There is frappe in the bakeries and confetti in the streets, which means it must be Carnevale in Italy.
We will be heading north to Ivrea for the festivities, but there is plenty on around Rome this month as the whole city seems to be embracing the belief that this mild weather might be our real winter. No hibernation required this year, so get out a see what is on around Rome in February.
5 February: As Italy enters Carnevale mode, adults can get in on the dress up fun with a 1950s themed party Ballo Incanto Sotto il Mare at the Quirinetta. €15 will get you access to the ball, which boasts live music and DJs from 10:30 pm to 4:30 am. For more information on where to buy tickets, check here.
9 February: Martedì Grasso (Fat Tuesday) – the culmination of Carnevale. While Halloween is just barely catching on, in Italy it is carnevale when the kids go all out. Watch for plenty of costumes in the streets. There is an official website, that will make you forget that it is 2016 and flashback straight to 1999. It is… not helpful. The OTHER official site just loads a blank page for me (also not helpful) so I will have to update with any information I can reliably suss out.
9 February: I am excited to attend the opening of Cinque Mostre at the American Academy in Rome. The 2016 edition is entitled “Across the Board: Parts of a Whole.” Opening night in the AAR gallery will be from 6-9 pm. It will remain open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, from 4pm to 7pm through 3 April, 2016.
11 – 14 February: Opening Thursday night, the main tastings really kick off Friday and run through the weekend at I Migliori Vini Italiani. If you want to taste all of the best Italian wines in one location, I think that this event is an amazing deal. For €20, you’ll be given a wine glass and free reign to stop at try any pour from any producer. For a full list of wineries, check here. Friday to Sunday, the event opens at 4 pm with the last entrance at 11 pm Friday-Saturday and 10 pm on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased at the door at Salone delle Fontane, or online up to 6 days before the event. For more information check the website.
13 February: At 8 pm, The Eatery is hosting one of their fabulous and intimate pop up dinners. Email [email protected] for reservations.
14 February: Vintage Market at the Quirinetta brings together retro accessories, local designers and vintage vinyl under one roof. The event is free entry and runs from 11 am to 8 pm, with DJ sets to liven up the shopping experience.
14 February: At 3pm, Italy plays England in Rugby as part of the 2016 Six Nations match up in Stadio Olimpico. Tickets are available. We had fun at the Ireland/Italy match last year!
27 February: At 3:25 pm, Italy and Scotland kick off in a Six Nations Rugby match at Stadio Olimpico. Check the official site for tickets.
29 February: Only 35 spots are available for a speakeasy masterclass with the Jerry Thomas Project and Tony Conigliaro, a world renowned bartender and author of The Cocktail Lab. For information and to reserve, check here and email as directed. Update: sold out!
Ongoing Exhibitions in Rome:
Impressionists and Modern: Ending soon! 62 works from the Phillips collection in Washington, including art by Goya, Van Gogh, Rothko and Picasso, to name a few! On through 14 February 2016 at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni. Husband’s review: the show is fantastic.
Tale of Costumes: There is still time for fashion lovers to visit LV. Through 31 March, Louis Vuitton has opened a new exhibit at its flagship stores in Rome and Venice. Located in Rome’s Spazio Etoile, the show is focused on movie costume design. Perfect if you were looking for a “cultural” excuse to visit Louis Vuitton!
James Tissot: Just a few weeks left to see the first Italian exhibit of the French painter James Tissot. We went to the exhibition and I loved it! It is a bit pricey at €13, but the collection of art is beautiful and it has a heavy focus on fashion (which might be why I loved it). Tissot is on through 21 February 2016 at Chiostro del Bramante.
Toulouse-Lautrec: A collection of works created by the French artist between 1891 and 1900 on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest. The show is being held at the Museo dell’Ara Pacis, in the nuovo spazio espositivo Ara Pacis. Tickets are €11 for the exhibit alone, or €17 for the exhibit plus entrance to the Ara Pacis. On through 8 May 2016. UPDATE with Husband’s review: Mainly lithographs, and quite frankly a little disappointing. Boo.
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