Discovering the best things to do in Rome in July
Rome, the eternal city, is always a fantastic destination, but the summer months bring an extra dose of excitement! It’s hot, it’s sexy, and there’s so much to explore and enjoy. In this article, we’ve got some awesome suggestions for the best events in July 2026 in Rome, such as exhibitions, summer festivals, and other cool activities happening in Rome this July.
Exhibitions this July in Rome
If you are an art lover, July is a great month to explore Rome’s museums and galleries.
At the Capitoline Museums, Villa Caffarelli hosts Diego Rivera and the Construction of Modern Art in Mexico City in the 20th Century, the first major Italian exhibition dedicated to the Mexican painter and muralist, while PM23 marks the final month to visit the acclaimed VENUS, the second exhibition by the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation.
Photography lovers should not miss Robert Doisneau’s poetic images of Paris at the Museo del Genio, nor the powerful Robert Mapplethorpe exhibition at the Ara Pacis Museum. At Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Mario Schifano takes centre stage with a major exhibition dedicated to one of the most influential figures of post-war Italian art.
Villa Medici offers two unmissable summer appointments: the Festival des Cabanes, with architectural installations throughout its historic gardens, and Oracles Beyond the Seas, the Villa Medici Fellows’ exhibition. Ancient history takes the spotlight at the Colosseum with Troy and Rome. Myths, Legends, Stories of the Ancient Mediterranean, which explores the links between Troy, Aeneas and the foundation of Rome.
Finally, Galleria Borghese opens Metamorfosi, a new exhibition that dialogues with the museum’s extraordinary collection and its timeless themes of transformation and myth.
Best events in July in Rome
Live music
The month of July is when the Olympic Stadium gets filled with music, with big concerts planned and it is also the month of summer festivals, taking place all over the city. Many artists from a variety of musical traditions and backgrounds will be performing on various stages. Check them out and pick your favourite!
2 – 29 July | Accademia di Santa Cecilia at Basilica di Massenzio
This summer, the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia returns to the Basilica of Maxentius after 47 years, bringing a month of open-air concerts to one of Rome’s most spectacular archaeological settings. From 2 to 29 July, the programme will fill the Roman Forum with music under the stars, ranging from Čajkovskij, Verdi, Mozart, Vivaldi and Gershwin to the cinematic scores of Alexandre Desplat, including music from Harry Potter, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Shape of Water. Designed around a new temporary installation by Alvisi Kirimoto, the season combines classical music, film soundtracks, dance and opera in a setting that makes this one of Rome’s most evocative cultural events of the summer.
July line-up: Čajkovskij Gala (2 July), The Four Seasons with Mourad Merzouki (4 July), Alexandre Desplat film scores (9 July), Verdi tribute (15 July), Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with Stefano Bollani (17 July), Chopin night (21 July), Mozart’s Requiem (24 July), Handel and Vivaldi with Concerto Köln (29 July).
Basilica di Massenzio
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3 – 5 July | Rally di Roma
The Rally di Roma Capitale returns from 3 to 5 July 2026 for its 14th edition, bringing three days of motorsport, adrenaline and spectacle to Rome and the Lazio region. This special edition will serve as a preview of Rome’s entry into the official WRC calendar in 2027, marking a historic milestone for the event. Highlights include the photo opportunity at Piazza di Spagna on 2 July, the opening ceremony and special stage at the Colosseum on 3 July, and the final ceremony in Via della Conciliazione, against the backdrop of St. Peter’s Basilica, on 5 July.
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4-5, 10-11, 18 July | Ostia Antica Teatro Festival
In July, the Teatro Ostia Antica Festival continues in the evocative setting of the Roman Theatre of Ostia with three highlights blending classical myth, contemporary theatre and dance: Lysistrata by Aristophanes on July 4 and 5, Requiem(s) by Angelin Preljocaj on July 10 and 11, and Alcestis by Euripides, directed by Filippo Dini, on July 18.
Roman Theatre of Ostia
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10-12 July | Videocittà The Festival of Vision and Digital Culture
From July 10 to 12, the iconic Gazometro in Ostiense will once again come alive with innovation and creativity, thanks to Videocittà. The festival transforms the space into a vibrant hub of immersive installations, audiovisual performances, virtual reality, and digital art. Videocittà invites audiences on a journey through the realms of audio-visual and digital creativity, with a rich program of screenings, performances, DJ sets, talks, video mappings, and video art — showcasing both Italian and international talent.
Gazometro
Videocittà 2025
Until 18 July | Rock in Roma
The Rock in Rome Festival began in 2009 and fifteen years later it has become one of the main international rock festivals in Italy. The event is a must for any rock music lover, with two months of programming starting in mid-June until the end of July at the huge Ippodromo delle Capannelle. For thousands of rock fans, this is THE unmissable event of the year in Rome!
July Line-up: Emma (2 July), Mumford & Sons with CAAMP (7 July), Mannarino (10 July), OneRepublic (12 July), Litfiba (16 July), Luchè (17 July), Bluvertigo (18 July).
