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Rome events in May 2025 - Holidays, exhibits, concerts, and other things to do
On of my favorite Rome events in May is the opening of Rome's Roseto Rose Garden.
One of my favorite things about Rome in May is the beautiful Roseto Rose Garden on the Aventine Hill.But there's actually quite a lot going on this month in Rome that you may want to prepare for.
Rome events in May 2025 - What's happening
CONCLAVE MAY 2025 - SISTINE CHAPEL CLOSED
With the passing of Pope Francis on April 21, the conclave to elect a new pope will begin ON MAY 7.
Nobody knows how long the conclave will last, but in recent history, conclaves have only lasted a few days at most.
In the meantime, the Sistine Chapel closes to the public on Monday, April 28, and will remain closed until a few days after the election of a new pope.
I love Rome in May for a lot of reasons, like the beautiful spring weather, longer days, and flowers in bloom all over the city, making the air smell so sweet.
The weather in Rome this month can be cooler than many people expect, which makes it comfortable for sight-seeing.
It's also lovely weather for eating outdoors, even in the evening.
Here are the best Rome events in May 2025:
- Holidays in Rome in May
- Current exhibits at Rome's museums
- Sports/sporting events in Rome in May
- Vatican events in May
- Free things to do in Rome in May
- Nighttime things to do in Rome in May
- Concerts and operas in Rome in May
- Tours to take in Rome in May
- Day trips to take in Rome in May
- Things to do with kids in Rome in May
Holidays and special dates in Rome in May
The main holiday to know about in Rome in May is May 1, or May Day.
But there are also some new openings and other interesting things to see and do in Rome in May.
May 1 or May Day
May 1 is a national holiday called International Workers' Day, or May Day.
It's celebrated throughout most European countries and is a kind of Labor Day.
I find that Romans enjoy it more than anything as a day for a picnic or big outdoor lunch.
There's always a concert, which is held in the piazza in front of the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano (Saint John in Lateran).
No matter what season you visit Rome, here are 4 essential things we recommend never leaving home without:
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What's closed on May 1, 2025:
What's open on May 1, 2025:
- Colosseum/Roman Forum/Palatine Hill
- Galleria Borghese
- Saint Peter's Basilica (and other churches)
- Galleria Doria Pamphilj
- The Pantheon
Flowers in Rome in May
Flowers are blooming all over the city and it smells wonderful.
Here are some special places to see flowers in Rome in May:
Rome's Roseto Rose Garden
Rome's Roseto Rose Garden on the Aventine Hill is open through the month of May.
(Actually, the Roseto opens on April 21, Rome's birthday and closes in early-June. It also reopens for a couple of weeks in mid-October.)
But May is when you will see the roses at their most beautiful and in full bloom.
It's not only free, but it's usually fairly uncrowded.
Rome's Roseto Rose garden is a special thing to visit in May, as it's only open from April 21 - the first week of June (and again for two weeks in October.)Open daily from 8 AM - 5:30 PM (subject to change).
At some point in mid-May, the garden may be closed for a day because there is a contest for the most beautiful roses that year.
There will be a sign up on the gates stating what day they might close.
Sometimes they only close the lower half.
With beautiful views of the Palatine Hill as its backdrop, visiting the Roseto Rose Garden is one of my favorite things to do in spring.
Did you know?
The Roseto Rose Garden is also a cemetery.
Late April/early May - Azaleas on the Spanish Steps
From mid April through early May, the Spanish Steps are covered in azaleas.
It makes the Spanish Steps more beautiful than ever, and is even more special since the flowers are only there for a few weeks.
I think one of everyone's favorite Rome events in May is when the Spanish Steps get adorned with blooming pink and white azaleas. To get this kind of shot, you'll need to come by about 7 AM!The best time to photograph them like this without the crowds is at around 7 in the morning.
PENTECOST
Pentecost is observed on the seventh Sunday after Easter and 10 days after Ascension.
Pentecost Sunday takes place on the 50th day of Easter.
Pentecost is often in May but can also be in early June.
In 2025, it takes place on June 8th.
You may want to try to get a coveted spot by attending mass at the Pantheon, where firemen throw thousands of rose petals down from the oculus.
This has become extremely popular in recent years and now, the only chance of getting inside on this morning is to show up at by 7 AM at the latest, and wait in line for the mass to begin.
The Pantheon is not open to visitors on the morning of the Pentecost.
It's ONLY open for people to attend mass.
It reopens after everyone leaves and they have cleaned the floor.
It's free to attend mass and there is no way to buy a ticket to this event.
