In Rome there is a great celebration on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Leave the old year behind and start the new year well in Rome.
NNew Year’s Eve is primarily a big street party in the center of Rome. Many Romans eat at home or in the restaurant and at midnight they flock to the city center, to the Colosseum or to the lookout hills to celebrate and watch the fireworks.
New Year’s Eve traditions in Rome
If you want to be lucky in the new year, then you have to wear red underwear on New Year’s Eve, that’s the tradition. A good dose of lentils with cotechino, a kind of coarse cooked sausage, promises financial success. In the past, porcelain was also thrown out of the window, but this custom is no longer common today for safety reasons.
Events New Year’s Eve 2022/23
You can party into the New Year in many restaurants and discos.
In St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pope will celebrate a Te Deum at 5 p.m., which will be broadcast online.
On New Year’s Eve there are many concerts. Don Quixote at the Roman Opera, in historic Roman churches the Three Tenors and other concerts.
A very special atmosphere offers the Palace Doria Pamphilij for a baroque concert.
The City festival
The city of Rome organizes a great festival for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day every year.
However, the program of the festival is a big secret almost until the last moment. Thus, it is also not yet known whether it will be held in the Circus Maximus or in Piazza del Popolo.
The agency commissioned by the Cultural Department of the Municipality is known for organizing a potpourri of creative people from all parts of society who put their arts at the service of the community.
The celebration is articulated in a concert with shows and fireworks on New Year’s Eve. On January 1 there will be exhibitions, interactive squares, performance and parades in the city center.
In addition, it can be expected that the museums in Rome will be open, since on the 1st Sunday of each month in the municipal museums and in the national museums the entrance is free.
Fireworks on New Years Eve
At midnight there is a fireworks display of the Roman municipal utilities. However, the private fireworks displays in the city are also interesting. Many Romans flock to vantage points like the Pincio and the Gianicolo to have a good look at them.
Private fireworks have been banned in Rome on New Year’s Eve for years. That has never stopped Romans from greeting the New Year with big bangs and fireworks.
Even the curfew imposed because of Corona on New Year’s Eve 2020 did not stop the Romans from the fireworks. They began already, while in the live broadcast Gianna Nannini at midnight still sobbed “io ti voglio”. Afterwards, the mayor gave a short speech and in the background you could see the most beautiful fireworks.
A member of our Facebook group has documented in this video what was going on New Year’s Eve 2021.
Watch fireworks
You can watch the fireworks in Rome very well from the various viewpoints. Many Romans come to the terraces of the Gianicolo or the Pincio. You can also admire the fireworks at the city festival.
On New Year’s Eve it is mostly windy and very cold and you need to dress warmly accordingly,
Buy fireworks in Rome
In the supermarkets in Rome you will only find adult free fireworks. There are very few specialized shops in Rome selling real fireworks. The addresses can be found on the internet under the search term “vendita fuochi d’artificio Roma”.
Before New Year’s Eve, long lines formed in front of the fireworks and it may take several hours to get your turn. If you want to crack properly, you should already stock up two to three days before.
Rome New Year 2023
At New Years it is very quiet in Rome. Many Romans went to bed very late.
Therefore, January 1 is a very quiet day. You can take a walk around the city or a trip to the sea or the mountains. In our category 3 days in Rome you will find many suggestions.
The city festival offers various parades, exhibitions and events.
At 12 noon Pope Francis will pray the Angelus prayer, which you can attend in St. Peter’s Square. Also at 12 o’clock there is the traditional jump from the Cavour Bridge into the Tiber.
Museums
On January 1, the museums of the Municipality of Rome and the National Museums are expected to be open and free admission. Last New Year’s Day they opened at 2 pm. Opening hours on Jan. 1, 2023, are not yet known.
The Vatican Museums will be closed on Jan. 1.
Restaurants
Many restaurants are open on January 1st. If you want an extensive menu or a brunch, you should make a reservation.
Amusement parks
New Year’s Eve at Luneur
The Luneur amusement park is located in the EUR district. Luneur celebrates New Year’s Eve with Christmas decorations and mythical creatures. You can find the opening times in the calendar.
Via delle Tre Fontane, 100
Bus 30, 170, 714, 791 Colombo/Agricoltura
Public transportation
There is an extended timetable on New Year’s Eve.
The metro runs on December 31 until 2:30 a.m. The line to Ostia Lido and the line Rome-Flaminia Montebello run until 2:30 a.m. From 2:30 to 8:00 along the metro lines and the line to Ostia Lido run the buses nMA-nMB-nMB1-nMC-nME.
On January 1, the metro runs from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. After that, nMA-nMB-nMB1-nMC buses run along metro lines A, B and C.
Bus and tram: Last departure on Dec. 31 at 9:00 p.m., except for lines H-2-128-170-200-280-301-336-544-766-881-905, which run until 2:30 a.m.. In addition, the night bus line n913 runs from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
On 1st January the holiday schedule starts from 8 a.m.
Information on long distance bus and rail connections can be found on Trainline.
The weather on New Year’s Eve
It’s cold on New Year’s Eve. It is windy at the viewpoints and if you want to light fireworks you should have a storm lighter with you.
If you want to party outside at night, you need warm clothes and gloves. The probability of rain can be found in the current weather report.
The holy Sylvester
Sylvester was bishop of Rome in the years 314-335. He was buried on the 31st of December and he is celebrated on that day.
During the rule of Pope Sylvester occurred the Christianization of the state by Emperor Constantine and four important basilicas were built: St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John and Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. Many other churches were built during his rule over the graves of martyrs. He is venerated in the Basilica of San Silvestro e Martino in Monti in Viale del Monte Oppio 28.
Good job leaving a note where tourists can buy fireworks and bypass the ban. It’s not like there is any good reason for such a ban.
Maybe a link to hundreds of birds that die from fireworks should educate the author of this article and the uneducated tourists who do not care about wildlife.
We pointed out the ban. In fact, the fireworks this year were probably more extensive than usual. We doubt whether our article has made a significant contribution to this. Obviously, many Romans felt the need to chase away the spirits of 2020 and to welcome a new, better year.
Bird protection is of course important. Perhaps, in this regard, it would be helpful to restrain the seagull plague that is devouring all other birds.
Great information, thank you! 🙂
Thank you 🙂 , have fun!