside its usual venues and weave into the neighborhood’s fabric: works by artists such as Paolo W. Tamburella, Quayola, and Pietro Ruffo will appear in some of San Lorenzo’s iconic everyday spots, while a dispersed exhibition curated by Gianni Politi will bring emerging artists’ works into workshops, bars, bookshops, and historic local addresses.
Visitors can also join guided tours to rediscover San Lorenzo, from street art to contemporary architecture, alongside a program dedicated to independent publishing, photography, and artisan practices, with workshops and special openings. The edition is supported by Soho House Rome, and the full program will be announced in the coming weeks and published on romadiffusa.com.
Carnival is celebrated all around the world, but like “all roads,” it likely has roots in Rome. Now a Roman Catholic celebration, Carnival takes place in the days before Lent, the 40-day period in which Catholics abstain from a chosen vice (the word Carnevale comes from carnovale, which means “removal of meat”). However, Carnival probably started as the pagan Saturnalia festival of ancient Rome.
Origins of Roman Carnival
Saturnalia suspended work and business, temporarily “freed” slaves, and eased moral restrictions. Saturn was the Roman god of agriculture, and the festivities honoring him involved decorative masks, rituals and drunken parties.
The festival was adopted in the age of Catholicism with a few adaptations. As early as 1143 AD, the Pope held ceremonies in today’s Testaccio neighborhood of Rome. This included jousting, duels, and hunting. However, it wasn’t until Pope Paul II came to power and relocated his residence to Piazza Venezia that Carnevale truly took off. The Carnival festivities moved there with him, making Via Lata (now Via del Corso) a natural setting for the most anticipated events of the Carnival: the Inaugural Parade and the Race of the Barbary Horses.
Via del Corso: track of the Berber horse race
Via del Corso was the central racetrack of Carnival. The races started in Piazza del Popolo and stretched down Via del Corso, ending at Piazza Venezia. There were races for children, elderly people, donkeys and buffaloes. One pope, Alexander VI Borgia, even introduced a race of prostitutes in 1501. Of all the competitions, the Barbary horses created the most chaos. La Corsa dei Berberi, “The race of the Berbers,” focused on a specific breed, known as the Berber horse, or Barb horse, which was bred prolifically in ancient Rome for its strength, stamina and speed. Those qualities made the animals the ideal chariot horses for competitors in Circus Maximus. Their reputation carried on into the Roman Catholic Carnival.
Noble families contributed male Berber horses to participate in the race and braided colorful ribbons into their manes. Spectators gathered at Piazza del Popolo to watch the preparation of the horses and make wagers. Uninhibited by riders, the horses galloped about a mile, finishing in Piazza Venezia, where the owners of the winning horse were presented with a decorative saddle.
Modern celebrations of Carnival across Italy
The equine race was abolished in 1874 by King Vittorio Emanuele II after a lethal accident, and since then, Rome’s Carnival festivities have gone mostly dormant. The spirit of the carnival, however, has survived through special celebrations such as those organised by cultural associations like “Il Carnevale Romano Storico”. This association operates in the fields of cultural promotion and strives to preserve the tradition of the Roman Carnival.
The last celebration of Carnival organised by “Il Carnevale Romano Storico” was held before the pandemic, but the celebrations organized in the past have included theater performances, historical re-enactments, the famous equestrian parade, fireworks, street art performances, concerts, and masquerade balls.
Jean Louis Baptiste Thomas, La festa dei Moccoletti, 1817
The modern carnival has even included the famous Candles Feast or “Festa dei moccoletti”, a group game which used to conclude the Roman Catholic Carnival. The feast took place at sunset on the evening of Mardì Gras. Participants wore decorative masks and carried a lit candle or a lantern, trying to maintain their flame while simultaneously attempting to extinguish other participant’s lanterns. If your flame went out, you were forced to take off your mask.
Some Carnival celebrations have revived in the rest of Italy too. Since its reinstatement in 1979, Venice’s Carnival has brought revellers to canals for parades in which colorful floats dance on water and acrobats twirl and balance on tightropes. Decorative masks and costumes shroud the city in mystery. The regions of Piedmont and Sicily are also known for their celebrations, which include similar events involving shiny masks, and elaborate costumes.