Current exhibits and events at Rome's museums in May
The cooler spring months are a great time to take in the arts indoors.
There are several Rome events in May 2025 at various museums around the city.
And as a bonus, at this time of year, some museums stay open later on the weekends, so you have even more time to fit them into your itinerary:
Palazzo Bonaparte
Rome’s Palazzo Bonaparte hosts Munch: The Inner Scream from 11 February to 2 June, featuring 100 masterpieces from Oslo’s Munch Museum. Curated by Patricia G. Berman, the exhibition showcases iconic works like The Scream and Despair, exploring Munch’s psychological themes.
Through June 2, 2025
For details and tickets, click here.
Notte dei Musei 2025
May 17th 2025
Rome’s Night of museums is back!
Rome's Museums, monuments, art galleries, archaeological sites, libraries, academies and embassies are open to the public for the price of €1
Participating museums: Capitoline Museums, Centrale Montemartini, Mercati di Traiano – Museo dei Fori Imperiali, Museo dell’Ara Pacis, Museo di Roma, Museo Napoleonico, Museo di Roma in Trastevere, Museo Pietro Canonica a Villa Borghese, Musei di Villa Torlonia (Casina delle Civette, Casino Nobile, Serra Moresca), Museo delle Mura, Museo Carlo Bilotti – Aranciera di Villa Borghese, Museo di Scultura Antica Giovanni Barracco, Museo Civico di Zoologia, Museo della Repubblica Romana e della memoria garibaldina, Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Museo di Casal de’ Pazzi and more.
AND rumor has it the Colosseum will be participating this year.
Chiostro del Bramante
Flowers
The Chiostro del Bramante in Rome presents Flowers. Art from the Renaissance to Artificial Intelligence, an exhibition running from February 14 to September 14, 2025. Featuring over 90 artworks from global institutions like the Louvre and the Royal Botanic Gardens, it explores flowers’ artistic and cultural significance across five centuries. Curated by Franziska Stöhr and Roger Diederen, the show blends tradition, science, and digital innovation.
For more information and tickets, click here.
Capitoline Museums - Villa Caffarelli Garden
The Colossal Statue of Constantine
See the striking reconstruction of the Colossus of Constantine, one of the most representative works of late antique Roman sculpture.
Through December 31, 2025
Free to enter, follow the path up to the right to reach the garden entrance.
Don't miss my video all about the statue!
Palazzo Barberini
Caravaggio 2025, a landmark exhibition celebrating Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio (1571–1610), as part of the Jubilee celebrations. Curated by Francesca Cappelletti, Maria Cristina Terzaghi, and Thomas Clement Salomon, this collaboration between the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica and Galleria Borghese showcases an extraordinary selection of Caravaggio's autograph works.
Highlights include the Portrait of Maffeo Barberini, publicly displayed for the first time in over 60 years, and Ecce Homo, returning to Italy from the Prado after centuries. Iconic works like Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Martha and Mary Magdalene join rediscoveries and rare loans, such as The Cardsharps and The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula. The exhibition offers an unparalleled exploration of Caravaggio’s artistic revolution, reflecting his profound impact on the religious, cultural, and social landscapes of his time.
For more details, click here.
March 7 to July 6, 2025
There are a lot of smaller exhibitions in May.
To see a complete list of them, visit this page of the Rome Tourist Board where you can filter to see all Rome events in May, or drill down further by category such as dance, music, etc.
Sport/sporting Rome events in May
If you are a tennis buff, you may already know that every May, the BNL Tennis championships are held at the Olympic Stadium (Foro Italico) in Rome.
Some events are also held in Piazza del Popolo.
May 6-18, 2025
Every May, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is held in Rome.
This 4-day event begins in Circus Maximus, where there are all kinds of things to participate in, leading up to the race.
The race goes through the historic center of Rome.
May 11, 2025
NB - The site for the race is only in Italian but try translate.google.com to translate if you want to learn more about the events or to participate.
The perfect 3-day itinerary in Rome
Trying to figure out how to organize your visit to Rome? I've got the perfect 3-day itinerary for first-time visitors (or those who have not been here in a while.) It works for a 2.5 day visit as well.
In my 3-day itinerary, you'll see all the major must-see Rome attractions like the Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Castel Sant'Angelo, and much more.
And if you have more time, or want suggestions for extra/other things to do, you'll find that there too.
Visit my page with the best 3-day itinerary in Rome for first-timers.
Visit Rome's Parks and gardens
May is one of the best months to visit a park or garden in Rome, when flowers are blooming all over the place.
