Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Rome

If you’re lucky enough to be in Rome for New Year’s Eve,

get ready for the party of a lifetime. The entire city, from the Piazza del

Popolo to the Colosseum, ignites in celebration, resulting in a fantastic and

unforgettable experience that you won’t find anywhere else.

Given climate concerns and ensuing carbon stigmas, it’s no

wonder that many cities around the world are dropping their fireworks displays

in lieu of more sustainable, quieter alternatives. Rome, however brazenly, upholds

the tradition of celebratory explosions, offering nearly half a dozen venues

with full-on fireworks displays on New Year’s Eve. If you’re lucky enough to be

in Rome this year, grab a jacket and a set of earplugs and hit the streets for

a citywide celebration that makes Times Square look like a 4-year-old’s

birthday party.

The Piazza del Popolo, located north of the city center just

beyond the Spanish Steps, is the first epicenter of NYE celebrations in Rome. By

23:00 the square will already be crawling with would-be demolition experts

competing to see who can set off the loudest, most chaotic homemade fireworks

displays. As soon as the clock strikes New Year, however, the city takes over

and fires a barrage of colorful mini-bombs from deep within the Villa Borghese

to explode directly over the Piazza del Popolo. The spectacle is a guaranteed

hit with spectators of all ages, races and creeds. Afterwards, it’s traditional

to break a bottle or two for good luck (bare feet not recommended) and shuttle

en masse to the nearest metro stop, which generally stays open late for the

occasion.

The other epicenter is along the Via de’ Fori Imperiale,

running between the

Colosseum and the Piazza Venezia. This massive celebration is not for

the faint of heart or sober of blood. Starting with a more-or-less traditional

concert around 10 PM, the entire street devolves into a drunken free for all by

the time the ball drops, with strangers embracing to the tune (if not the

words) of “Auld Lang Syne.” Crowning the occasion is another set of

city-sponsored, world-class fireworks, garnering slurred “oohs” and “aahs” from

the revelers below. Besides being one of the best parties you can find in one

of the best cities in the world to find parties, the event gives you an

opportunity to see Rome’s legendary Colosseum bathed in the fireworks’

crackling, rainbow-strobing glow—a rare pleasure not anticipated by the

stadium’s designers.

Other great places to go, either to beat the crowds at these

hotspots or simply to join new ones, are the Piazza di Spagna and the Quirinal

Palace. The

Quirinale usually hosts

its own fireworks display, despite its proximity to the Colosseum spectacle,

and the Piazza di Spagna is an excellent gathering spot to watch the napalm

rain down on Piazza del Popolo. An honorable mention also goes to the Villa

Borghese, which hosts an impossibly polite evening of classical music and

cuisine preceding the bombardment taking place just down the hill.