Strike Information: the next planned transport strike will be on Friday 19th April for 24 hours and will affect all forms of public transport.

For Events in Rome throughout 2013 click here.

Main Events

Liberation Day - Thursday 25th April marks the anniversary of Italy's liberation from Nazi occupation and is, naturally, a national holiday. Falling on a Thursday, you'll find that many Italians (and expats) will do a 'ponte' or bridge, that is, take Friday off work so as to enjoy a four-day weekend. Hey, the sun's out, it's time to start enjoying the springtime in Rome!

Labour Day - Not exactly in April but coming soon enough to merit a mention here, Wednesday May 1st is another public holiday in Rome, just six days after the last one. Make your way to San Giovanni for the annual open-air free concert / one-day festival featuring a host of top Italian and international acts. This year's headline act is yet to be announced after Italian rap sensation Fabri Fibra was cancelled after complaints about his lyrics.

Calendar

Sun 7th - Sinead O'Connor
Sun 14th - Patti Smith
Thur 18th - Connor Maynard
Fri 19th - Modà
Sat 27th - Renato Zero

Music (Pop & Rock)

Sinead O'Connor
Where - Fondazione Musica per Roma
When - 7th April

Patti Smith
Where - Auditorium Parco della Musica
When - 14th April

Connor Maynard
Where - Atlantico Live di Roma
When - 18th April

Modà
Where - Palalottomatica
When - 19th April

Renato Zero
Where - Palolottomatica
When - 27th April

Exhibitions

Helmut Newton - 200 photographs from the collections White Women, Sleepless Nights and Big Nudes.
Where - Palazzo delle Esposizioni
When - Until 21st July

The Age of Balance - The Days of Rome - large exhibition of ancient Roman art from the peak of the empire - the reigns of emperors Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius.
Where - Musei Capitolini Palazzo Caffarelli
When - Until 5th May

Titian - The great Venetian renaissance painter, known as Tiziano in Italian, goes on show this month until the summer.
Where - Scuderie del Quirinale
When - Until 16th June

Tutti de Sica - Photographic exhibition dedicated to the late great Vittorio de Sica, considered one of the godfathers of Italian comedy and one of the greatest Italian actors and directors of all time.
Where - Al Museo dell'Ara Pacis
When - Until 28th April

Tiffany & Gallé and the Masters of Art Nouveau - On loan from the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest.
Where - Musei Capitolini Palazzo Caffarelli
When - Until 28th April

10 Fantastic Things to Do in Rome in April

1. BIRTHDAY PARTY!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear ROME, happy birthday to you! That's right, Rome celebrates her official birthday with parades & pageantry 21st April to commemorate the anniversary of when Romulus founded the city. "How old is Rome now?" we hear you ask... Well, this year Rome will celebrate her 2766th birthday! Phew - that's a lot of candles! Many happy returns - or as they say around here - Tanti Auguri!

2. IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF CHRIST, ROMAN MARTYRS & THE POPE!

From the very earliest years of Christianity, the Catholic Church and Rome have been closely connected. Indeed the first Pope, St Peter, was executed in Rome and during the persecution, hoards of Christians were martyred - most commonly being thrown to wild beasts. Nowadays, the Pope continues the tradition of leading a solemn torch-lit procession on Good Friday (29th March) from the Colosseum to the Palatine Hill, remembering the last journey of Christ to his site of martyrdom on Calvary outside of Jerusalem. The Way of the Cross, or Via Crucis, is a tradition started by the very first Christians.

3. GET PRACTISING YOUR HEAD-SPINS!

We've all danced and strutted around a room when no-one is looking, but this event is all about strutting your stuff and bustin' some grooves with EVERYONE looking. The Yo Urban Dance Festival 2013 takes place 15th-17th March at Via Banchi Bandinelli 130, Ciampino, and is where all manner of funksters dazzle us with their dance skills. Dust off your sweatbands and put on your sequined gloves because the prize for the competition is a whopping €10,000!

4. TOUCHING THE HAND OF GOD

Anyone who comes to Rome absolutely must visit St Peter's Basilica and witness the art and architecture of Michelangelo and Bernini - and see the bones of St Peter. Situated in the Vatican, visitors should also see the breathtaking Vatican Museums which culminate in the viewing of Michelangelo's masterful ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, which depicts God stretching out to touch the hand of Adam and man failing to try to touch the hand of God.

5. LIFE'S A BEACH

When people think of Rome they usually think of a maze of cobbled streets, the Colloseum, St Peter's or crazy traffic, but few people realise how close to the beach Rome actually is. In the hot summer months, hoards of Romans pour out of the city onto the train and travel around 40 minutes to their favourite sandy spot and work hard to perfect their tans. The most notable destinations are Lido di Ostia (with direct trains from Porta San Paolo (Piramide Metro) for just €1.50 each way) and Fregene. Soak up the Italian sun, enjoy the sandy beaches and tan yourself silly!

6. IL COLOSSEO

Synonymous with Rome, this icon of the Roman empire and its military and gladiatorial past is truly a sight to behold. Remarkably beautiful when the sun kisses the stone, the Colloseum is a must-see in Rome and has the added benefit that it's adjacent to the Imperial Roman Forum and numerous other ancient monuments which are also fantastic places to visit. Make your visit and immerse yourself in the history of the building and its surroundings and the sheer beauty and age of Rome truly hits home.

7. LUCK OF THE IRISH

The Irish get everywhere and Rome is no exception! Of course, where the Irish are, a legendary pint of Guinness is likely to also be found. Rome has lots of Irish pubs but the most notable are Finnegan Irish Pub in Monti (a typically Irish feel), and the Scholar's Lounge (bigger with more of an American feel). Rest assured that these pubs will be packed when even more Irish flood into the city to watch the Six Nations Rugby on 16th March in Rome. The more religious of you will of course realise that that is also the day before St Patrick's Day.

8. TRASTEVERE & MONTI

Trastevere is a district of Rome that is popular with tourists due to its charming character, mazes of cobbled streets, vast array of restaurants and bars and lively atmosphere. The church of Santa Maria in Trastevere is a golden gem well worth a visit, but after this intake of culture, beauty and history, you can stroll around and enjoy a lovely meal or a cool glass of wine watching la dolce vita before your eyes. Monti however, is just as charming with just as good restaurants and bars but is, as yet, largely undiscovered by tourists.

9. AVENTINE KEYHOLE

Peek-a-boo! Journey to the top of the Aventine Hill next to Circo Massimo and you may find a line of people queuing to look through a keyhole. Don't worry - they're not perverted peeping-Toms but have found a truly amazing view of three separate sovereign states. The view from the keyhole takes in Rome (Italy), St Peter's (Vatican) and part of the Maltese Embassy.

10. TESTACCIO & NIGHTLIFE

Sun-bathing on the coast, wining and dining in the streets of Rome and seeing the amazing tourist sites is all very well, but what about nightlife...? The most common place to go for clubbing and bars open all night is Monte Testaccio - a small hill surrounded by bars and clubs at its base. Dance the night away sipping cocktails to your heart's content. The area of Testaccio is also a great place for superb restaurants which serve typically Roman cuisine. Time to party!