Joy of Rome

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Only in Summer and only in Rome

Rome is magical in the summer time, yes it’s hot – sometimes too hot – but the city comes alive and sparkles with beauty and energy unlike at any other time of the year. It will make you want to stay out all night and enjoy every drop of la dolce vita.

There are so many events to see this summer, here are just a few …

Lungo il Tevere – June until September

Every summer from early June until the end of August the banks of the Tiber become a glittering village of eateries, artisans stalls and performance spaces. Lungo il Tevere has been entertaining summer visitors and locals for the past 15 years with art, music, theatre and, of course, food. There are exhibitions of sculpture, photography and installations scattered all along the banks amongst the eateries, cafes and wine-bars. There are is improv theatre on Wednesday nights and live musical performances on Thursday nights ranging from Swing, retro folk, to choral works and classical music on Fridays.  On Saturday nights you can have the chance to hear some of Rome’s singer-songwriters and there are theatrical events on Sunday evenings.  If you’re a bicycle rider, the association hosting the event offers you free water during the day and at night if you come along with your bike you can enjoy a menu dedicated to cyclists.

Cinema All’Aperto – June until September

If you’re a cinema buff and want to practice your Italian there are several options for enjoying Cinema all’Aperto – outdoor cinema. At Piazza San Cosimata in Trastevere until August you can watch a film for free any night of the week and you can see the program here https://ilcinemainpiazza.it/. On the Tiberine Island there is L’Isola del Cinema with its 3 different screens, Arena Groupama which is 6 Euro, Cinelab which is 4 Euro and Spazio Q8 which is free. You can download the film schedules here: https://isoladelcinema.com/programma/.

Opera at The Baths of Caracalla

Summer in Rome is also filled with music and one of the highlights is the opera at the Baths of Caracalla which run until early August. This year the programme includes Bizet’s Carmen, Tosca by Puccini and Nabucco by Verdi http://www.operaroma.it/en/. You can buy their tickets online and have the chance to experience the beauty of a summer evening in Rome and a unique, ancient monument as it becomes the backdrop for classic of opera.

Luglio Suona Bene – July

If modern music is more to your taste you can take part in the concert series that flies under the banner of Luglio Suona Bene (July sounds good) where both Italian and international artists take to the stage at Rome’s Auditorium Parco della Musica. Every year different artists headline and performers range from Philip Glass, Yes, Massive Attack, Sting, Joan Baez, Mark Knopfler and Bjork just to name a few of the names who have made it Rome during the summer. You can see the full programme here http://www.auditorium.com/eventi/luglio.

Festa di Noantri, Trastevere – July

Some of Rome’s neighbouhoods have special holidays, a few of which have been celebrated for centuries such as Trastevere’s Festa di Noantri – “we others” – traditionally a celebration of the working classes of Rome. The event began as a religious procession in the 16th century after, as folk-lore says, a statue of the Virgin Mary was found by fishermen washed ashore on the banks of the Tiber River after a storm. It runs from July 16 until July 30 and still has a religious procession with the statue on the first Saturday after July 16. For the more worldly, the whole neighbourhood of Trastevere is filled with celebration for these weeks and the classic food of the working class – porchetta (roast roll of pork served in a bread roll) and beer – are available at street food stalls, restaurants spill out into the streets and musicians offer the game diners the chance to dance in each other’s arms.

Vatican night tours – April until October

One last special treat available to visitors who are in Rome during the summer months is the chance to visit the Vatican Museums on Friday nights. You can see the museum yourself and we also offer you a tour that runs for two and a half hours with our certified and knowledgeable guides. The number of tickets available for evening entrances into the museum are limited so you can avoid the crowds and heat and enjoy key sights with us by booking here: https://www.joyofrome.com/our-tours/vatican-friday-night-tour/.