Vatican Events in May
When the Pope is in town, you can attend the Wednesday Papal Audience, or watch the pope give the Angelus in St. Peter's Square on Sunday.
Both are free.
For the Papal Audience, you need tickets.
For the Angelus, you don't.
Free Things to do in May
If you're looking for some fun Rome events in May that are free, the below are confirmed for 2025:
The first Sunday of the month, Rome's Civic Museums are free for everyone.
On Sunday May 4, 2025 you can visit the Capitoline Museums, Ara Pacis, Villa Torlonia, Trajan's Market and many others for free.
For more details and booking, click the link below to visit the official site.
The Vatican Museums will be free and open on Sunday May 25, 2025.
Expect large crowds on this day.
St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square are free and open daily.
You cannot buy tickets in advance for the Free Sunday, but you can book a tour of the museums through the Vatican.
If you don't want to book this tour, just come early.
By early I mean by 8 AM.
But otherwise I recommend you book your visit ahead of time and pay to go another day.
On Sunday, May 4, 2025, the Colosseum will be free for everyone.
You can expect the Colosseum to be pretty much a mob scene.
I'd highly recommend visiting one of the other sites that is also free on this day, like the Roman Forum/Palatine Hill, or Ostia Antica.
Nighttime things to do in Rome in May
In Rome in May the evenings can be cooler than you might think, but it's usually comfortable enough to spend evenings outside, albeit with a cardigan or jacket.
There are plenty of Rome events in May open for night visits and experiences.
Some of the dates for 2025 are still to be announced. Please check back.
Night visits of the Colosseum
Entry for night visits to the Colosseum is NOT part of the Roma Pass.
The exact dates and times for 2025 are pending. Please check back or visit the Colosseum official site.
Ready to plan your trip?
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With one handy pass, it's all included.
Rome events in May - Concerts, operas, shows
Disclosure : If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may receive a small commission - at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site!
Freddie Mercury Opera Show - Opera da Camera
Explore a novel interpretation of Queen's iconic tracks, transformed for Italian opera virtuosos from the Opera da Camera di Roma ensemble and piano accompaniment.
Mercury's own passion for opera inspires this unprecedented concert, promising a collection of extraordinary musical delights.
For more information and to purchase your tickets, click here.
I Virtuosi dell’opera di Roma - Church of Saint Paul's Within the Walls
An intense yet fascinating world of lyrical Opera. This show features a six‐musician ensamble and internationally renowned singers performing an incredible journey in between great music and belcanto.
For more information and to purchase your tickets, click here.
The Great Opera Arias - Palazzo Poli
This concert takes place at the beloved Palazzo Poli, backdrop to The Trevi Fountain.
With an incredible line up featuring Boccherini, Vivaldi, Verdi, Marcello, and more - this show is not to be missed!
For more information and to purchase your tickets, click here.
Musical biography of Frank Sinatra - Opera Da Camera
An Italian‐style concert featuring the music of Frank Sinatra, blending Italian melodies with classical arias. Performers from Opera da Camera di Roma and a piano player will showcase inventive arrangements in an intimate and historic concert hall.
For more information and to purchase your tickets, click here
For more concerts and music Rome events in May and the rest of the year, visit our dedicated Concerts page or click here.
Tours to take in Rome in May
Booking a tour is a good way to make sure you get tickets to the sites you want to visit, and also get to enjoy them without fighting the crowds too much.
And even if it's not too crowded, a tour is a great way to see the sights and get to know a bit about them as you go.
For more tours to take in May, start here:
Day trips to take in Rome in May
May is a wonderful time to take a day trip, especially if you want to try some food/wine ventures outside Rome.
We have lots of options for places to visit which you can easily reach within 1-2 hours of Rome.
For organized day trips, visit Get Your Guide.
Activities with kids in Rome in May
Whether you are visiting Rome in May for spring break or just for a short getaway, if you are coming with kids, there are plenty of tours and activities in Rome geared towards children of all ages.
If you're looking for some fun activities with kids, start here:
I've listed some of what I think are the most fun and interesting Rome events in May, and most central.
For a complete list of events in May, visit the website of the Rome Tourist Board.
Romewise's Top Travel Resources
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Top attractions and tours
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- Vatican Museums - This is where the Sistine Chapel is
- Pantheon - Book ahead and skip the line
- Galleria Borghese - You'll need to book ahead for one of Rome's best museums
- Castel Sant'Angelo - See Rome's history through its architecture
- Rome City Pass - A great way to make your Rome visits easier
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