Rome PGI Olive Oil Festival
The green gold of the Roman Countryside among Forums, baths, and the Auditorium
About Rome Olive Oil Festival
A festival created to tell the story of Rome's oil
The Rome PGI Olive Oil Festival debuted in April 2026 as the first event entirely dedicated to the extra virgin olive oil of the Roman Countryside. Promoted by the Consortium for the Protection of Rome PGI Olive Oil in collaboration with Roma Capitale, the festival is not held in a single square but is a widespread event: ten appointments in seven different locations within the Municipality of Rome, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, the heart of the Lazio region.
Where it takes place: a curated map
The choice of venues is a cultural journey in itself. It starts at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, where the festival integrates with the Festival of Green and Landscape, continues to the Monte dei Cocci in Testaccio—the hill made of amphorae that transported oil to Rome for centuries—and arrives at the Temple of Hadrian in Piazza di Pietra, which hosts the producers' exhibition. The grand finale is in the Curia Iulia, inside the Colosseum Archaeological Park, where the L'Eterno Award ceremony takes place.
The connection to Rome's Birthday
It is no coincidence that the calendar closes on April 21st: the festival deliberately links itself to the 'Natale di Roma' and the memory of the ancient Palilia, the agricultural festivals that marked the renewal of the countryside. Oil thus becomes the key to narrating a millennial agricultural vocation that the Capital has never lost, and which is today recognized by the PGI designation.
What to do at the festival
- Tasting masterclasses led by professional tasters, with insights into pairings between oil, cheese, and wine;
- Producers' exhibition of the Consortium, with tasting counters open to the public;
- Showcooking and talks, including the meeting dedicated to the "Oil Routes of Rome";
- Guided tours of the Monte dei Cocci and the Palatine olive groves;
- Generazione O, the edutainment project aimed at high school and university students, hosted at the IPSEOA Vincenzo Gioberti and IPSEOA Tor Carbone hotel management schools, featuring interactive quizzes, guided tastings, and comedy moments;
- Sport and wellness, with the Appia Run Village at the Baths of Caracalla and the Rome Appia Run along the Appia Antica.
Beyond the city limits
The festival also ventures outside the Lazio region: from April 12th to 15th, the event moves to Verona, within the spaces of Vinitaly, with tastings and educational activities that bring Roman oil to the international public of the most important Italian wine fair.
The L'Eterno Award
The recognition that closes the event, L'Eterno, is awarded in the Curia Iulia to personalities, organizations, and producers who have distinguished themselves in spreading the culture of extra virgin olive oil and Roman identity worldwide. The setting—the ancient hall of the Roman Senate—gives the ceremony a symbolic weight that goes far beyond the agri-food sector.
Who it is for
The formula is designed for a wide audience: enthusiasts and curious people who want to learn how to recognize a good extra virgin oil, families and residents discovering a little-known piece of their city's productive identity, and tourists who can combine a visit to the Forums with a gourmet experience. Almost all events are free of charge, but booking is mandatory: places in masterclasses and archaeological site visits are limited.
Rome Olive Oil Festival — edition 2026
The first edition
Presented in a press conference on April 7, 2026, the Rome PGI Olive Oil Festival inaugurated its calendar on April 10 at the Auditorium Parco della Musica and concluded on April 21 in the Curia Iulia of the Colosseum Archaeological Park. Twelve days, ten events, seven venues: a widespread formula that brought the extra virgin olive oil of the Roman Countryside into the iconic places of the Capital.
The program alternated between educational moments and popular events: tasting masterclasses, the exhibition of Consortium producers at the Temple of Hadrian, the gala evening at Villa Silvestri Rivaldi, the Generazione O project in hotel management schools, and the trip to Vinitaly in Verona. There was also a sporting side, with the Appia Run Village at the Baths of Caracalla and the twenty-seventh Rome Appia Run along the Appia Antica.
Programme Rome Olive Oil Festival 2026
The 2026 program day by day
- April 10-12 — Auditorium Parco della Musica (Viale Pietro de Coubertin): producer stalls open all day within the Festival of Green and Landscape, tasting masterclasses, and practical workshops.
- April 12-15 — Veronafiere, Verona: the festival at Vinitaly 2026 with tastings and educational activities on oil culture.
- April 16-17 — "Generazione O": edutainment for high school and university students at IPSEOA Vincenzo Gioberti and IPSEOA Tor Carbone schools, with interactive quizzes, guided tastings, and comedy shows.
- April 18 — Testaccio: guided tour of the Monte dei Cocci in the morning and masterclass on pairings between oil, cheese, and wine; in the afternoon, presence at the Appia Run Village at the Baths of Caracalla.
- April 19 — Rome Appia Run, twenty-seventh edition: start from the Colosseum Archaeological Park and route along the Appia Antica.
- April 20 — Temple of Vibia Sabina and Hadrian (Piazza di Pietra), from 10 AM: producer exhibition, tasting masterclasses, showcooking, and "Oil Routes of Rome" talk. In the evening, gala dinner at Villa Silvestri Rivaldi.
- April 21 — Colosseum Archaeological Park: L'Eterno Award ceremony in the Curia Iulia and guided tours of the Palatine olive groves, on the day of Rome's Birthday.
Highlights Rome Olive Oil Festival 2026
- L'Eterno Award in the Curia Iulia, the ancient hall of the Roman Senate, to personalities and organizations spreading oil culture and Roman identity worldwide.
- Visit to the Palatine olive groves, among the olive trees growing inside the Colosseum Archaeological Park.
- Monte dei Cocci: the hill of ancient Roman oil amphorae, told through a guided tour in Testaccio.
- Temple of Hadrian: the exhibition of Consortium producers in one of the most scenic settings of the historic center.
- Generazione O: the format dedicated to students of Roman hotel management schools.
Prices Rome Olive Oil Festival 2026
Practical information — Rome Olive Oil Festival
How to get there
The Temple of Hadrian (Piazza di Pietra) can be reached on foot from Piazza Venezia or from the Barberini metro stop (line A); the Auditorium Parco della Musica is served by tram 2 (Apollodoro stop) and several bus lines; the Curia Iulia is located in the Colosseum Archaeological Park, Colosseo metro stop (line B). Those arriving by train should get off at Roma Termini, which is well connected to all venues.
Admission and bookings
Most events are free, but booking is mandatory for masterclasses, guided tours, and ceremonies at archaeological sites, as places are limited. Registration can be done on the Consortium's official website.
Contacts
Consortium for the Protection of Rome PGI Olive Oil, Via dell'Umiltà 48, Rome — phone +39 351 5819248, e-mail [email protected], website www.olioromaigp.it/festivalolio.
Tips
April in Rome is busy: it is advisable to book events on April 20th and 21st well in advance, as they coincide with the 'Natale di Roma' celebrations. Comfortable shoes are recommended for visits to the Monte dei Cocci and the Palatine olive groves.
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Where does it take place — Rome Olive Oil Festival
Più sedi (Tempio di Adriano, Curia Iulia, Auditorium Parco della Musica)
Piazza di Pietra, 00186 Roma