All you need to know about the 29th of June in Rome, the day Rome celebrates its patron’s Saints.
The 29th of June in Rome is a holiday. It is the day when the city celebrates its patron Saints, St Peter and St Paul, and a wonderful time to be in the city.
The 29th of June is a day off for locals and a traditional day for day trips from the city and for local sightseeing.
It is also a day that the city celebrates with special events: this is all you need to know about visiting Rome on this day.
Staying longer? Don’t forget to also read our guide to Rome in June!
What you need to know about St Peter and Paul Day in Rome
To celebrate the festivity, many of Rome main monuments open for free.
This is an excellent opportunities for visitors on a budget yet also a tricky time to go: free admission in many cases means no booking and no tours and, therefore, lines.
If you have the budget to secure tickets in advance, I recommend to go on a different day and avoid the line.
Monuments normally open for free on this day are (make sure you always check on the official site first as often these decisions are made last minute and can change year on year):
On the other hand, the festivity means that the Vatican is closed: since St Peter and Paul is a religious occasion, the Vatican Museums are closed on this day.
Closures
As well as the Vatican, some museums, smaller shops and local restaurants catering to locals may close on this day. While you will find plenty of food options in Rome city center, I recommend you check opening hours of each place you intend to visit as the day off may impact their service.
Special events in Rome: San Pietro and Paolo Fireworks
Fireworks are traditional in Rome for the 29th and usually are an opportunity for people to gather and admire their colors against the dark Rome summer sky.
The fireworks of the 29th of June are more than summer entertainment and have a peculiar story. This specific display was created by Michelangelo and originally displayed at Castel Sant’Angelo. They quickly became a huge attraction for people from all over Europe, who would flock to Rome to see it. The event took place until 1834 and then suddenly stopped. In 2008 the traditional show started again first at the castle and, in recent years, from the Pincio Terrace (so the best place to see it would be Piazza del Popolo)
The firework happen at 21.30 from Castel Sant’Angelo and are best seen from Lungotevere Tor di Nona, Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II, Ponte Sant’Angelo and Ponte Umberto I. Expect crowds on all these locations.
Best things to do in Rome on the 29th of June
When planning your day in Rome, please be advised that the festivity may impact on public transport routes. If relying on bus or metro, make a move early as traveling time may differ from usual.
Have a picnic in the park
June is a wonderful time for products and picnics and the best way to enjoy the freshest of all produce is to get it from the maket just the deli counter at any supermarket (That’s my secret place for delicious food on a budget!).
Grea places for picnics in Rome are Villa Borghese (the most central and with amazing views and games for kids), Villa Ada, Villa Doria Pamphili and lesser known Villa Trolonia, which is in a quiet and redisential area perfect to escape the crowds.
You can find here >> my shortlist of the best parks in Rome
Go on a self guided food tour
A fun way to celebrate Rome is immersing yourself in its food. You can do it with a tour or yourself! I am from Rome and I have written here a self guided food tour itinerary in Rome city center you can follow in your own time
Go to the pool
If the heat is getting to you, then you may like to hear that Rome has many pools open to the public. You can find our selection of the best pools in Rome (hotels and not) here. Please check with each pool for specific regulation at these peculiar times.
Hear the Pope in St Peter’s Square
The Vatican celebrates the day of St Peter and St Paul with mass in St Peter’s and the ceremony is open to the public.
Tickets must be booked in advance (free of charge, you can get them here) and the mass is usually also projected on maxi screens in Piazza San Pietro, just outside the basilica.
Go for an evening walk
The 29th of June usually sees good weather, hot during the day and pleasant at night.
This makes this day one of the loveliest for an evening walk around Rome’s most famous piazzas and soak in the city’s beauty and the festive atmosphere.
At night you usually cannot enter the monuments, yet seeing them light up is special! Some of our favorite places to visit in Rome at night are:
Good to know! On the 29th June the Borghese Gallery often has special evening openings. These are special times to visit one of the most beautiful museums in Rome. Booking mandatory, find all info here >>> how to book Borghese Gallery tickets
Enjoy one of Rome’s best rooftop bars
If you prefer to make the most of the beautiful evenings without walking, you can also instead opt for one of Rome’s most beautiful rooftop terraces and restauants.
Some we love are
- Terrazza Borromini – Via dell’Anima 30 (Piazza Navona)
- Corner at Palazzo Manfredi – Via Labicana 125 (Colosseum)
- Divinity terrace at Pantheon Iconic Hotel – Via di Santa Chiara 4a (Pantheon)
- Otivm Rome – Via d’Ara Coeli 11 (Piazza Venezia)
29th of June curiosity: the ‘Barca di San Pietro’ (St Peter’s boat tradition)
Ok so this is not really a Rome thing, yet it is an interesting tradition I was told about this day in rural Italy, so I think it can be fun to know! According to tradition, the night between the 28th and 29th of June, is an important one for famers in Italy.
On this night, they fill a glass with water and then add an egg white and then leave the concoction outdoors, overnight.
The morning after, they go to retrieve the glass and study its appearance: the night temperature and the morning dew create a special effect that makes the mixture look like a vessel, with masts and sails!
Depending on how good this vessel looks, farmers are able to make predictions on how good the crop will be: many open sails represent a good crop, few, closed sails foresee a poorer year.
Tradition says the vessel represents St Peter who, overnight, blows in the glass to show the faithful he is close to them.
I hope you enjoyed this post about the best things to do on the 29th June in Rome. Happy travel planning!