Today in Rome, you might see some costumed and masked characters around Piazza Navona and Via del Corso, but the holiday is mostly celebrated by children in school. Shrove Tuesday, or Martedì Grasso, falls on February 17 this year, so look out for Carnival festivities leading up to that date. Try popular Carnival foods like castagnole, the famous sugar-coated fried dough balls, or snack on frappe, which are crunchy strips of fried dough dusted with powdered sugar.
Il Carnevale dei Burattini (puppet show) | 7–15 Feb 2026 At Teatro San Carlino in Villa Borghese, this is one of the most reliable family picks: a Carnival-themed puppet show paired with a festive atmosphere designed for kids (with specific weekend showtimes and special matinées).
Tiber Carnival (Carnevale Tiberino) | Sat 14 Feb 2026, from 10:00 A playful, sport-meets-Carnival event along the river, starting at Scalo de Pinedo (Flaminio area). Expect masks, activities on the river (including canoes and similar gear), plus a costumed walk along the banks that heads toward Castel Sant’Angelo.
Carnevale for kids at Casina di Raffaello | Tue 17 Feb 2026, from 10:00 Casina di Raffaello (Villa Borghese) hosts a Carnival day for kids on Tuesday, February 17, 10:00 am–7:00 pm, with creative workshops and story readings to spark imagination and transform into funny animals and fantastic creatures. Price: €8 per child, per workshop.
Carnival Skate at the Pincio (in costume) | Sun 15 Feb 2026, 14:00 The Pattinatori del Pincio invite everyone to roll in costume. Meeting point is 14:00 at Ponte del Pincio (Piazzale dei Martiri). Families usually keep to Villa Borghese paths, while more confident skaters head farther out into the city for a noisy, confetti-filled ride.
Marconi Carnival Parade (Sfilata di Carnevale a Marconi) | Sun 15 Feb 2026, from 14:30 A classic neighbourhood parade with a very local feel: meet at 14:30 at the Parrocchia Santi Aquila e Priscilla (Via Blaserna), depart at 14:45, and follow the route through the Marconi area toward Parco Tevere Marconi, with music, masks and plenty of colour.
La Tarantella del Carnevale | Sun 15 Feb 2026, 18:00 A big folk-energy celebration at Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone: traditional masks, dancers and live music culminating in the main concert at 18:00 in Sala Sinopoli. Many editions also include a pre-show masked parade in the outdoor spaces.
Carnevale A Mare | Fiumicino, Sun 8 Feb and Sun 15 Feb 2026 For an easy day trip: on 8 Feb, the programme includes a market (morning through late afternoon) and street entertainment. On 15 Feb, the big highlight is the grand parade along the waterfront area (Via Torre Clementina zone), with groups in costume and floats.
If you’re ready to have a good time, many clubs in Rome throw carnival parties and themed events. Don’t forget, you might need to wear a mask!
Step into 2026 with flair by attending a cultural event at one of the city’s museums, libraries, cinemas, music halls, and more.
The central theme of ROMA CAPODARTE 2026 will be the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Italian Constituent Assembly (1946–2026). Taking place on January 1, the initiative will once again enliven Rome with a city-wide cultural marathon featuring over 100 events, almost all free of charge, across every neighbourhood.
This fifth edition aims to honour the journey toward freedom that emerged from the resistance against Nazi-Fascism and laid the foundations for our democracy. To underline the value of this legacy, 10,000 copies of the Italian Constitution will be distributed free of charge throughout the day during events held across all 15 of the city’s districts (Municipi).
On January 1, the city hosts 100+ events across squares, museums, theatres and venues in every neighbourhood, with three main stages lighting up different areas of Rome.
Piazza Navona kicks off at 3:30pm with a comedy line-up (Beatrice Rigillo, Emanuela Cappello, Raffaello Corti “Faccestamagia”, and poet-performer Lorenzo Maragoni), then from 6–10pm becomes a tango ballroom for the New Year Milonga with tango icons Daiana Guspero and Miguel Ángel Zotto, followed by DJ Lavinia Livi.
Outside the centre, Rampa Prenestina (Municipio V) hosts a live concert-show from 6pm with Andrea Rivera, Margherita Vicario, Villa Ada Posse, StabLinda, and Baro (with vocalist Lyst), plus six art installations.
At Acilia Station (Municipio X), from 6pm there’s a K-POP show with dance and meet & greet, followed by hip hop/breakdance crews; from 8pm a rap-focused stage features Piotta, Nesli, Beba, and Jelecrois.
