A cinema with Colosseum views, a firework show designed by Michelangelo 500 years ago, electronic music festival and truly local traditions.
This Summer in Rome you will find loads of things to do. Read everything, book asap (if needed) and mark the dates on your calendars!
Venus in Music – concerts at the temple of Venus
Among all the locations in Rome, this is for sure one of the most special ones!
The location is the temple of Venus, which overlooks directly the Colosseum. And in this magical venue there will be concerts and theatre shows from June 18th to 26th.
Performing in this special location there will be: Buena Vista Social Club, Cabaret Voltaire and more.
These concerts will be for free and online booking is mandatory and this link: https://www.eventbrite.it/cc/venere-in-musica-2026-4847071
Tickets will sell out soon, so be quick!
Cinema in Piazza – outdoor cinema every night at 9:15PM
Every summer Rome offers a lot of outdoor events, such as outdoor cinemas!
The Piccolo America association returns this month with the so-called “Cinema in Piazza” (cinema in the square).
There will be three locations: Piazza San Cosimato in Trastevere, Monte Ciocci and Cervelletta.
Free entrance, no booking necessary. All the movies start at 9:15PM. Movies will be in original language with Italian subtitles. In case of Italian movies there will be English subtitles.
Here you can find the full program: https://ilcinemainpiazza.it/
Opera at Circo Massimo 2026
From June 29th until July 31st, the Circus Maximus will host the Summer events of the Rome Opera. What better place than the ancient Roman chariot race track to enjoy a night at the opera under the stars?
Among the shows there will also be the Gladiator movie by Ridley Scott, with live music from the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma Orchestra and Chorus; the Aida and Romeo and Juliet.
More info on the official website.
Lungo il Tevere (Along the Tiber) – markets and bars along the river
From beginning of June until end of August, “Lungo il Tevere” returns! The Tiber river banks illuminate with lights, music and entertainment.
From 7PM stands of food, drinks and little markets make a really cool background to your stroll along the river. You can find pizza, burgers, seafood and bars.
Free entry, no ticket required. Stands are located between Ponte Sisto (access by Piazza Trilussa, in Trastevere) and Ponte Sublicio.
For more info: http://www.lungoiltevereroma.it/
“Girandola” fireworks at Castel Sant’Angelo – June 29th
This firework show is a re-enactment of an ancient show designed by none other than.. Michelangelo!
He designed this on occasion of the celebration of the patron saints of Rome: St Peter and St Paul, which is celebrated every year on June 29th.
The show was called “Girandola” and it took place every year since the 1500s until the 1800s.
Then it stopped and it was reinstated only in recent years, always on the same date: June 29th
The firework show usually start at 9PM/9:30PM and last about 20 mins. The exact time will be announced closer to the date. The best viewpoints we experienced are around Ponte Sant’Angelo and on Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II.
Rock in Roma 2026/ June 9th to July 18th
If you’re visiting Rome during the summer, check whether Rock in Roma is on while you’re in town. Running throughout June and July, the festival features dozens of concerts by Italian and international artists in open-air venues, such as Ippodromo Capannelle and Cavea at the Auditorium, making it one of the city’s top seasonal events. It’s a great way to experience Rome’s vibrant nightlife beyond the historic landmarks.
Among the artists of the 2026 edition there will be: One Republic, Ben Harper, the Offsprings, Marylin Manson and more!
All the info here: https://rockinroma.com/lineup-2026/
Videocittà – The Festival of Vision and Digital Culture
This festival is for you if you are into electronic music, digital culture and innovation.
Videocittà is a festival that takes place in an incredible location: the industrial archaeological site of the Gazometer of Rome. Which fits so much with the context of the festival itself.
There will be immersive experiences, video art, talks, lie and augmented reality performances. Dates are July 10-12.
More info and tickets: https://www.videocitta.com/
Cinema at the Temple of Venus
POV: you’re watching a movie in an outdoor cinema, you look to your right and you see the Colosseum illuminated at night.
This is surely one of the most spectacular outdoor cinemas in the world!
Right on the ruins of the Temple of Venus and Roma and overlooking the Colosseum, the archaeological park organized 10 days of outdoor cinema. The theme of the movies that will be screened this year is the relationship between horror and parody, with movies such as The Fearless Vampire Killers of Roman Polanski, Nosferatu of Werner Herzog, Young Frankenstein of Mel Brooks.
There will be 10 movies screened in original language from July 7th to July 16th. Each night the movies will be introduced by directors, writers, actors or journalists.
Free entry, but reservation is required. For info on bookings and the full movie schedule go to this link.
Caracalla Baths by Night – special opening on July 23rd
This Summer you have the chance to visit the ancient Baths of Caracalla by night! This ancient Roman bath complex was a gigantic structure able to accomodate up to 1500 people at the same time.
It was an ancient “spa”, where the Romans would experience a sequence of rooms at different temperatures, just like our modern spas today! Caracalla’s baths are the biggest thermal bath ruins in Rome. And the magical atmosphere of the ruins illuminated at night is so special that in the Summer it also becomes the background of concerts and ballets.
On specific dates you’ll be able to access the magic of Caracalla’s baths illuminated at night. The dates are:
- July 16th
- July 23rd
- August 2nd
- September 19th
- September 26th
- October 15th
You can find all the details and tickets at this link: https://portale.museiitaliani.it/b2c/buyTicketless/c763f66b-8295-4800-a92d-b96a26659396
Opera at Circo Massimo 2026
From June 29th until July 31st, the Circus Maximus will host the Summer events of the Rome Opera. What better place than the ancient Roman chariot race track to enjoy a night at the opera under the stars?
Among the shows there will also be the Gladiator movie by Ridley Scott, with live music from the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma Orchestra and Chorus; the Aida and Romeo and Juliet.
More info on the official website.
Festa de’ Noantri in Trastevere – July 26th
This is a truly local celebration happening in the heart of Trastevere since 1535!
The Festa de’ Noantri is a festival that will take place for about a week in at the end on July.
The grand finale on July 26th includes a procession of the cedar wood statue of the Madonna boarded on a boat and traveling along the Tiber river until it reaches Trastevere. When arrived at Ponte Garibaldi, the procession will transfer on the land and continue until the basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere.
Something very unique and local to see if you are around these days!
To learn more about this celebration, read this: “Festa de’ Noantri”: a truly local celebration in Trastevere, Rome
Discover Rome “behind-the-scenes” with us!
If you want to make your Rome trip special and looking for something fun, unique, personal… you’re in the right place!
Our small group walking tours grew from the legacy of our media content online, meaning that we focus on showing you Rome “behind-the-scenes”.
We explore the iconic neighborhoods of Rome where you get to discover lots of hidden gems and secrets hiding in plain sight, that most tourists miss.
And we do it in small groups only, to keep the experience personal and interactive 😊
Discover more about how our Rome tours work, the best Rome tours or browse all our small-group tours to see the experiences currently available.
