New Year's Eve in Rome restaurants. The Roman New Year is a cocktail of centuries-old traditions and festive farce. Sirius, Dionysus and Julius Caesar

We tell you how to celebrate the New Year in Italy (in particular, in Rome) in 2020. Information on hotel prices, tours and food, weather and activities, and restaurants. Reviews from tourists about the holiday in the capital.

How is New Year celebrated in Italy?

Surely many have heard about a funny tradition in Italy - throwing old things out of windows on New Year's Eve. By getting rid of unnecessary rubbish, Italians believe that they will be happy next year. Alas, the old tradition is slowly becoming obsolete; now it is fashionable to buy new things for the holiday.

The country's main Christmas tree is installed in Piazza Venezia in Rome, and another beautiful tree stands near the Colosseum. There is a Christmas market in Piazza Navona with souvenirs, children's attractions and animators. Children are congratulated by the Italian Santa Claus - Babbo Natale - and the fairy Befana, who puts candy in the sock of obedient children and coals for naughty children.

At 9 o'clock in the evening, Italians say goodbye to the old year, and after a hearty feast everyone goes to move into the street; traffic is blocked in the evening. On the streets, people noisily congratulate each other, drink sparkling wine and immediately break bottles, set off firecrackers and fireworks.

In Rome Fori Imperiali street is closed and preparations are being made for the New Year's on-air concert near the Altar of the Fatherland. You need to arrive before 22:00, they won’t let you in later. On Piazza del Popolo they drink intoxicating drinks straight from their throats, and the most desperate ones jump off the bridge into the Tiber. At midnight, everyone counts down in unison, fireworks roar, champagne flows like a river.

In Milan On New Year's Day, all festive events take place in the main city square, Piazza Duomo, near the Cathedral. Young people go to the best nightclub in the city, Capodanno a Milano, while lovers of a relaxing holiday celebrate at home or in restaurants.

In Venice St. Mark's Square becomes the center of public festivities, thousands of garlands decorate the facades of ancient buildings, and a spruce tree also flaunts. Here everyone counts down the time together, and the holiday comes to the chime of the clock of the 98-meter Campanile bell tower. At midnight, everyone exchanges a kiss, and the sky lights up with bright fireworks.

(Photo © Duncan Stephen / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)

Weather in Rome for New Year

Usually the temperature here is +8...+12°С, at night +3...+5°С, sometimes it rains, so it is better to take an umbrella with you. The temperature may drop by 5-6 degrees, so you need to dress warmly - an insulated jacket with a hood or a coat. If you plan to walk around the city, then give preference to comfortable low-top shoes.

Restaurants on New Year's Eve

Rome is not the city where you should celebrate the New Year in a restaurant; it is better to have dinner in some cozy establishment and go to celebrate the holiday with everyone else on the street. If you are planning to arrive in the capital late in the evening of December 31st and there is no energy left for wild celebrations, then it is worth finding a hotel with a restaurant so as not to waste time searching for a suitable free establishment.

On New Year's Eve, most Roman restaurants are open; the cost of dishes usually increases by 30-50%. Of course, it is better to book a table in advance, especially if the place is in the Piazza del Popolo or Colosseum area. But even if you walk around the city around 19-20 hours, you can find a good place for dinner. There is no need to dress too smartly; this is not accepted here. Usually Italians have dinner and go out by 10:00 p.m., so the maximum program of the restaurant is live music.

If the prospect of jostling in a crowd does not appeal, and a celebration at a hotel restaurant seems too boring, book a table at the restaurant Roof Garden Hotel Forum Rome five minutes walk from the Colosseum. From the open terrace you can enjoy views of the Roman Forum and festive fireworks, the program includes dancing, music, gourmet dishes (lobsters, truffles, lasagna, traditional desserts, red and white wine). The celebration lasts from 21:00 to 2:30, the cost of the New Year's banquet is about 360 euros.

More affordable prices in the restaurant Casa Coppelle in Piazza delle Coppelle. The cost of the banquet is 130 euros (without drinks), advance reservation is paid in the amount of 30%. Excellent cuisine in the restaurant Il Chianti on Via delle Lavatore near the Trevi Fountain. There are Russian-speaking waiters here, you can have dinner at a convenient time and then go outside to celebrate with everyone.

(Photo © vanil.noir / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC 2.0)

Where to go in Rome for New Year's holidays?

On January 1, Italians sleep until lunchtime, all museums are closed on this day, even restaurants open no earlier than noon. You can’t count on a tour; it’s better to walk or take a tour bus. If the weather is favorable, you can take a walk in the parks and visit the Villa Borghese. It is better to prepare for the trip in advance and read it a few days in advance.