Live Music & Performances
On January 1, live events take over squares, museums and theatres across the city. In Via Margutta (3–6pm), an open-air concert alternates music with readings from the Italian Constitution. At the Capitoline Museums (6:30pm), actors Massimo Wertmüller and Anna Ferruzzo present a staged reading from Homer’s Iliad with live music, turning epic into a contemporary reflection on peace and the Constitution’s rejection of war.
At Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone (3–8pm), Il Primo Ballo is a city-wide dance “invasion” featuring tango, swing, balfolk, urban dance and standard ballroom across indoor and outdoor spaces, plus a workshop-performance on manipulative rhetoric (Come parla il perfetto dittatore, 5pm). Elsewhere, concerts and shows continue in multiple districts—from swing with Constitution-themed readings (Piazza Balsamo Crivelli) to community performances (Piazza Roberto Malatesta), a Constitution-focused show with the inclusive Blind Inclusive Orchestra (Teatro Tor Bella Monaca), and an intergenerational programme of music, theatre, readings and comedy at Pinispettinati (Municipio VII). The day also includes a theatre piece on Artemisia Gentileschi (Ex Fabbrica Campari) and a musical marathon at Ponte Milvio featuring readings on freedom of expression, art and culture.
Talks, Readings & Cultural Itineraries
At Palazzo Esposizioni (6pm), a reading-performance tells the story of Adele Bei, one of the “mothers” of the Constituent Assembly. In Piazza Cina (3:30–6pm), Constitution readings are paired with a talk by social educator Azzykky. Teatro del Lido (6pm) hosts Madri Costituenti, a reading and discussion inspired by Piero Calamandrei’s 1955 speech and the stories of the women of the Constituent Assembly.
In Largo Alessandrina Ravizza (3:30–7pm), artists and residents co-create three murals, each dedicated to a constitutional value, accompanied by live readings. Four themed cultural itineraries explore symbolic places in Rome linked to specific constitutional articles (including routes in Villa Borghese, Porta Maggiore, and San Lorenzo), plus visits to the Bunker at Villa Torlonia (3pm and 4pm).
Cinema & Screenings
In Trastevere, Spazio S.c.e.n.a. presents a New Year film programme with a tribute to Gian Maria Volontè (Il terrorista, 4pm) followed by Paola Cortellesi’s C’è ancora domani (6pm). At Casa del Cinema (Villa Borghese), two Vittorio De Sica classics screen: Sciuscià (11am) and Ladri di biciclette (8pm), alongside the documentary Figlio di Giano (5pm). Nuovo Cinema Aquila hosts an event focused on Article 1 (“Italy is a democratic Republic founded on work”), with discussion and selected documentary excerpts, plus a screening touching on globalisation.
Activities for Children & Families
At La Pelanda (Mattatoio) from 3pm to 7pm, La Repubblica del gioco offers cooperative games, collective building activities, circus practices and performances inspired by constitutional principles such as community, participation and freedom. Palazzo Esposizioni hosts a kids’ art workshop (Dritti ai Diritti, 4:30–6pm) focused on imagining new rights and creating posters. In Municipio V, Teatro Biblioteca Quarticciolo runs a creative writing lab (4pm) linked to Article 21 (freedom of expression).
Several public libraries also join with themed readings and displays tied to key constitutional articles (work, peace, freedom of thought, culture/environment, equality).
Theatre, Music, Cinema & Encounters
The day opens with the traditional concert by Rome’s Local Police Band in Piazza di Spagna (12pm). The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma proposes La prima Opera buona dell’anno (from 3:45pm), with music, talks and guests, plus a photo exhibition in the foyer. Palazzo Esposizioni hosts a special literature–cinema–memory route that ends with a film screening, while Casa del Jazz features a live concert (6pm).
Across the city, additional concerts and events take place in museums and cultural venues, Ara Pacis, Capitoline Museums, Palazzo Braschi, Centrale Montemartini and Villa Torlonia, alongside talks, DJ sets, electronic music takeovers, theatre performances and monologues.
Many civic museums and the temporary exhibitions they host are free to visit throughout the day, along with major venues such as Palazzo Esposizioni, the Mattatoio and MACRO. A few flagship exhibitions are available with reduced admission, and some experiences require advance online booking (including Circo Maximo Experience, Villa Torlonia’s Bunker visits and Planetarium shows).
Several archaeological areas are also open, while curator-led visits and guided tours by the Sovrintendenza Capitolina offer deeper insights into exhibitions and collections, including special walkthroughs at the Capitoline Museums, Ara Pacis, GAM and Palazzo Braschi.
