June is the beginning of the high summer season in Rome, and the Eternal City welcomes you, with some of its most important festivals and events. And while June is a busy month in Rome, you’ll still find less dense crowds than July and August, and more temperate weather overall.
Here is a list of the main events in Rome in June. Note that June 2, Republic Day, is a national holiday, so many businesses, including museums and restaurants, will be closed.
Republic Day (June 2)
Republic Day, or Festa della Repubblica, is a large national holiday similar to Independence Days in other countries. It commemorates that Italy became a republic in 1946, after the end of the Second World War. A grand parade takes place on Via dei Fori Imperiali and includes a dazzling Italian Air Force flyover, followed by music in the Quirinale Gardens.
Rose Garden
The city’s rose garden is open to the public during May and June, usually until the second or third week of June. The garden is on the Aventine hill as Via di Valle Murcia 6, not far from the Circus Maximus.
Corpus Domini (early to mid June)
Exactly 60 days after Easter, Catholics celebrate Corpus Domini, which honors the Holy Eucharist. In Rome, this holiday is typically celebrated with Mass in the Cathedral of San Giovanni in Laterano followed by a procession to Santa Maria Maggiore. Many smaller towns have an infiorata for Corpus Domini, creating patterned rugs made of flower petals in front of the church and along the streets. South of Rome, Genzano is a good city for flower petal rugs, or head north to the town of Bolsena on Lake Bolsena.
Feast of Saint John (San Giovanni, June 23-24)
This festival is celebrated in the vast square in front of the church of San Giovanni in Laterano, the most important cathedral in the city of Rome. Traditionally, the celebration includes snails (lumache) and suckling pig meals, as well as concerts and fireworks. Snails are part of tradition, as their horns are believed to represent discord and concern – by eating them, you remove all your worries for the year.
Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s Day (June 29)
Two of the most important saints of Catholicism are celebrated on this religious holiday with special masses in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and San Paolo Fuori Le Mura. In St. Peter’s Square, a massive infiorata display features more than 1 million flowers artfully displayed in pavement designs. A spectacular fireworks display over the nearby Castel Sant’Angelo closes the festivities.
Along the Tiber
Along the Tiber is a festival that lasts all summer on the banks of the river Tiber (Tevere), which runs through Rome. It has a village atmosphere of food stalls, pop-up restaurants, handicraft vendors, live music, and even some children’s games and entertainment.
Lungo il Tevere takes place on the west (Vatican) side of the river and is accessed by stairs that lead to the riverbank. The town is established between Piazza Trilussa (in Ponte Sisto) and Porta Portese (in Ponte Sublicio). There is a wheelchair access point at Lungotevere Ripa.
Rock in Roma
The annual Rock in Roma festival begins at the end of June, and features musical acts at venues around Rome, including the Circus Maximus.
Based on the original article by Melanie Renzulli