On January 2, you can already take any excursion and see the Eternal City more closely: cathedrals, fountains, Capitol Hill, Forum, Colosseum, Vatican and other attractions. In, especially the Vatican, it is better to book tickets in advance via the Internet, a lot of time is spent waiting in lines.

Popular excursions in Rome

In January 2020, Rome will host interesting events: exhibitions in the Lapidarium, an international photography festival, and classical music lovers will be able to visit the Opera. There is no strict dress code of "tailcoat and evening dress", but it is better to dress elegantly, without the traditional jeans and sweaters. Tickets can also be booked online. On January 6, the city celebrates the Feast of Epiphany with costumed processions. You can find out what events are taking place in Rome.

If the New Year holidays are long enough and this is not your first time in Rome, you can travel from the capital to neighboring cities: it’s a 1-hour drive to Naples by train, and a little longer (1.5 hours) to Florence. You can visit a beautiful city on the water - read, in 1, 2 and 3 days.

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Prices in 2020

The cost of staying in hotels in Rome on New Year and Christmas increases, so it is better to plan such trips in advance. In the fall, you can book a room in the historical center with good discounts on Roomguru: a regular double room in 1-2* costs from 60 euros, accommodation in a three-star hotel will cost from 70 euros (). In a 4-star hotel you can rent a room for a price starting from 77 euros (), in a five-star hotel - from 160 euros per day.

In Rome you can have dinner for 8-15 euros, breakfast for 3-7, and lunch for 5-10 euros per person, if you choose local establishments. In tourist restaurants, dinner will cost 35-40 euros. The cost of a New Year's banquet in a good establishment starts from 100 euros, in an elite restaurant 350-450 euros. An advance payment of 20-30% of the order value is required.

Tours to Italy for the New Year - 2020

Let's look at how much tours to Italian cities cost now for the new year 2020. Prices are current at the time of publication; closer to the holidays they will most likely increase. The cost of tours is indicated for two people with departure from Moscow.

You can go inexpensively to Rimini- vouchers for 7-8 nights with departure on December 28-30 and accommodation in a two- or three-star hotel cost from 60 thousand rubles. Accommodation in a 4* hotel costs from 85 thousand rubles for two, in a 5* hotel - from 160 thousand.

But New Year's tours to Rome they are already a little more expensive - on average from 80 thousand rubles for a week-long trip with accommodation in the city center or close to it. It costs about the same to go to Milan for New Year 2020.

(Photo © fabbriciuse / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Celebrating New Year is nothing new. Festivals to mark the start of a new calendar year have existed for thousands of years, and some are still actively celebrated by millions of people around the world. These early New Year's celebrations often had important social, religious and political implications, but in some cultures the traditional holiday was not all that different from the champagne parties and fireworks displays we have today. Today you can learn facts about how ancient civilizations celebrated the New Year.

Babylonian Akitu

On the day after the first new moon, which followed the spring equinox in late March, the Babylonians of ancient Mesopotamia held the Akitu festival to celebrate the rebirth of the natural world. This early New Year celebration dates back to 2000 BC. It is believed to have been deeply intertwined with religion and mythology. During the festival, statues of gods were carried around the city streets. Rituals were also performed that symbolized victory over the forces of chaos. The Babylonians believed that through these rituals the world was symbolically cleansed and recreated by the gods in preparation for the new year and the return of spring.

One fascinating aspect of Akitu was the kind of ritual humiliation that the Babylonian king endured. During this peculiar tradition, the king had to appear before the statue of the god Marduk without any royal regalia and swear that he would rule the city with honor. The High Priest would then slap the king and pull his ears, hoping to make him cry. If royal tears were shed, it meant that Marduk was pleased and he was symbolically expanding the rights of the king. Some historians claim that the Akitu festival was used by monarchs to reaffirm their divine power to the people.

Ancient Roman festival of Janus

The Roman New Year was also originally celebrated after the spring equinox, but years of manipulation of the solar calendar led to the holiday being held on the first of January. For the Romans, this month had special significance. Its name comes from the name of the two-faced Janus, the god of change and beginnings. Janus was depicted as having two faces, symbolizing the past and the future, and this idea was tied to the concept of the transition from one year to the next.

The Romans celebrated January 1st by paying homage to Janus in hopes of good luck for the new year. This day was seen as the foundation for the next 12 months, so friends and neighbors started the new year positively, exchanging gifts and wishes. It was customary to give figs and honey as gifts. Most Romans also tended to work at least part of the day. But idleness was seen as a bad omen for the rest of the year.

