Wondering what is happening in February in Rome? The truth is that this is one of the quietest periods to be in the city if you are a visitor. After the peak around Christmas and through early January, things settle into a predictably slow winter pattern. Even though the crowds are gone, there are still plenty of February 2020 events in Rome to keep you busy.
February is the peak time for carnevale, so be sure to try the seasonal sweets like frappe and castagnole while dodging sugar-hyped kids in costumes. This is also your last chance to take advantage of winter sales or saldi.
Some of the world-class exhibits currently in Rome are also coming to a close – which should be enough to tempt you out of the house even on these short, gray days.
February 2020 Events in Rome
2 February: First free Sunday is officially back. You can get into sites like the Colosseum and Capitoline Museums for free today. Expect lines, but they might be manageable considering this is low season in the city.
3 February: Former UK Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and poet Ella Duffy will have a reading at St. Stephen’s School at 7 pm. Admission is free but you must register here and bring ID.
3 February: Unfortunately, there is a 24-hour transport strike in Rome which will impact buses, the metro, and local trains. Here’s what strikes mean in Italy.
7 February: Today is National Fettuccine Alfredo Day! Now, fettuccine alfredo is NOT a national dish in Italy. However, Alfredo alla Scrofa, the restaurant which claims to have invented the original (cream-free) version is located in Rome. They are having a fundraiser for charity but you can go any day to sample their cheesy fettuccine.
8-9 February: Formaticum, an event dedicated to rare Italian cheeses, returns to Rome this weekend. Bored with Parmigiano Reggiano and mozzarella? This is the place for real cheese heads to be.
14 February: February 14th is San Valentino in Rome, as well! Be sure to book a romantic restaurant and enjoy the day with your sweetie. For something a bit different, you can also make a pilgrimage to see the skull of St. Valentine, which is located in the same church as the Mouth of Truth.
15 February: Tonight you can catch Liam Gallagher in concert at Palazzo dello Sport in EUR.
22 February: Italy plays Scotland in Rome today as part of the Six Nations Rugby tournament. Expect to see a few kilts around the city.
25 February: Today is the official celebration of carnevale in Rome. Be sure to check the Roma website for information on events (as there is often something held at Piazza del Popolo but it was not confirmed at the time of writing this post).
26 February: Today is Ash Wednesday, a religious holiday and the start of Lent in the Catholic Church. Events will be held at St. Peter’s.
Exhibitions in Rome February 2020
Bacon, Freud, and the School of London: There are only a couple of weeks left to see the highly anticipated exhibit of works by artists Francia Bacon and Lucian Freud. The paintings from London are only on display at Chiostro del Bramante through 23 February 2020.
Villa Medici: The French Academy in Rome is collaborating with the Louvre on a show known as A Modern Antiquity through 1 March 2020.
Impressonisti Segreti: This exhibit of 50 impressionist paintings from private collections that are rarely seen in public is one of the best shows that I have seen in Rome in a long time. It is also a wonderful chance to see The palazzo is right on Piazza Venezia and the show runs through 8 March 2020. The paintings are all displayed in the former apartments, so the pricey show (€15 a ticket) is worth it to experience to the grandeur of the palace in addition to the rare artwork currently on its walls.
Palazzo Rhinoceros: Head to the Alda Fendi Esperimenti art space to see a masterpiece by El Greco on loan from the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. The painting can be seen for free through March 15, 2020.
Note: This post will be updated as more information on February 2020 Events in Rome are released.
https://www.leggo.it/italia/roma/roma_fettuccine_s_night_vero_alfredo_musica_gusto-5020316.html
http://www.metronews.it/20/02/02/il-vero-alfredo-celebra-le-fettuccine.html
HISTORY OF ALFREDO DI LELIO CREATOR IN 1908 OF “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), NOW SERVED BY HIS NEPHEW INES DI LELIO, AT THE RESTAURANT “IL VERO ALFREDO” – “ALFREDO DI ROMA” IN ROME, PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE 30 – NATIONAL FETTUCCINE ALFREDO DAY
With reference to your article I have the pleasure to tell you the history of my grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of “Fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”) in 1908 in the “trattoria” run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi). This “trattoria” of Piazza Rosa has become the “birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
More specifically, as is well known to many people who love the “fettuccine all’Alfredo”, this famous dish in the world was invented by Alfredo Di Lelio concerned about the lack of appetite of his wife Ines, who was pregnant with my father Armando (born February 26, 1908).
Alfredo di Lelio opened his restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 in Rome and in 1943, during the war, he sold the restaurant to others outside his family.
In 1950 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 “Il Vero Alfredo” (“Alfredo di Roma”), whose fame in the world has been strengthened by his nephew Alfredo and that now managed by me, with the famous “gold cutlery” (fork and spoon gold) donated in 1927 by two well-known American actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (in gratitude for the hospitality).
