Friday: Following two weeks of snow-related closures, the Colosseum reopens today! If you purchased tickets at the Palatine over the last week, but couldn’t visit the Colosseum due to the Matterhorn taking up residence inside (that’s what I’m calling the snowdrifts at least), you can use your ticket from today until Sunday. Later this evening, MACRO is hosting “I Have Seen the Future”, an initiative by CityVision. This free event, taking place at 6:30 at the main MACRO on Via Nizza, is a look at the future of architecture, and will feature a lecture from Jules Coke of the renowned London firm SQUINT/OPERA. Also, today is the Festival of the Cats. Not totally sure what that means, but Rome, what with its herds of felines roaming the streets, seems like an apt place to celebrate.
Saturday: Since apparently MiBAC was so enamored with Young in Rome awarding their Valentine’s Day Initiative with the “Best Italian Pun of 2012 Award”, the culture ministry has extended “MiBACi” to this weekend. Just like on Valentine’s Day, admission to all state museums is 2-for-1 Saturday and Sunday. And, the MAXXI is participating too! Which they don’t usually do! The list of participating sites in Rome is here, and includes everything from the Galleria Borghese (calling ahead for reservations still required), to the excavations at Ostia Antica – and if this weather holds, a trip out to those beautiful ruins might not be such a bad weekend plan.
Sunday: Vini Naturali a Roma, a two-day tasting and expo in the Hotel Columbus on Via della Concilazione which fell victim to last weekend’s blizzardino, has been rescheduled for this weekend. Head over to the hotel on Saturday from 2-9 or Sunday from noon-8 to sample wines from about 100 producers across Italy. Tickets are 20 euro, and can be purchased online. And, since I couldn’t come across this information and not share it, Gavin Degraw, he of the One Tree Hill theme song and various other, um, rock ballads of the early 2000’s, will be playing at Orion in EUR on Sunday night. Tickets are 30 Euro. You don’t wanna be anywhere other than there.
In addition to these, Craft Beer Week and Carnevale are still in full swing throughout the weekend, so squeeze some hoppy debauchery in if you find the time!
