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What’s on in Rome: Eight events not to miss this autumn

From a 'gnocchi' fair to a three-week-long jazz festival, there's a lot to look forward to in Rome over the coming months.

Published: 6 September 2024 14:25 CEST
A view of Rome from the Giardino degli Aranci garden in November
A view of Rome from the Giardino degli Aranci garden in November. Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash

Romaeuropa Festival – September 4th to November 17th

Running from Wednesday, September 4th, to Sunday, November 17th, the 39th edition of the Romaeuropa Festival will feature over 700 artists and performers from all over the globe, including the likes of South African dancer and choreographer Robyn Orlin and musicians Alva Noto and Christian Fennesz.

The stages are set over various locations across the city, including the MAXXI art gallery and Teatro Argentina. 

Find out more details on prices, times, and locations on the festival’s official website.

Gnocchi fair – September 13th to September 15th

Celebrating its 15th year, the Sagra degli Gnocchi a Castelnuovo di Porto is one you shouldn’t miss if you are a fan of the potato-based pasta.

The town where the sagra is held (Castelnuovo di Porto) is a 20-minute drive north from the Rome city centre.

View the full programme here.

READ ALSO: Sagra: The best Italian food festivals to visit in September 2024

Gnocchi are a Roman favourite. Photo by Neilson Barnard / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP.

Borgo diVino – September 13th to September 15th

Set on the same dates as the gnocchi festival in Castelnuovo di Porto, the Borgo diVino fair transforms lakeside town Nemi, southeast of Rome, into a paradise for wine lovers, who can expect to find (and sample) wines from all Italian regions.

A food area will be set up where attendees will be able to try dishes typical of the local area to accompany their wine with.

The event is free of charge to enter but a personal wine tasting tour will cost you 18 euros. You can purchase the tickets for the tasting directly at the stands or online.

Tevere Day – October 7th to October 13th

Though the name says ‘day’, this is a week-long, city-wide event dedicated to Rome’s River Tiber, which offers tours along the fiume, historical talks and a number of entertainment opportunities, including music performances and art displays.

Performing acts include neighbourhood brass band La Banda Cecafumo and Ukulele trio, Ukus In Fabula.

All the details can be found on the event’s official website.

Rome Film Fest – October 16th to October 27th 

The 19th edition of the Rome Film Fest will run from October 16th to October 27th in Parioli’s Parco della Musica Auditorium.

The festival will kick off with Berlinguer. La Grande Ambizione, starring Italian actor Elio Germano as the titular character of the former Italian politician.

This year’s edition will also pay homage to the deceased actor Marcello Mastroianni, who starred in the classic 1960 film La Dolce Vita.

The full programme for the event, which saw the likes of Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton last year, has yet to be released.

Tickets can be bought online from October 9th.

Italian actress Monica Bellucci partner Tim Burton at last year’s Rome Film Festival. Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP.

EurHop Roma Beer Festival – October 18th to October 20th

The EurHop Roma Beer Festival will return to the Salone delle Fontane, in Rome’s EUR district, on October 18th, offering participants a chance to sample 800 different types of beer from all around the world.

The selection of the participating breweries, among the best Italian and international ones, will be made by Trastevere-based pub Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà. Each attendee gets a beer glass to fill up at one of the 85 stands. 

Tickets cost nine euros apiece and can be purchased online.

READ ALSO: 15 typical Roman foods you need to try at least once

Rome Jazz Festival – November 1st to November 23rd

The 48th edition of the Roma Jazz Festival will be back at the Parco della Musica Auditorium in November.

A star-studded lineup of jazz musicians and bands from all around the globe, including Lakecia Benjamin and Bill Evans & The VansBand All Stars, are set to take the stage this year.

Further details about the scheduled shows and tickets can be found on the festival’s official website.

Roma Arte in Nuvola – November 22nd to November 24th

Held in the Nuvola building, in Rome’s EUR area, Roma Arte in Nuvola displays a collection of contemporary art by leading international artists.

The programme for the 2024 edition hasn’t been announced yet, but past editions have included works from some 150 national and international galleries. 

Updates can be found on the official website.

Do you have an autumn event in Rome that you’d like us to highlight? Let us know in the comments section below.

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ROME

Rome mulls charging tourists to visit Trevi Fountain in bid to cut crowds

Authorities in Rome said on Wednesday they were considering introducing a ticketing system for people visiting the iconic Trevi Fountain under plans to reduce crowds and promote "sustainable tourism".

Published: 4 September 2024 15:13 CEST
Rome mulls charging tourists to visit Trevi Fountain in bid to cut crowds

The backdrop to the most famous scene in Federico Fellini’s film La Dolce Vita, featuring Swedish actress Anita Ekberg, the 18th-century fountain is top of the list for many visitors exploring the Eternal City.

“Personally I would be in favour of looking at a new form of access, limited and timed, to the Trevi Fountain,” Alessandro Onorato, the city councillor responsible for tourism, told Corriere della Sera.

This would be “a [ticket] reservation system – free for Romans and costing a symbolic one euro for tourists”, he said, in quotes confirmed by the municipality.

The goal is not to raise money but control the crowds, including stopping them from “eating ice cream or pizza on a monument that deserves the proper respect”, he said.

As a result of the fountain’s fame, the crowds in the square surrounding the Baroque masterpiece are often so deep that it is hard to get a proper look.

A spokesman for the municipality told AFP the ticket proposal was merely “an initial idea – there is nothing concrete yet”.

“It is a delicate, difficult issue, but sooner or later it must be addressed,” he said.

“Tourism in Rome, which is reporting record numbers, must be made sustainable for the city and the environment.”

READ ALSO: The tram and metro closures to expect in Rome in autumn 2024

Visitor numbers are expected to surge further in 2025 for the Jubilee, a holy year held by the Catholic Church every 25 or 50 years, with some 30 million people expected in Rome and the Vatican over the 12 months.

Earlier this year, Venice trialled a five-euro ticket for day visitors during peak periods in a bid to encourage people to come at less busy times.

PM Giorgia Meloni’s government is also considering hiking Italy’s tourist tax for visitors staying in local accommodation overnight, with the proposal sparking anger among hospitality industry groups amid concerns it’ll damage operators’ international competitiveness.

READ ALSO: Italy plans tourist tax hike ahead of 2025 Jubilee

Onorato said Rome authorities would also like to limit the opening of new bed-and-breakfast or holiday homes to reduce the pressure on the historic centre, but they currently don’t have the power to do so.

“Today we can limit the number of restaurants or fast-food outlets in the historic centre, but we cannot prevent the opening of non-hotel facilities,” he said.

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