See the website of “Il Vero Alfredo”.
I must clarify that other restaurants “Alfredo” in Rome do not belong and are out of my brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma”.
The restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo” is in the Registry of “Historic Shops of Excellence – section on Historical Activities of Excellence” of the Municipality of Roma Capitale.
Best regards Ines Di Lelio
IN ITALIANO
STORIA DI ALFREDO DI LELIO, CREATORE DELLE “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), E DELLA SUA TRADIZIONE FAMILIARE PRESSO IL RISTORANTE “IL VERO ALFREDO” (“ALFREDO DI ROMA”) IN PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE A ROMA – NATIONAL FETTUCCINE ALFREDO DAY
Con riferimento al Vostro articolo ho il piacere di raccontarVi la storia di mio nonno Alfredo Di Lelio, inventore delle note “fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”).
Alfredo Di Lelio, nato nel settembre del 1883 a Roma in Vicolo di Santa Maria in Trastevere, cominciò a lavorare fin da ragazzo nella piccola trattoria aperta da sua madre Angelina in Piazza Rosa, un piccolo slargo (scomparso intorno al 1910) che esisteva prima della costruzione della Galleria Colonna (ora Galleria Sordi).
Il 1908 fu un anno indimenticabile per Alfredo Di Lelio: nacque, infatti, suo figlio Armando e videro contemporaneamente la luce in tale trattoria di Piazza Rosa le sue “fettuccine”, divenute poi famose in tutto il mondo. Questa trattoria è “the birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
Alfredo Di Lelio inventò le sue “fettuccine” per dare un ricostituente naturale, a base di burro e parmigiano, a sua moglie (e mia nonna) Ines, prostrata in seguito al parto del suo primogenito (mio padre Armando). Il piatto delle “fettuccine” fu un successo familiare prima ancora di diventare il piatto che rese noto e popolare Alfredo Di Lelio, personaggio con “i baffi all’Umberto” ed i calli alle mani a forza di mischiare le sue “fettuccine” davanti ai clienti sempre più numerosi.
Nel 1914, a seguito della chiusura di detta trattoria per la scomparsa di Piazza Rosa dovuta alla costruzione della Galleria Colonna, Alfredo Di Lelio decise di aprire a Roma il suo ristorante “Alfredo” che gestì fino al 1943, per poi cedere l’attività a terzi estranei alla sua famiglia.
Ma l’assenza dalla scena gastronomica di Alfredo Di Lelio fu del tutto transitoria. Infatti nel 1950 riprese il controllo della sua tradizione familiare ed aprì, insieme al figlio Armando, il ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” (noto all’estero anche come “Alfredo di Roma”) in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 (cfr. il sito web di Il Vero Alfredo).
Con l’avvio del nuovo ristorante Alfredo Di Lelio ottenne un forte successo di pubblico e di clienti negli anni della “dolce vita”. Successo, che, tuttora, richiama nel ristorante un flusso continuo di turisti da ogni parte del mondo per assaggiare le famose “fettuccine all’Alfredo” al doppio burro da me servite, con l’impegno di continuare nel tempo la tradizione familiare dei miei cari maestri, nonno Alfredo, mio padre Armando e mio fratello Alfredo. In particolare le fettuccine sono servite ai clienti con 2 “posate d’oro”: una forchetta ed un cucchiaio d’oro regalati nel 1927 ad Alfredo dai due noti attori americani M. Pickford e D. Fairbanks (in segno di gratitudine per l’ospitalità).
Desidero precisare che altri ristoranti “Alfredo” a Roma non appartengono e sono fuori dal mio brand di famiglia.
Vi informo che il Ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” è presente nell’Albo dei “Negozi Storici di Eccellenza – sezione Attività Storiche di Eccellenza” del Comune di Roma Capitale.
Grata per la Vostra attenzione ed ospitalità nel Vostro interessante blog, cordiali saluti
Ines Di Lelio
The real Fettuccine’s King is not Alfredo alla Scrofa. The Original Alfredo is placed on Piazza Augusto Imperatore https://www.ilveroalfredo.it/en/history/
He was named Alfredo di Lelio, Creator of Fettuccine all’Alfredo and start his activity 6 years in advance
Armando Di Lelio (Alfredo II) left the restaurant in Via della Scrofa in 1946, and sold it to two of the waiters (Urbano e Ubaldo).
In 1950, Alfredo Di Lelio (Alfredo I) decided to hand the reins and opening with his son Armando a new restaurant in Rome, “Il Vero Alfredo” in Piazza Augusto Imperatore 30, where currently continues the family tradition managed by his son Armando until 1982 and now by his son Alfredo (Alfredo III) with his sister Ines
Belive me, real Alfredo’s fettuccine are really different