October is easily one of my favorites months to be in Rome.
The weather is perfect – chilly in the mornings and evenings, but still sunny most of the days. We even are sometimes blessed with an “ottobrata Romana” or Indian Summer.
However, I won’t lie: my heart skipped a beat when I realized it was really October. It is a month of undeniable changes. The month when autumn arrives and minds start to turn to the end of the year.
This October in Rome, there is already plenty to plan for in terms of wine tastings, beer festivals and pasta events. What’s more – Rome is hosting some the of the best exhibits that I’ve seen in years.
Here’s what to do this October in Rome:
All Month: The 2017 edition of the RomaEuropa festival is underway with various dance performances, concerts and theatre events in venues across the city
Every weekend: Vintage shoppers need to head to Mercato Monti for the pop up every weekend.
1 October: The first Sunday of the month always means Domenica al Museo – when many of the state museums are free. Some require that you show proof of residency (looking at you, Centrale Montemartini), but other sites like the Colosseum and Terme di Caracalla are totally free.
1 October: Head out to enjoy a glass of vino at the grand opening of Rome’s new wine bar, Moggio.
4 October: There are a few spaces left for the Unplugged in Monti performance by Raoul Vignal at Black Market.
5-15 October: The Globe Theater in Villa Borghese is performing Much Ado About Nothing in English.
6-8 October: Beer lovers unite! The EurHOP festival runs for three days to bring you some amazing craft beer out in EUR.
6-8 October: Eataly is hosting a cacio e pepe festival this weekend. It’s my favorite pasta, so if you can’t make this event, make sure to try the best cacio e pepe in Rome, according to my favorite bloggers.
7 October: Australian band Cookin’ on 3 Burners will perform at the Live Alcazar. Tickets start at €10.
7 October: Ottobrata Romana is the theme of this month’s open night at Mercato Testaccio because when else does the butcher offer to grill your meat AND sell you beer?
8-9 October: If Rum is your drink of choice, you should know that more than 70 exhibitors will be at the A.Roma – Lifestyle Hotel & Conference Center for the ShowRUM Tasting Competition. The two day event will feature cocktails made by some of the best Italian bartenders, seminars and masterclasses.
9-14 October: Rome Art Week brings a week full of open studios from local artists. A full schedule will be available here.
13 October: Diana Krall is in concert at the Auditorium Parco della Musica. Tickets are available here.
15 October: Red Bull Flying Bach – a breakdance performance set to the music of Bach – will take place at Teatro Olimpico. CANCELLED
21 October: Our friend Peter sets out today for a 400 km solo trek from the west coast to the east coast of Italy. I highly recommend following along via Walk with Peter, as he hikes to earn funds for towns impacted by the earthquake last year.
21 October: Like telling or hearing great stories? Story Tellers Rome returns to the Beehive tonight for a tales around the theme Life or Death. The free event runs from 7 – 9 pm and refreshments will be available to purchase.
22 October: Support heart health with a run in the Giudo Reni district of Rome today. There is a 10km competitive race, but you can also sign up for noncompetitive 10k and 5k stretches, or a 1k kid’s walk. More information on the Cardio race (and services like heart checkups during the fair) is here.
22 October: You have a chance to sample 400 of the best wineries in Italy today at the Sheraton in Rome. Gambero Rosso is hosting the event, and inviting only the wines which they have awarded with the highest mark of “tre bicchiere.” Tickets are available here.
23 October: I’ll be heading to Alembic Bar in Trastevere tonight to try an evening of Paint & Wine, hosted by Lauren Lombardo – an artist from New York.
24 October: Starting on October 24th, and continuing every Tuesday from there, Italian food blog Puntarella Rossa is partnering with Eggs to host a carbonara cooking class.
26 October – 5 November: The Festa del Cinema returns with various screenings and events for movie lovers.
27 October: Not a fun one, but you should know that there is a general strike in Italy today. In Rome, that means that there will be a metro strike at least from 8:30 am – 12:30 am. Here is more information on using Uber in Italy (and other transport apps), in case you get stuck. Trains and other services like trash collection will also be impacted.
29 October: Daylight savings starts at 2 am Sunday morning! Be sure to set your clocks back one hour.
29 October: The Vatican Museums are free today, with entrance offered until 1:30 pm. Good luck with the line (though this is probably one of the best months to try the free day).
Ongoing October Exhibits in Rome:
Picasso – Between Cubism and Classicism 1915-1925: To celebrate 100 years since Picasso’s 1917 trip to Italy, the Scuderie del Quirinale is hosting 100 works completed by Picasso between 1915 and 1925. The show, which includes many of Picasso’s cubist paintings, will run through January 22, 2018.
Monet: Impressionism more your style? From October 18 to 28 January, the Vittoriano will have 60 works from Paris’ Musée Marmottan Monet on display.
Renato Guttuso. Un uomo innamorato: La Galleria Nazionale is hosting a special exhibit with 23 works by Sicilian painting Renato Guttoso from 3 October – 26 November. The pieces will be hung alongside other art from the private collection of former museum director Paola Bucarelli.
Enjoy: An exhibit of installations at Chiostro del Bramante are currently on show to highlight “where art meets fun.” ENJOY runs through 25 February 2018.
Boom, Beat, Bubble: The Japanese Cultural Institute has partnered with the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna on a new show that features Japanese prints from the 1960s, 70s and 80s. It is your last chance to see the show, which runs through 18 October at the Istituto Giapponese di Cultura via Antonio Gramsci 74.
L’Ara com’era: Through October 14th, you can see the Ara Pacis as it was. Using virtual reality, the temple dedicated to the Roman goddess Pax is brought back to life. The exhibit runs from 8:45 pm to midnight on Fridays and Saturday nights. Groups are split by language, and booking information is available on the Ara Pacis website.
Hokusai: As one Ara Pacis event ends, another begins. 200 works by Hokusai will be on display from 12 October to 14 January 2018.
Unmissable Marilyn: Over 200 objects once owned by Marilyn Monroe are on display at the Palazzo degli Esami in Trastevere through 5 November.
This post will be updated as more information on October Events in Rome becomes available.
Still looking for more? Try my posts on things to do in Rome including 50 free things to do in Rome.
For even more suggestions of what to do, see and eat, get the Discover Rome App for iPhone or Android.
The rose garden on the Aventine Hill is also open from the 1st-15th!
Oh really? That’s great since it is usually only available to visit in May and June. Thank you!
Hello! I will be visiting from Nov 18-26 and was wondering if you could help me glimpse into what events will be happening during that time? Or direct me to what websites to search? Or any help in general would be nice. Thank you!
Hello! I publish this monthly events calendar every month on the 1st. The exhibits listed at the end will still be happening in November, and you can check zero.eu for music suggestions.
Wonderful site and thank you for suggestions, Redbull break dancing, however, has been annulled. Sorry about that one.
oh! It sounded very unique..