Ippodromo delle Capannelle
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Until 7 August | Summertime at Casa del Jazz
Starting on 13 June, Italian and foreign stars, jazz-rock legends, great orchestras, leading pianists, contaminations and new trends… the summer season of the Casa del Jazz, produced by the Fondazione Musica per Roma, offers once again this year a program full of novelties and surprises. More than 40 concerts and performances will take place on the open-air stage set up in the park of Villa Osio on Viale di Porta Ardeatina.
July Line-up: Anouar Brahem (2 July), Cécile McLorin Salvant (4 July), Nate Smith (6 July), Kurt Rosenwinkel (8 July), Fred Hersch Trio feat. Drew Gress & Peter Erskine (9 July), Kris Davis Trio (10 July), Dee Dee Bridgewater (13 July), Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter, Larry Grenadier & Eric Harland (14 July), Hiromi’s Sonicwonder (15 July), Bill Frisell Trio & Greg Tardy (16 July), Fabrizio Bosso & CDJO Casa del Jazz Orchestra (17 July), MonoNeon (18 July), Billy Cobham (21 July), L’Antidote (22 July), Paolo Fresu, David Linx & Gustavo Beytelmann (24 July), Samara Joy (27 July), Fantastic Negrito (29 July), Temple Jazz Orchestra diretta da Terell Stafford, special guest Barbara Parisi (30 July).
Casa del Jazz
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Until 31 July | Teatro dell’Opera at Circo Massimo
This July, the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma brings its summer season to the Circo Massimo, after moving from the Baths of Caracalla due to restoration works. The programme includes opera, ballet, cinema, symphonic music and special performances under the Roman night sky. Highlights include The Gladiator in Concert on July 3 and 4, Riccardo Cocciante on July 6, Aida on July 12, 15, 18, 22, 26 and 28, Roberto Bolle and Friends on July 14, Edoardo Bennato on July 20, Romeo e Giulietta on July 24 and 25, Patti Smith on July 27, and Carmina Burana on July 31.
July Line-up: The Gladiator in Concert, Riccardo Cocciante, Aida, Roberto Bolle and Friends, Edoardo Benneato, West Side Story, Roberto Bolle and Friends, Romeo and Juliet, Patti Smith, Carmina Burana
Teatro dell’Opera at Circo Massimo
Until 15 September | Roma Summer Fest
The incredible architectural space of the Auditorium will host the Fondazione Musica per Roma – Roma Summer Fest. This is one of the most important music events of the Roman summer, each year hosting many artists from the national and international music scene who return to the capital for a series of unmissable concerts.
July Line-up: Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton (1 July), John Legend (2 July), Ambrogio Sparagna (4 July), Pat Metheny Side Eye III + (5 July), Anastacia (6 July), Europe (7 July), Goran Bregović (8 July), Bresh (10 July), Dogstar (11 July), Subsonica (12 July), Marilyn Manson (14 July), Diana Krall (15 July), Johnny Marr (17 July), Jacob Collier (18 July), Fra Quintale (19 July), Marcus Miller (20 July), Kool & The Gang (21 July), Gregory Porter (25 July), Alice Sings Battiato (26 July), Capo Plaza (29 July), Elio e le Storie Tese (31 July).
Auditorium Parco della Musica – Cavea
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Until 5 September | Village Celimontana
Village Celimontana continues to bring live music to one of Rome’s most beautiful summer settings. Now in its tenth edition, the festival runs until September 5 at Villa Celimontana, with more than 100 free concerts throughout the season. Expect a rich programme of jazz, swing, manouche, rock’n’roll, Brazilian rhythms, dance nights and family-friendly events.
Villa Celimontana
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Until 22 September | Jazz&Image: Colosseum Festival (TBC)
Until the 22nd of September the Parco del Celio will be hosting the event JAZZ&IMAGE organised by the historic Jazz Club of Rome Alexanderplatz Jazz Club, collaboration with another iconic venue, Big Mama. Both clubs are celebrating their 40th anniversaries in 2024, marking this milestone with a joint festival. The event will feature performances by both Italian and international musicians, making it a highlight of the late summer season.
Until the end of August | Lungo il Tevere 2026
Get into the vibrant atmosphere of the riverside at the Lungo il Tevere summer festival along the Tiber, celebrating art, food, and nightlife. Enjoy free shows, cool shops, delicious cuisines, and cultural delights from July until late August.
Open-air Cinema
Rome’s summer nights are made for open-air cinema. In July, the city’s piazzas, archaeological sites, gardens and cultural venues turn into outdoor movie theatres, offering everything from cult classics and auteur films to French cinema, contemporary Italian works and special screenings under the stars. Here are some of the main open-air cinema events to keep on your radar this month:
- Nouvelle Vague sul Tevere – Casa del Cinema, Villa Borghese – 2-6 July
- Il Cinema in Piazza – Piazza San Cosimato, Parco della Cervelletta and Monte Ciocci – until 12 July
- Quo Vadis? – Cinema in the Heart of Rome – Temple of Venus and Roma – 7-16 July
- Effetto Notte – Arena Archeologica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme – 17-26 July
- Notti di Cinema a Piazza Vittorio – Piazza Vittorio, Esquilino – 18 June- 20 September
- Casa del Cinema Summer Arena – Casa del Cinema, Villa Borghese – throughout July
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