This may be a short month, but there is still plenty on the calendar when it comes to things to do. The February 2018 Events in Rome are satisfyingly packed with wine tastings, cultural dinners and concerts. While the weather has been mild so far this winter, there are also some stunning museum exhibits which offer plenty of excuses to head indoors to escape the cold and rain.
One of the events that will be taking place without a large organized gathering is Carnevale. Though much humbler than Venice’s costumed parties, families in Rome also celebrate this holiday. Children will dress up and throw confetti, while revelers of any age indulge in fried sweets like frappe and castagnole that are only sold in bakeries for a short time each year.
Without further ado, here is what to do in Rome this month!
February 2018 Events in Rome
2 February: Support a good cause and enjoy some delicious cuisine at the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center’s Kurdish Cultural Dinner. Book ahead to ensure a spot.
2-3 February: The stunning Villa Aurelia of the American Academy of Rome will host two free concerts on Friday and Saturday nights at 8:30 pm. Performances will be by the renowned Scharoun Ensemble of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, but cannot be booked in advance so plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early.
3-10 February: See another side of urban Rome with the first edition of the TorPigna Street Art Festival. The event will highlight the area’s street art resurgence, as well as feature live painting and music.
4 February: Rugby fans should rejoice as Six Nations returns to Rome. Italy will take on England at the Stadio Olimpico, and tickets to see the match are available here. Or head to an Irish pub in Rome to catch all the matches being played abroad as well.
4 February: The first Sunday of the month always means Domenica al Museo, when many museums and cultural sites like the Colosseum offer free entry. Why not stop by one of Rome’s best art museums?
14 February: Ash Wednesday marks the official start of Lent. Check the Vatican’s schedule for more about the Pope’s planned masses.
15-18 February: Want to try the best wine in Italy under one single roof? I Migliori Vini Italiani will bring together 100 producers serving 600 wines for a delicious vino weekend in EUR. This is one of my favorite tasting opportunities of the year. Tickets are available for €20 here.
16 February: For those more interested in classic Italian music, the Youth Concert Band from Langley High School will be performing pieces by Puccini, Rossini and more in a free concert which starts at 8 pm in Oratorio del Caravita.
17 February: Record lovers should flock to the Città dell’altra Economia for Roma Vinyl Village. The music fair runs from 10 am – 8 pm, and there will be DJ sets in addition to vinyl for sale.
18 February: Keep the old school vibes going with a trip to shop at The Vintage Room Market for clothes, accessories, and yes, more vinyl.
25 February: The Vatican Museums are free to visit before 1:30 pm – but be prepared for a line up!
Ongoing February Exhibits in Rome
Monet: Due to its popularity, the gorgeous impressionist Monet Exhibit has been extended. The Vittoriano will have 60 works from Paris’ Musée Marmottan Monet on display through 3 June 2018.
Citazioni pratiche: Fornasetti a Palazzo Altemps: A gorgeous exhibit of over 800 items from the Fornsetti design archives are currently on display at the already beautiful Palazzo Altemps through May 6, 2018.
Magnum Manifesto: Head to the Ara Pacis for a photography exhibit highlighting the most historically poignant photos from 70 years of Magnum photojournalism archives. The exhibit starts 7 February 2018 and runs through June 3rd.
Enjoy: It is your last chance to see the installations at Chiostro del Bramante that are currently on show to highlight “where art meets fun.” The last day of the ENJOY exhibit is 25 February 2018.
This post will be updated as more information about February 2018 events in Rome becomes available.
I stumbled across your blog this afternoon! I absolutely love it! I will be going to Rome this February and your posts have been incredibly helpful! Literally, everything I was going to search on google you already had made a blog post about! What are the odds! I can’t wait to try the coffee and pastries at Roscioli, visit the souvenir shops you mentioned, and check out the bars! Thank you so much!
Ciao Monica! I am so glad 🙂 Have a great trip!
Ciao Natalie! I love your blog! I just wanted to add that this month is also carnival and there are going to be some pretty amazing parades and celebrations going on in Frascati on the 4th, 8th, 11th, and 13th in the PM. I run ‘The Old Frascati Wine Tour’ which brings guests to the historic center of Frascati before heading out to our historic winery. Carnival is one of my favorite times of year in Frascati because people go completely nuts and everybody dresses up and celebrates in the streets! Let me know if you’d ever like to come out!
http://www.oldfrascati.com
Thanks, Dominique! It is good to know because the city of Rome is having issues with Carnival plans this year!