Viator Rome

Rome is one of the most popular places to visit in Italy year-round, and with good reason. On New Year’s Eve, the city gets even more popular, with Italians from other parts of Italy heading to the capital for the festivities. If you’ll be in Rome over New Year’s Eve, there are a few events going on that you can attend (most of them completely free of charge), but keep in mind that hotels in the historic center get booked quickly over the holidays – so don’t delay in making your own arrangements.

Outdoor Christmas markets are a common element to many parts of Europe during the holiday season. They’re especially typical of Germanic countries, but their popularity has made other countries adopt the tradition, too – including Italy. In Rome, there are a few places where Christmas markets spring up in the weeks before Christmas.

Rome is fascinating every time of the year, and always for a different reason but Christmas and New Year have a special impact on visitors and will certainly leave you with fond memories.

Never mind that the Vatican is across town or that Italy is an overwhelmingly Catholic country – there’s an enormous festival called Gay Village that sets up in Rome for 2.5 months every year.

A genuine remnant of Rome as it once was, this annual festival is the time the residents of Trastavere celebrate their district’s humble working-class roots. Festa di Noantri translates as Our Festival.

Summer in Rome is one long series of things to do.

From 16 June until 28 September 2012, the 35th Estate Romana brings the Eternal City alive.

1. Easter. April 8th is Easter Sunday in 2012 and both Sunday and Monday are public holidays in Italy. Rome is a very religious city and home to the Vatican so it’s a special time here. The Pope says Mass to hundreds of thousands of people who gather in St Peter’s Square at 10.15am on Easter Sunday.

On the 18th of March 2012, strap on your running shoes, pin on your entrant’s bib and perform like a gladiator. Well, sort of.
The Rome Marathon shuts down the streets and attracts thousands of runners.

March in Rome has two special days: one for him and one for her. Neither of them are official holidays but in some parts of Italy and Rome in particular, they are popular days to celebrate.

If you’re going to be in Rome during January, there are two dates to put in your calendar. The first is January 6th, Epiphany. This marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas and the end of the holiday season in Italy. In Rome it’s an important religious day and the Pope leads a morning mass in St Peter’s Basilica.