All information is available at www.culture.roma.it/romacapodarte, 060608 (daily from 9am to 7pm) or on social profiles #romacapodarte2026
Robert Wilson’s immersive tribute to Michelangelo’s Pietà Rondanini and Arvo Pärt
MAXXI is presenting Mother, Robert Wilson’s final artistic project, an experience that sits somewhere between visual installation, performance, and concert. This is not a conventional exhibition: it’s built to be lived in real time, inviting visitors to slow down, sit in silence, and let light and sound do the storytelling.
At its core is Michelangelo’s unfinished Pietà Rondanini, shown here through the historic Gariboldi plaster cast, framed by Wilson’s signature language of darkness, precision lighting, and measured transitions. The soundtrack is Arvo Pärt’s Stabat Mater, whose sacred minimalism deepens the emotional atmosphere and turns the encounter into something almost meditative.
Staged in Gallery 5, the installation transforms the space by fully darkening it and abstractly reconstructing the “Spanish Hospital” room at Milan’s Castello Sforzesco (where the work was originally conceived). After the main light-and-music sequence, the lighting shifts, allowing time to look at the sculpture more directly; visitors can also view Wilson’s original drawings connected to the project’s development.
The event runs from 12 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, with timed entry slots between 11:30am and 5:30pm (limited capacity). Tickets cost €5; if you’d like to include museum admission, a combined ticket is available for €17.
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Rome with Rome New Year’s Eve fireworks, parties, and more that carry on into 2026 New Year’s Day.
Planning to spend New Year in Rome? It’s always a bit difficult to decide what to do on New Year’s Eve in Rome. Whether you prefer to ring in the New Year in a crowded club, in one of the major piazzas in Rome, or at home with a glass of champagne and some friends, we have many suggestions to make your New Year’s in Rome unforgettable. Discover the Best New Year’s Eve Events in Rome.
Check out the best venues for New Year’s Eve in Rome
Les Etoiles Restaurant and Roof Garden
Les Etoiles Restaurant | Via Giovanni Vitelleschi, 34 (Prati)
GALA DINNER MENUAT LES ETOILES RESTAURANT (with live music)
€490 (wines excluded)
DINNER MENU
Sicilian Scampi and pink grapefruit shot Roasted Scallop with champagne and caviar Lobster Medallion, fennel sablé and yuzu mayo Cappellaccio with Red Mazara Prawns and buffalo stracciatella John Dory Fillet with beurre blanc, Madagascar pepper and potato millefeuille Golden Pearl with smoked whisky and caramel Meringue Cake with chocolate cream, date and tonka bean Traditional Cotechino sausage and Castelluccio lentils
MENU LIGHT DINNERAT SALA MICHELANGELO / TERRAZZABEL RESPIRO (with dj-set)
€270 (wines excluded)
DINNER MENU
Savory Mini-Maritozzo with lobster, green apple with wasabi and caviar Soy-marinated Tuna Tataki, leek fondant, ginger gel and yuzu air Dumpling with turbot mousse in clam sauce and grey mullet bottarga Monkfish “all’acqua pazza” Meringue Cake with white chocolate cream, date and tonka bean
Welcome oyster with green apple and chives Raw scallops, pea gazpacho, tomato gel Lobster risotto with fennel cream and Lapsang tea Paccheri in a fish soup with mixed cherry tomatoes Meagre fillet with crispy vegetables, hollandaise sauce and sautéed Roman artichoke wedges Hazelnut and passion fruit cream with cardamom crumble Wine selection curated by the sommelier
Chorus Café | Via della Conciliazione, 4 (Vatican)
Prezzo: €245 (wines included)
DINNER MENU
Amuse-bouche Shellfish, bread and tomato
Starters Capon with bitter herb salad, salted zabaglione, sour cherries and fish roe
First Course Violina pumpkin soup, glazed scallop, dried porcini and rosemary
Pasta Course Langoustine ravioli, oyster butter and Mangalica pork coppa
Main Course Veal tournedos, Périgourdine sauce, fine black truffle and seasonal vegetables
Dessert Dark chocolate “Tenerina”, contrasted with raspberry gelée
Choux pastries filled with chantilly and Port zabaglione, citrus caramel
After Midnight Onano lentils
Wines: Cremant de Loire Brut 2021 – Château des Cossé, Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2023 – Domaine de La Motte, Cheverny Rouge “La Moniale” 2024 – Domaine Le Portail
