Rome events calendar

Annual events and festivals worth timing a visit around.

January – March

Carnevale (usually February) brings fried frappe and castagnole to every pastry shop. Good Friday Colosseum procession (Easter week) attracts enormous crowds. The Romaeuropa Festival of contemporary arts runs late winter into spring.

April – June

Rome's birthday (April 21st, Natale di Roma) sees free entry to municipal museums and events at the Circus Maximus. Spanish Steps azalea display runs through April. The Infiorata in Genzano (day trip, June) covers a whole street in flower petals.

July – August

Estate Romana: outdoor cinema, concerts and events through the summer, many free. Isola del Cinema on the Tiber Island runs all summer. Many Romans leave in August — the city quiets after August 15th.

September – December

Rome Film Festival (October). Christmas markets at Piazza Navona from December. Nativity scenes in churches from mid-December.

Checking dates that shift annually

Several major events don't fall on fixed calendar dates each year — always verify specific dates for your travel year against official sources.

Smaller neighbourhood festivals

Beyond the citywide calendar, individual rioni sometimes host smaller local festivals rarely appearing in general tourism calendars.