Festivals Rome

Enough special occasions for a visit to Rome: enjoy the huge concert at Labour Day, the festivities of the Natale di Roma or the Roman Summer. And of course, Rome has its own festivals for fashion, films, or jazz music. And have you ever considered to go to Rome for Easter to see the pope reading the mass and speaking out the Urbi et Orbi?
Rome Jazz Festival, October

Labour Day Concert

In a country with a relatively strong position of trade unions, Labour Day (May 1st) is still a holiday. However, the way that it is celebrated has changed over the years. Since 1990, the mayor trade unions have used this date to organise a big concert. Most of the performing bands are Italian, so it’s a good occasion to discover more about the state of pop music in Italy. However, over the last years, international stars as diverse as Lou Reed, Oasis, James Blunt, Goran Bregovic and Youssou N’Dour have been performing. The concert at the square in front of the San Giovanni in Laterano cathedral attracts up to a million visitors.
Labour Day Concert, 1 May, Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano

Natale di Roma

Natale is Italian for day of birth, and also the word used for Christmas. According to the legend, Romulus founded the city of Rome on 21 April 753 before Christ. This day is remembered every year with all kind of festivities: music, special exhibitions and a light spectacle in the evening. Most of the events are close to the ancient core of the city: the area around the Coliseum and the Roman Forum.
Natale di Roma, 21 April

Fashion show

A city like Rome, where fashion is of utmost importance, obviously can’t live without a fashion festival. The best occasion in Rome is the Donne sotte le stelle (Women under the stars) show, taking place in mid-July. The festival features the creations of some of the most famous international and Italian designers. The location definitely adds up to the charm: the magnificent Spanish steps in central Rome are chosen to host this event.
Donne sotte le stelle, mid-July, Piazza di Spagna

Easter

One of the most interesting moments of the year to visit Rome is Easter. Since the Vatican is the capital of the Christian world, many pilgrims come to attend the mass or to see the way of the cross. The via crucis or way of the cross takes place at the Coliseum on Good Friday. Here, a mass is read telling about the last moments before Jesus was crucified. On Sunday, the mass takes place on St. Peter’s square. This is also the moment of the Urbi et Orbi: the blessing of the urbs (city; Rome that is) and the orbis (world). Here, the pope gets to display his magnificent knowledge of foreign languages.
Via Crucis, Good Friday, Colosseum (Piazza del Colosseo, 1)
Urbi et Orbi, Easter Sunday, piazza San Pietro in Vaticano

Estate romana

Especially in the nice months from June to September, when the weather is nice and people enjoy the parks of the city, the city is vibrating with creativity and art and entertainment are in the air. All these activities are grouped in the Estate romana, which simply means Roman summer. The events concern smaller and bigger concerts, exhibitions, open-air cinemas, plays, literary nights, and everything else you can imagine. For instance, there are open-air cinemas on Piazza Vittorio and in the Villa Ada park.

Festival Internazionale del Film di Roma

For the lovers of celebrities and red carpets: Rome’s film festival takes place in October or November. The festival includes the projection of new national and international movies and meetings with directors. Most activities take place in the modern building of the Auditorium to the north of the centre.
Festival Internazionale del Film, October/November, Auditorium, Viale Pietro de Coubertin