Major Events in Rome: A Calendar of Festivals, Celebrations and Sporting Fixtures

Rome has a calendar packed with celebrations all year round: religious ceremonies at the Vatican, free civic festivals, sporting fixtures, film and music festivals. Knowing them before booking a stay lets you seize the opportunities (a procession around the illuminated Colosseum, a clay-court tennis tournament) but also avoid unpleasant surprises: museums closed on public holidays, hotels full, streets blocked off. This calendar follows the year month by month. Dates vary from year to year: those of 2026 are given as an example when known, those of 2027 when announced, and in every case should be checked on the official websites. Information checked in October 2026.

The year's calendar

When	Event	Free?
March or April	Easter and Holy Week at the Vatican	Yes, ticket to book for seats
21 April	Natale di Roma, the city's birthday	Yes
May	Internazionali BNL d'Italia tennis	No
1 May	Labour Day concert in Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano	Yes
2 June	Republic Day, parade along via dei Fori Imperiali	Yes
29 June	Saints Peter and Paul, Rome's patron saints' day	Yes
July	Festa de' Noantri in Trastevere	Yes
15 August	Ferragosto, public holiday	—
October	Rome Film Festival	No
8 December	Immaculate Conception, Piazza di Spagna	Yes
December	Christmas, nativity scenes and markets	Yes

In spring: Easter, Natale di Roma, tennis

Easter and Holy Week. In 2027, Easter falls on Sunday 28 March. The Pope presides over the celebrations at the Vatican and the Good Friday Way of the Cross at the Colosseum. Everything is free, with a free ticket to book for seats: see Easter in Rome.

Natale di Roma. On 21 April, Rome celebrates its foundation with a procession of more than a thousand re-enactors, ancient rites and gladiator fights, around the Circo Massimo and the Imperial Forums. See Natale di Roma.

The Italian Open tennis. The Foro Italico tournament is played in May (5 to 17 May in 2026). Tickets only from the official website: see Italian Open tennis. Spring also brings the opening of the Rome rose garden: details in our guide to Rome in spring.

1 May. A big free concert is traditionally held in Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, in front of the Basilica of St John Lateran, with Italian artists; it runs late into the evening and the square is packed.

In summer: civic and religious festivals

Procession of the Festa de' Noantri in a Trastevere street

On 2 June, Republic Day commemorates the 1946 referendum: a military parade goes down via dei Fori Imperiali. Traffic is cut in the whole centre; nearby sites (Colosseum, Forum) remain accessible on foot.

On 29 June, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Rome's patron saints, is a public holiday in the city: Mass at St Peter's Basilica and celebrations. See feast of Saints Peter and Paul.

In July, the Festa de' Noantri, Trastevere's neighbourhood festival, combines a procession of the Virgin, stalls and concerts in the lanes. For the rest of the summer, see Rome in summer.

On 15 August, Ferragosto is a public holiday: many Romans have left and some restaurants close, but the major sites stay open.

In autumn and winter

In October, the Rome Film Festival takes place at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, with screenings and meetings, some open to the public with a ticket.

1 November (All Saints) and 8 December (Immaculate Conception) are public holidays. On 8 December, tradition has the Pope pay tribute to the Virgin at the Immaculate Conception column near Piazza di Spagna: firefighters lay a wreath of flowers there.

Christmas brings nativity scenes in the churches, the markets of Piazza Navona and the city's lights: see Christmas in Rome and Rome in winter.

Football: AS Roma and Lazio

The Stadio Olimpico during Euro 2020

Rome has two big clubs, AS Roma and Lazio, who play at the Stadio Olimpico, at the Foro Italico. The "derby della Capitale" between the two is one of the hottest matches in Italy. Tickets are often named and are bought from the clubs' official ticket offices; beware of resale. The stadium is at the Foro Italico, next to the tennis tournament site; you get there by metro line A (Ottaviano) then buses.

Our tips for the big events

Check public holidays: 1 January, 6 January, Easter Monday, 25 April, 1 May, 2 June, 29 June (in Rome), 15 August, 1 November, 8 December, 25 and 26 December are holidays. Museum hours change: check them before you come.
Book early: hotels around Easter, 25 April, 1 May and Christmas.
Crowds and security: ceremonies draw big crowds, with checks; travel light and keep your belongings in front of you. See our advice on scams to avoid.
Transport: bus lines are diverted and streets closed during processions: see getting around Rome. For concert evenings, see also Rome at night.