Rome isn't the first city that comes to mind for Halloween, but the Eternal City has its own way of celebrating. In 2026, Halloween falls on Saturday 31 October, followed by All Saints' Day (Ognissanti) on Sunday 1 November, a public holiday in Italy. That makes it a long, lively weekend: parties on Saturday night, family events across the city, and a side of Rome full of crypts, catacombs and ghost stories that fits the season perfectly.
Here's what to do, what's on this year and how to plan your Halloween in Rome.
Does Rome celebrate Halloween?
Yes. Halloween isn't a traditional Italian holiday, but it has become popular, especially in big cities and with younger Romans. Expect costume parties in bars and clubs, themed dinners, pumpkins in shop windows and children in costumes, particularly in residential neighbourhoods and around Prati and Trastevere.
Romans give it their own twist. Halloween sits right before Ognissanti (1 November) and the Commemorazione dei Defunti (2 November), when families visit cemeteries and bring flowers to their loved ones. So the city mixes a playful night of costumes with older, more solemn traditions.
Halloween events in Rome 2026
Dates and times below are from the organisers' announcements. Programmes can change, so check the official page before you go.
Cinecittà World: Halloween season and Halloween Night
The theme park south of Rome runs its Halloween season from 3 October to 1 November 2026, open on weekends from 11:00 to 18:00. On Saturday 31 October it stays open for Halloween Night until midnight, with live shows, themed dinners and DJ sets.
New this year is The Haunted Theatre, a horror walk-through set in an old Broadway-style theatre, alongside the indoor coaster Inferno and the Horror House. Younger children have the Spooky Town Playground and a family area with hay mazes, pumpkins and face painting.
Via di Castel Romano 200. About 30 minutes by car from the centre.
CULTO: Halloween night at the MACRO museum
For something more design-led, Rome's contemporary art museum hosts CULTO: La notte di Halloween on Saturday 31 October, from 22:00 to 03:00: an art and music night with light installations. The dress code is total black, and every guest receives a mask at the entrance. Tickets are sold online.
MACRO, Via Nizza 138.
Halloween parties in the centre
If you want a classic costume party, the city's Irish and English-speaking pubs are the easiest choice for visitors. Trinity College Pub holds a masquerade party on Saturday 31 October until 3:00, with a prize for the best costume (costumes or masks required).
Via del Collegio Romano 6, between Via del Corso and Sant'Ignazio.
Popular pubs fill up fast on 31 October: arrive early, and book a table for dinner beforehand if you can.
With children
Besides Cinecittà World, many shopping centres and family venues organise costume contests and trick-or-treat afternoons on the weekends before Halloween. Rome's tourism office keeps an updated list of Halloween events across the city from 24 October to 4 November 2026.
The spooky side of Rome: things to do all weekend
Rome doesn't need decorations to feel mysterious. These are the places that match the Halloween mood any day of the weekend.
The Capuchin Crypt
Under the church of Santa Maria della Concezione on Via Veneto, the Capuchin friars decorated a series of small chapels with the bones of thousands of their brothers. It's one of the most unusual sights in Rome: striking rather than gruesome, with a quiet message about life and death.
Via Vittorio Veneto 27.
The catacombs of the Appian Way
Just outside the city walls, along the ancient Via Appia Antica, early Christians buried their dead in kilometres of underground tunnels. The Catacombs of San Callisto and San Sebastiano can be visited with a guide, and they're especially atmospheric in autumn. Each catacomb closes one day a week, so check before you go, and combine the visit with a walk or bike ride on the Appian Way.
The Museum of the Souls in Purgatory
One of Rome's strangest little museums sits inside the neo-Gothic church of the Sacro Cuore del Suffragio, on the Tiber in Prati. It collects objects said to carry marks left by souls in purgatory. Tiny, usually free to visit, and very much in the spirit of the season.
Lungotevere Prati 12.
The Non-Catholic Cemetery in Testaccio
One of the most beautiful and peaceful places in Rome. The Cimitero Acattolico, beside the white Pyramid of Cestius, has been the resting place of foreigners and non-Catholics since the 18th century. Among cypresses and wild flowers you'll find the graves of the poets John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, and the famous Angel of Grief sculpture. It's romantic rather than spooky, and especially moving around 2 November, when Italians remember their dead. Entry is free, with a donation welcome for its upkeep; look out for the cats of the nearby pyramid colony.
Via Caio Cestio 6, Testaccio (Metro B, Piramide).
Castel Sant'Angelo and Rome's ghost stories
Rome is full of legends: ghosts on the bridges over the Tiber, noble families' curses, prisoners of the papal fortress. Castel Sant'Angelo, Hadrian's tomb turned fortress and prison, is the perfect backdrop. Walk across the Ponte Sant'Angelo at dusk and you'll understand why so many stories start here.
Ancient Rome after dark
Late October light is beautiful, and the sun sets early (clocks go back on Sunday 25 October, so it's dark by around 17:30). Spend the afternoon at the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, then watch the monuments light up as you walk towards the Capitoline Hill.
All Saints' weekend: what's open?
Sunday 1 November is a public holiday: opening times vary, some shops close and public transport runs a holiday timetable. The Vatican Museums are closed on 1 November, so plan them for Saturday or Monday. Book popular sites like the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum in advance, since the long weekend brings many Italian visitors to Rome as well.
Weather in Rome at Halloween
Late October is usually mild: daytime temperatures around 18–20°C, cooler evenings around 10–13°C, and the chance of a few showers. Bring a light jacket and an umbrella, and comfortable shoes for the cobblestones (and for the catacombs, which are cool all year round).
Is October a good time to visit Rome?
Yes, it's one of the best months. The summer heat and crowds are gone, the light is golden and the cultural season is in full swing. It's a great time for guided visits, when you can enjoy the sites without the August queues.
Plan your Halloween weekend in Rome
Saturday 31 October: a morning at the Vatican Museums and St Peter's, afternoon in Prati (Museum of the Souls in Purgatory), and a Halloween party or the MACRO night in the evening.
Sunday 1 November: the Capuchin Crypt in the morning, then the Non-Catholic Cemetery and Testaccio in the afternoon, with dinner in one of the neighbourhood's traditional trattorias.
Monday 2 November: the Appian Way and its catacombs in the morning, then ancient Rome, with the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
Want to see Rome with a local guide? Browse our Rome tours or ask us about a private tour built around your dates.
FAQ
When is Halloween 2026 in Rome?
Saturday 31 October 2026. Sunday 1 November (All Saints' Day) is a public holiday in Italy.
What do Italians call Halloween?
Simply "Halloween". You'll also hear "la notte di Halloween" or "la festa di Halloween".
Is trick-or-treating common in Rome?
Not as much as in the US or UK. You'll see children in costume, especially in residential areas, and many family venues and shopping centres organise trick-or-treat events.
Is Rome busy at Halloween?
Busier than a normal October weekend because of the All Saints' holiday, but far quieter than summer. Book the main sites ahead.