New Year in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptian culture was closely connected with the Nile, so the new year began with the flooding of the river. Egyptians celebrated the New Year when Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, was visible for the first time after an absence of 70 days. This phenomenon typically occurred in mid-July, just before the annual flooding of the Nile. This ensured that the farmland would be fertile throughout the following year. Egyptians celebrated a new beginning during the festival. The New Year was perceived as a time of rejuvenation and rebirth, and therefore special religious rituals were held.

But perhaps the Egyptians also used it as an excuse to have a little fun. Recent discoveries at the Temple of Mut show that during the reign of Hatshepsut, the first month of the year was perceived as a “festival of intoxication.” These mass celebrations were tied to the myth of Sekhmet, the goddess of war who planned to destroy all humanity, and the sun god Ra, who deceived her and made her drunk into unconsciousness. The Egyptians celebrated the salvation of mankind with music, fun and lots of beer.

Chinese New Year

One of the oldest traditions that continues today is Chinese New Year. It is assumed that the holiday originated more than 3 thousand years ago, during the reign of the Shang Dynasty. Initially, it was a way to celebrate the beginning of the spring sowing season, but it soon became overgrown with myths and legends. According to one popular legend, there once lived a bloodthirsty creature called "Nian" (now a word meaning "year") who hunted villagers once a year. To scare the hungry beast, villagers would go out and decorate their houses in red, burn bamboo and make loud noises. The ploy worked, the bright colors and lights scared the Nians away, and the activities were eventually integrated into the celebration.

Modern celebration

Traditionally, the holiday lasts 15 days and is associated with home and family. People clean houses to get rid of bad luck and try to pay off old debts to deal with the past year's affairs. To give a good start to the new year, they decorate their doors with paper scrolls and gather with relatives to celebrate. After the invention of gunpowder in the 10th century, the Chinese became the first to use fireworks.

Chinese New Year is still based on the lunar calendar, which dates back to the second millennium BC. As a rule, the holiday falls at the end of January or beginning of February, on the second new moon after the winter solstice. Each year is associated with one of the 12 zodiac animals.

Nowruz

Nowruz is still celebrated in Iran and other countries in the Middle East and Asia. But its roots are hidden in ancient times. This holiday is often called the Persian New Year. This is a 13-day holiday that falls on the spring equinox or days close to it. It is assumed that it originated in the territory of modern Iran within the framework of the Zoroastrian religion. Nowruz did not appear in official documents until the second century, but most historians believe that its celebration dates back to at least the 6th century BC. Unlike many other ancient Persian festivals, Nowruz survived as an important holiday even after the conquest of Iran by Alexander the Great in 333 BC.

Ancient Nowruz rituals centered on the rebirth that accompanied the return of spring. Monarchs used the holiday to hold lavish banquets, exchange gifts, and keep their subjects in line. Other traditions include exchanging gifts between family and friends, lighting bonfires, dyeing eggs, and splashing water to symbolize the creation of the world. Nowruz has changed significantly over time, but many of the holiday's ancient traditions, especially those involving bonfires and egg dyeing, remain part of a ritual that brings together 300 million people each year.

New Year in Rome 2019 is a very real idea for the New Year holidays and a short Christmas trip. Rome is a wonderful city to celebrate the New Year; you can also celebrate Christmas here, both Catholic - on December 25, and Orthodox - on January 7. Believe me, it will be very easy to create a New Year’s tour of Rome, the main thing is that you have enough time and energy for the trip.

Weather in Rome in December and New Year

The Italian capital is a fairly warm city, nearby are warm seas: the Mediterranean and the Adriatic, and the Alps protect from the cold in the north, so the weather in Rome in December and on New Year’s is quite cozy: warm - during the day the air temperature stays within +10 +14° C , at night +4°C, it may be a little rainy and a little windy - like usual in early autumn in Moscow, but this does not prevent the Romans from being in a good mood and preparing for Christmas and the New Year.

How to celebrate the New Year in Rome 2019, traditions

The Italian capital and the Vatican (a state within a state) located in it look simply magical on New Year's Eve - bright and colorful lights, New Year's decorations on houses and streets, and festive fireworks in the evening.

How is New Year celebrated in Italy?

(Photo © Duncan Stephen / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)

Weather in Rome for New Year

Restaurants on New Year's Eve

(Photo © vanil.noir / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC 2.0)

Where to go in Rome for New Year's holidays?

Popular excursions in Rome

Prices in 2020

Tours to Italy for the New Year - 2020

New Year 2019 in Rome will be an excellent choice for those people who want to travel to Europe and immerse themselves in the holiday atmosphere. The climate in Italy is mild, severe winters are rare here, so the weather is conducive to walking around the city and exploring its sights. In addition, New Year's Rome is always fun and noisy, so when you visit it, you will get a lot of positive emotions and pleasant impressions.

