What to do in Rome in January 2026: 10 original ideas to enjoy the first month of the year

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You know that strange feeling of “emptiness” that comes right after the New Year’s Eve toast? That moment when the festivities end and you wonder how to fill the winter days without sinking into couch boredom?

Well, if you are in the Eternal City, I have great news for you: the first month of the year inRome is one of the most magical and vibrant times you can imagine.

In January 2026, the Capital will light up with crazy vitality, offering the perfect mix of culture, live music and out-of-town adventures.

Get ready, because your start-of-the-year calendar is about to get packed!

Titanic – An immersive experience

If you’ve always dreamed of walking on the world’s most famous ship, this is your chance. Titanic – A Journey Through Time in Rome offers you an unprecedented VR experience. You will be able to dive into the wreck at a depth of 3.8 km and then “teleport” back to 1912. You’ll walk the Grand Staircase and meet passengers who made history.

Developed with the experts at Musealia, this immersive adventure is waiting for you to experience the heart of tragedy and luxury in a breathtaking way.

A Candlelight Concert

If you’re looking for a movie atmosphere, January’s Candlelightconcerts in Rome are a must-see. Imagine the city’s most beautiful venues, such as the Boscolo Circo Massimo, transformed into caskets of soft light as talented musicians reinterpret world music’s greatest hits in an intimate, multi-sensory setting.

Here are the appointments to mark in your diary:

• Queen & ABBA: Jan. 2 and 17. An explosive mix of the rock of Queen and the sweeping pop of ABBA. Get ready for spine-chilling versions of Bohemian Rhapsody and Dancing Queen, performed by the J Music Classical Ensemble among thousands of candles.
• Coldplay & Imagine Dragons: Jan. 3 and 16. The Sharareh Quartet will take you on an emotional journey through the notes of Fix You, Yellow, Believer and Radioactive. An experience that combines the energy of arenas with the intimacy of chamber music.
• Mina Tribute: Jan. 4. An evening dedicated to Italy’s greatest voice. The J Music Classical Ensemble traces Mina’s career with immortal songs such as Se telefonando and Il cielo in una stanza, in an atmosphere that seems suspended in time.

Tribute to Frank Sinatra & Louis Armstrong at Largo Venue.

OnJan. 8, 2026, don’t make plans if you love jazz. At The Jazz Room (housed in the eclectic Largo Venue), you can enjoy a unique tribute to two legends-Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong.

A talented band will reinterpret swing and trumpet classics in an enveloping atmosphere. Sets are scheduled at 7:30 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. This is the perfect way to warm up the evening with quality music in one of Rome’s most vibrant cultural centers, between the Prenestino and Pigneto areas.

Chaos Lab Rome: family event

Looking for things to do at the beginning of the year with the little ones at home? Chaos Lab is the answer. Located at 74 Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano, this interactive workshop is a haven for creativity.

You and your children (recommended ages 4 and up) will meet a mad scientist, explore sensory rooms and participate in live experiments. It runs every day, including holidays, and is an ideal opportunity to create fun memories while learning something new and whimsical.

An Italian cooking class

Have you ever wanted to master the art of traditional cooking? Every day at 5 p.m. at InRome Cooking on Corso del Rinascimento 65, you can become a chef for a day. In this approximately 3-hour class, you will learn how to roll out pizza, create fresh pasta, and make real ice cream. While you cook, you will sip prosecco and enjoy typical snacks.

This is a convivial and friendly idea, ideal for those who have just moved to Rome and want to meet new people while immersing themselves in the authentic flavors of the capital.

Celebrating the Epiphany in Piazza Navona: markets and folklore

The highlight of the winter festivities comes on January 6, 2026. Piazza Navona is transformed into an open-air stage with the traditional Befana market. Among stalls laden with stockings, sweets and sugar-coal, you can enjoy puppet shows and gospel concerts.

New for 2026 includes creative workshops for children of all ages. Don’t forget to watch the procession of the Three Kings on Via della Conciliazione in the morning-a historic event that combines faith and folk tradition.

Visit an exhibition: the big art events in Rome.

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January is the perfect month to lock yourself in a museum (in the heat!) and feast your eyes. Rome at this time offers crazy exhibitions, ranging from impressionist classics to artificial intelligence.

Here are the must-do stops for your tour among Rome’s exhibitions in January 2026:

• FLOWERS. From the Renaissance to Artificial Intelligence: through Feb. 22, 2026 at the Chiostro del Bramante. A sensory journey among Brueghel’s masterpieces and Ai Weiwei’s digital installations. You can walk through a corridor flooded with Rebecca Louise Law’s flowers and admire how AI reinterprets nature.
• Fausto Pirandello. The Magic of the Everyday: through Feb. 28, 2026 at the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca. An intimate retrospective featuring thirty masterpieces celebrating the 50th anniversary of the artist’s death, with a special focus on his celebrated postwar pastels.
• Rome in the World: throughout January and through April 6, 2026 at MAXXI. A multimedia survey comparing the Eternal City with other global metropolises through projections and scale models, analyzing how Rome is experienced by those who live there and those who visit.
• Impressionism and Beyond. Masterpieces from the Detroit Institute of Arts: through May 3, 2026 at the Ara Pacis Museum. 52 masterpieces from Renoir to Van Gogh, via Picasso and Modigliani. A golden opportunity to see iconic works that revolutionized the history of European art.
• Gauguin. The Diary of Noa Noa and Other Adventures: through Jan. 25, 2026 at the Infantry History Museum. Last call to explore Gauguin’s Polynesian universe through woodcuts, sculptures and his personal notebooks. A profound exhibition chronicling his spiritual testament and ancient myths.

Francesco De Gregori concert at the Atlantic: the 50th anniversary of Rimmel

On January 31, 2026, the “Prince” returns home for an eventful concert. At the Atlantic, Francesco De Gregori will play the 1975 album Rimmel in its entirety. Get ready to sing at the top of your lungs not only classics like La donna cannone and Generale, but every single track from that legendary record.

This is the highlight event for those looking for great concerts in Rome and who want to experience a piece of songwriting history.

The Snow Train: from Rome to the fairy-tale landscapes of the Maiella Mountains.

Want to see snow without the stress of driving? On weekends in January (10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31), you can take the historic train from Sulmona, reachable in 2h 30m from Roma Termini. This scenic journey will take you among the peaks of Abruzzo, with stops in Palena and Roccaraso. You can choose guided village tours or leisurely ski afternoons.

Prices start at 55 euros, but there are complete packages with hotels in Sulmona from 179 euros for a truly magical weekend.

Ski week in Piedmont with the direct Frecciarossa train

If you dream of the “Pearls of the Alps,” know that reaching Oulx and Bardonecchia from Rome has become super easy. Thanks to the direct Frecciarossa connections active on weekends, you leave at 6:00 a.m. from Termini and by 12:20 p.m. you’re ready to hit the slopes.

Bardonecchia, voted Europe’s best ski resort in 2023, offers miles of slopes and an authentic alpine atmosphere. It is the perfect solution for those who want to enjoy the first month of the year between sports and relaxation, taking advantage of the high speed to avoid long hours behind the wheel.