Il Marchese | Via di Ripetta, 162 (centro storico)
Price: €180-300
Grand Dinner + Midnight toast (20:30-00:30) €180 Grand Dinner + Midnight toast + after dinner table reserved with 1 bottle of Champagne every 4 people (8.30 pm-3am) €250 After dinner reserved table + Champagne max 5 people (00:30-3:00) €300 After dinner entrance with 2 drinks €60
FOR INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS EMAIL: info@anavaroma.it
NEW YEAR DINNER & PARTY at Alcazar Live
Alcazar Live | Via Cardinale Merry Del Val , 14 (Trastevere)
from 8pm €120 (party included) with open wine to accompany your dinner + table reserved all night long €87 (party included) with open wine to accompany your dinner + table reserved until 11pm €45 access to the party from 11.30pm
VINYL BAR – DINNER – DJ SET
DINNER MENU
Welcome glass of Prosecco Spinach flan with burrata and Cantabrian anchovies Risotto with raw and cooked prawns and pistachios Pumpkin and amaretto raviolo on lemon-sage butter sauce Cod fillet on a bed of chickpeas Cotechino sausage with lentils Chocolate bûche
Elio & Lobby at The Hoxton Hotel | Largo Benedetto Marcello, 220 (Parioli)
DINNER + PARTY – Price: €160 (beverage excluded)
A 5-course NYE set menu, paired with 2 Pommery Champagne toasts, soundtracked by a live performance from Crés — smooth, soulful, and perfectly timed. > Dinner guests flow straight into the Lobby Party.
LOBBY PARTY – Price: €65 (2 drinks included)
The Lobby comes alive with SUPERNOVA and RIVERSIDE, joined by Vertigine’s resident dj Areld, delivering a late-night set designed to lift the room and carry us into the new year.
Uma Restaurant | Via Girolamo Benzoni, 23 (Garbatella)
Price: €150 (beverage excluded)
MENU
Liquid salad Eggs Potato and truffle Beef Cuttlefish Scorpionfish raviolo Quail Honey Dairy dessert Lentils and cotechino sausage
FOR INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS WHATSAPP / TEXT +393343855945
NYE Dinner at Nuan Restaurant
Nuan Restaurant | Via Siria, 3 (Appio Latino)
Price: €100 (beverages excluded)
MENU
Crudo (mixed local raw fish and shellfish) Fritto (mixed fried fish and garden vegetables) Arrosto (prime fillet of the catch of the day with jus) First course (soup) Dessert (our own take on panettone)
FOR INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS WHATSAPP / TEXT +39.0669401880
Mirabelle Restaurant at Hotel Splendide Royal
Mirabelle Restaurant | Via di Porta Pinciana, 14 (Veneto)
For some years now, New Year’s Evein piazza has become fashionable in most Italian and European cities. In the most beautiful squares, on the longest night of the year, streams of people gather to celebrate together while listening and moving to live music concerts and other performances. Rome is no exception, and this year’s event promises to be a mega concert starting at 9pm, followed by a DJ set by the local radio station Dimensione Suono Roma. The event will take place at Circo Massimo and is completely free of charge. Initially, the lineup included Alessandra Amoroso, Fabri Fibra e Tananai.
Fireworks
Where to see fireworks in Rome on New Year’s Eve
The best spots in Rome where to enjoy New Year’s Eve fireworks displays are many. Starting from the magnificent Colosseum, an already suggestive and exciting scenario, to Castel Sant Angelo, where light plays with water from the river, to Piazza del Popolo, after a nice walk in the centre, or the Pincio terrace just above. Among the squares, another wonderful option is Piazza Navona, but for a slightly more global view, one of the city’s heights, such as the Gianicolo hill, the Zodiac at Monte Mario or the Giardino degli Aranci, is better. Whichever spot you choose, don’t miss Rome at its best!
Shows at Theatre/Music Hall on New Year’s Eve in Rome
The Nutcracker
Teatro dell’Opera | Piazza Beniamino Gigli, 1 (Esquilino)
Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia is one of the oldest musical institutions worldwide. Don't miss out on breathtaking classical music concerts and orchestra performances conducted by Music Director Daniel Harding.
Hosting about a dozen, vastly different artists each night, this venue located in San Lorenzo is like nowhere else in Rome.Variety show meets café chantant.
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