Your cartRome is the right place where to spend the last day of your year, both for tourists and for those Italians who have decided to party in the major city of their country. There are plenty of options and you can find the best solution fitting your needs and wishes: Rome doesn’t let you want for anything!
The Italian word for New Year’s is Capodanno, literally the year’s head or the first day of the year. Since for the Italian culture food is an important part of life, the most popular tradition is to gather and have dinner together both with friends and families – at home or at the restaurant – and then going outdoor or dancing at the disco. This kind of dinner takes the name of cenone, literally a big dinner.
The main courses are lentils and the story go that if you eat them after midnight, they will bring you money! Don’t you believe in it? Neither I. But I keep on trying.
Every year the most important event in Rome is the Capodanno in the different squares, where concerts and artistic live exhibitions liven up the entire city center.
Searching for a hint? Here a list of three different kinds of experience.
Capodanno outdoor
Would you like to walk down the streets and let the city inspire you? Keep reading.
- If you decide to spend your New Year’s Eve outdoor, the annual date for all the Romans is near Imperial Forum, where both national and international artists liven up the evening. Benefit from this occasion to visit unique places: from the Colosseum, through the Roman Forum, you will get to Venezia square; then walking down Via del Corso you can reach Piazza del Popolo, and you can choose to divert the route to see both Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps.
From midnight there will be fireworks all around Rome, but the biggest show will be set at Circus Maximus. Climb up to the Janiculum and let yourself be impressed by fireworks over a stunning panorama! - Take part at “Festa di Roma 2019”. The whole area around the Circus Maximus -including the Orange Garden, the Aventine Tiber Waterfront (Lungotevere Aventino) and the Tiber Island- will be animated with live exhibitions and shows for a 24-hour party. More than a hundred performances and thousand artists from all over the country will set the area on fire.
For just one day part of the core of the city will be turned into a pedestrian area where exhibitions, performances, music, projections and art installations will create a dreamy atmosphere. The main aim is to pay homage to the moon and to the 50th anniversary of the first step onto the lunar surface.
A meeting between all the artists living and working in Rome and those who are taking part in this initiative – from 46 countries and 5 continents – to realize something for this unique city.
After midnight DJs will play music and videos until morning.
- A peculiar kind of celebration will interest some of the best bridges in Rome like Ponte della Musica, Ponte della Scienza, Ponte Sant’Angelo and Ponte Sisto: more than 500 DJs will alternate playing from 3:30 am until the next day.
Might interesting you
Capodanno at the Theatre
Are you more interested in a cultural New Year’s Eve? For sure you can’t miss one of the following shows:
- If you are passionate about music, mainly the gospel one, these are the right days to appreciate it. At the Auditorium Parco della Musica there will be the great Roma Gospel Festival, where you will have the chance to enjoy the Capodanno’s concert.
- For something special and relaxing, you can attend a special Baroque concert in the amazing Doria Pamphilj gallery.
- Furthermore at the church of St.Paul inside the Walls, the “Virtuosi dell’Opera” concert will be set on stage by some of Rome’s most talented singers.
- If you think there’s nothing like Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake to start the new year, therefore see the beautiful ballet in one of the official opera halls in Rome, the Costanza Theatre.
Capodanno for kids
Is part of those who think New Year’s Eve is exactly the opportunity to spend some time with the whole family? Well, the funfairs are the right solution for you:
- Located in the EUR district, the EUR City is a sporting club that on New Year’s Eve allows your kids to have fun skating or playing with inflatable games all night long – you can also choose to sleep there! –.
- Choose Cinecittà World to start an enthusiastic journey through lots of attractions inspired by the cinema and the TV shows. An amusement park where both adults and kids will have fun with aliens, gladiators, and You will have the chance to walk on the Moon and even on Mars! It will be open until 8 am to let your kids live an unforgettable experience.
- If you want to live a fairytale with your kids, Rainbow Magicland is the right choice! The biggest amusement park in Rome has programmed a special night: children will have fun playing and attending some shows, while you will spend your time enjoying music or theatre performances.
Do you want to welcome the new year just dancing? The discos all around the city offer both cenone and music with open bar all night long. You have just to choose the kind of music and the district you prefer.
For more details about the different events, just double check on their web site, so you can have an idea of the prices as well.
Oh, I forgot to say… According to the most renown tradition among Italians, whether you are going out with your family or with your friends, down the streets or indoor, don’t forget to wear red underwear: it will bring good luck for the coming year!
