The first day of March in Rome has dawned sunny and clear. But everyone knows that March is crazy.
The day may begin with promises of sun, and end with ominous thunder. It is a month that keeps you on your toes, because you never know quite what to expect.
However, you can expect plenty of things to do in Rome this month. March 2017 events in Rome include everything from live music in the museums, to lectures with prominent journalists and activists, plus some kooky markets thrown in to keep the calendar interesting. New art exhibits are also opening in Rome this month, so methinks you are in for a busy March.
Every Saturday in March: The Capitoline museums are open late every Saturday this month (4, 11, 18 and 25 March). Entrance is just €1 and includes live performances in addition to access to the exhibits. A night at the museum? More information is here.
1 March: In the biggest local rivalry of the season, Lazio plays Rome in Game 1 of the Coppa Italia semi-finals. Be prepared for a lot of charged up A.S. Roma soccer fans when the game kicks off at 8:45 pm at Stadio Olimpico.
2 March: At the latest edition of Villa Medici’s Giovedì della Villa, current fellow Olivier Kosta-Théfaine will speak at 7 pm about the art of capturing urban spaces. At 8:30 pm, a monologue set to music will be performed. Entrance is free but spots are limited. More information is available in French and Italian here.
4-5 March: Over wine? Head for the Spirt of Scotland Rome Whisky Festival. Tickets are available here.
4-5 March: Want something a little less boozy this weekend? Serra Madre, a small farm just outside the main part of the city, is hosting a weekend market. Expect guided tours of the farm, as well as live music and 60 vendors selling creative wares. Sounds dreamy to me. More information is here.
5 March: The first Sunday of the month means free entrance to many of Rome’s museums. Why not finally go see the perspective at Palazzo Spada? More information on eligible museums (in English) is here.
7-17 March: The FrancoFilm festival hosted by Institut Français Centre Saint-Louis. 16 films will be shown over the course of the festival, and you can find more information with a program here.
8 March: Watch out for lots of mimosas (sadly, simple yellow flowers – not champagne) for sale. The traditional blooms are given to women on the 8th of March. If you plan to go out to dinner, be sure to book ahead.
9 March: I am really looking forward to a discussion shared by Elizabeth Minchilli which will be held at AUR at 6 pm. The topic? Evan Kleiman, the host of the NPR radio program Good Food, will interview Fabrizio Lanza about the state of food in Italy. Entrance is free but you must register ahead of time via AUR’s website. (And please say hello after the talk if you do make it. I love chatting about Italian food culture).
15 March: Beware the Ides of March. The 15th of March is the anniversary of Julius Caesar’s assassination. There should be a reenactment in Largo Argentina, but no news released yet. It is also the day every year when a new wreath is placed on Caesar’s grave in the forum.
17 March: The ladies at Latteria Studio are hosting a Market-to-Table cooking day. You can read about my experience with this lovely day of food here.
17 March: Buon San Patrizio! Head to the Colosseum tonight to see if turn green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Feel free to celebrate with a pint in one of the Irish pubs in Rome.
18 March: Ever had a cultural misunderstanding? That’s the theme of this month’s Story Tellers event hosted by the Beehive. Join in for a glass of wine and support the brave souls willing to bare all about their experiences of being Lost in Translation.
18 March: Have you been waiting to dust off your tux and ballgown? The Irish Club of Rome is hosting its annual black tie Celtic ball. More information on the event (open to all) and the charity that will receive all the proceeds is here.
19 March: Offbeat bar/library Caffe Letterario is hosting a Japanese market from 10 am – 8 pm. There will be exhibits focused on Japanese culture and, naturally, a sushi bar.
23 March: Not an event but a warning – there is a national taxi strike called for today, so please plan accordingly!
25 March: Not to be the bearer of bad news again, but there is an EU summit planned in Rome and some people are not happy about it. There will likely be demonstrations and police are on alert for riots. Overall, Rome is a safe city, but you should be aware of your surroundings and steer clear of the protest groups if they do occur.
27 March: The University of Notre Dame Rome Global Gateway, the Italian location of the main campus in South Bend, IN one block from the Colosseum (Via Ostilia, 15) serves as a hub supporting the academic, educational, and cultural mission of the University. Your chance to take part in their events will be during the RGG Annual Lecture Series with Elisabetta Povoledo, reporter at the International New York Times in Rome who will speak at 6 pm. A flier for the event is here.
30 March – 2 April: The Irish Film Festa is back, screening classic Irish made films at the Casa del Cinema in Villa Borghese. Tickets are free on a first come first serve basis (distributed 45 minutes before each screening). A program of the films is here, as well as timing of Q&A sessions with many of the directors. All films are shown in original language with Italian subtitles.
31 March – 2 April: 30 pizza makers will be at La Città della Pizza to create 90 different pizzas for a weekend of, you guessed it, PIZZA. Entry to the event at the Ex-Caserma (which is featured in this post) is free but the pizza is not. Sad. You can buy a preloaded card the website to skip the line once you arrive and get straight down to eating.
Ongoing Exhibits in Rome
Vivian Maier: From 17 March to 18 June, an exhibit of Vivian Maier’s photography will be open at the Museo di Roma in Trastevere. I will definitely be heading out to see this one because the story behind this relative unknown street photographer is fascinating.
Giovanni Boldini: Opening at the Vittoriano 4 March, and running through 16 July is an exhibition featuring the works of Giovanni Boldini. The painter is best known for his beautiful portraits of high society Parisians.
Artemisia Gentileschi: Yes, I too still need to see the Artemisia Gentileschi exhibit. I think I was pretty clear that I don’t love the permanent collection at Palazzo Braschi, but I cannot wait to see this show and hope to try to make it this month. Artemisia Gentileschi was the only female painter who gained fame around the time of Caravaggio. The show runs until 8 May.
Letizia Battaglia: Next on my list to check out is an exhibit of vintage photos from Letitia Battaglia – ‘photographer of the mafia’ – now on show through 17 April 2017 at the Maxxi.
Still looking for more? Try my posts on things to do in Rome or get off the beaten path and explore the unexpected Rome.
This post will be updated as more information about March events in Rome becomes available.
Interesting events this month. I have yet to see the Artemisia Gentileschi exhibit too, hope I won’t leave it for last minute.
Great to be able to read what’s going on here in Rome in one post. Thank you for sharing Natalie!
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My pleasure! Always a fun one to put together!