New Year traditions

New Year for the Romans is a wonderful occasion to please family and friends with nice gifts, so most of the townspeople go shopping. Trade is brisk at the end of December. Taking this into account, as well as the traditional sales starting on Catholic Christmas, you will definitely be able to purchase gifts and souvenirs.

As for the New Year, Italians usually gather at the festive table an hour or two before midnight. They remember the past year and all the good things that happened in it. At the same time, the table is literally bursting with various dishes, among which there is always smoked fish, pork, lentils and baked chicken. Vacationers' glasses are filled with champagne or beer.

You may be surprised that Italians drink beer on New Year's Eve, but this fact is easy to explain. The fact is that residents of Rome and other Italian cities consider the foamy drink to be a magic mash that can bring good luck.

After spending a few hours at home or in a restaurant, Italians go to mass celebrations. There they have a lot of fun, drink champagne and make new acquaintances, considering this a good tradition.

New Year's Eve in Rome: where to go?

Every year Piazza del Popolo becomes the epicenter of public festivities. If you decide to go, then remember that entry is only open until 22:00. Joining the crowd of people walking, you can dance to the sets of popular DJs and see performances by famous musicians. At midnight, the fun will reach its climax: vacationers will drink champagne straight from their throats, break empty bottles on the monument, explode pyrotechnics, etc.

If you would like to celebrate the New Year 2019 in a more relaxed atmosphere, then it is better to sit in a restaurant or cafe. True, this option has 2 significant drawbacks. The first of them is inflated prices. The second is the lack of a show program. This is explained by the fact that going to restaurants on New Year's Eve is not popular among the Romans. Despite this, most catering establishments are open until the morning.

It's better to do it the next day. In particular, a visit to the Vatican and the Colosseum, as well as an overview of other attractions, will give you a lot of impressions. We should immediately warn you that the Italian capital is incredibly popular among tourists, so in order to save time, it is better to pay for a trip to a museum or somewhere else via the Internet.

Rome Restaurants

We already said above that Italians do not often celebrate the New Year in cafes and restaurants. However, do not forget that you will be a tourist whose main goal is to have a good rest. Considering the task at hand, it is better to decide in advance which establishment to go to and, if necessary, book a table there.

Roman restaurants, cafes and bars are open on New Year's Eve, but their prices skyrocket significantly. If this does not bother you, and you are ready to do anything to enjoy Italian cuisine, then we advise you to book a table in advance in a restaurant with a view of either the Colosseum or Piazza del Popolo. If the idea of treating yourself to something tasty arises spontaneously, then stop by any cafe. There will always be a place for visitors there. Don't count on entertainment in both cases. The maximum is “live” music. This fact is explained by the fact that most Romans prefer to have fun on the street.

As for specific establishments, the Roman restaurant “Roof Garden Hotel Forum Roma” enjoys a high level of popularity among tourists from around the world.

Finding it will not be difficult, because it is located just a few steps from the Colosseum. Here you can celebrate the New Year 2019, sitting at a table on the open terrace and admiring the fireworks launched into the sky. The menu includes traditional Italian dishes and a lot of desserts. The wine list will delight you with a wide selection of red and white wines. Such pleasure is not cheap - the average bill per person exceeds 350 euros.

The “Casa Coppelle” restaurant, located on Piazza delle Coppelle, is a good restaurant. Here the average cost of dinner is approximately 130-150 euros. A table must be reserved in advance with a small prepayment. Next to the Trevi Fountain is the Chianti restaurant in Via delle Lavatore. Tourists from Russia will definitely like it because its waiters are fluent in Russian. In addition, the local chef is a real guru who knows how to create unique culinary masterpieces.

More about prices

As the New Year holidays approach, hotel prices in Rome rise sharply. Given this, it is worth booking a room at least a month before your upcoming trip. So, staying in a single room in a 3-star hotel will cost you 60-80 euros per night. If the chosen hotel is 5-star, then the daily cost of renting a room will be at least 160 euros.

As for other expenses, in inexpensive Italian cafes the cost of breakfast is 3-10 euros, lunch – 5-10 euros, dinner – 8-15 euros. If you go to a restaurant aimed at foreigners, then you can safely multiply the above figures by 3-4 times.

You can plan your New Year 2019 trip to Rome yourself. In this case, it is possible that you will spend 800-1000 euros, of which a third will be spent on transport costs, but at the same time you will be able to save on accommodation and excursions. If you decide to buy a ready-made tour, then you will have plenty to choose from, but even the most budget option will cost you no less than 80 thousand rubles.

Thus, the New Year holidays in the Italian capital are a great opportunity to have a good time and forget about pressing problems. It should not be missed under any circumstances!

Watch the video of what Rome looks like on New Year's Eve: