A quick guide to Saint Patrick’s Day events in Italy in 2026.
St Patrick’s Day, the annual celebration in honour of Ireland’s patron saint, is marked in many countries around the world each year, including Italy.
There are numerous Irish-themed events taking place in Rome, Milan and other Italian cities in the days either side of St Patrick’s Day, 17 March, which falls on a Tuesday this year.
Milan: Ireland Week
The 2026 edition of Ireland Week Milano returns from 8 to 17 March with a programme of of events spanning live music, literature, cinema, gastronomy and sport, designed to celebrate the strong bond between Ireland and Italy. A central feature of the festivities is the Gusta l’Irlanda initiative, which showcases authentic Irish produce across numerous Milanese restaurants and bars. There will also be a showcase of Ireland’s Gaelic Games on 14 March.
Rome: Céilí dance
Join the Irish community for an evening of traditional Irish dance, organised with ROIS Irish dancing school, on Friday 13 March at 18.00. Beginners are welcome at the event which will be hosted at the Pontifical Irish College on Via dei Santi Quattro 1.
Bologna: Irlanda in Festa
This four-day festival featuring live folk music from international and Italian bands alongside Irish food and beer, craft markets and dance workshops, takes place in Bologna’s Piazza Lucio Dalla from 13-17 March, with free entry.
Rome: Celebration of Irish sports
Experience Ireland’s national sport at an open day and demonstration of Gaelic Games with the Rome Hibernia GAA club in Villa Borghese. All welcome. The event takes place in Piazza di Siena on Saturday 14 March from 11.00-12.30.
Rome: Green the city with Retake Roma
Join Retake Roma and the Embassy of Ireland in Rome for a St Patrick’s Day clean-up and some Irish goodies in Villa Borghese on Saturday 14 March from 12.30-14.00. Meet at Casa del Cinema, Largo Marcello Mastroianni.
Livorno: San Patrizio Festival
This year’s San Patrizio Livorno Festival hosts a record number of international guests, cultural events and collaborations, from 14-22 March. The programme includes literary, music and theatre events as well as opportunities for business and cultural exchange between Ireland and Italy.
Rome: Concert at All Saints’ Church
The Sanctuary Singers from Belfast celebrate St Patrick in song with The Sound of the Celtic Soul at All Saints’ Anglican Church on Via del Babuino on Sunday 15 March at 15.00, with free admission.
Rome: St Patrick’s Day Mass
On Tuesday 17 March the St Patrick’s Day Mass will be held at St Patrick’s American Catholic Parish church in Rome. All are welcome to the 10.00 service which sees Rome’s Irish community unite in a nostalgic chorus of Hail Glorious, St Patrick. The church is located on Via Boncompagni 31, just off Via Veneto.
Rome: Sustainable greening initiative
The Embassy of Ireland to Italy is renewing its partnership with the Comune di Roma to add a touch of Irish green to the Villa De Sanctis Park (Via dei Gordiani 10) on Tuesday 17 March at 10.00.
Rome: Villa Spada tours with FAI
Villa Spada, seat of Ireland’s embassy to Italy, will be opened to the public, subject to prior online registration, on Saturday 21 March from 09.30-14.00, with FAI volunteers giving tours of the villa and its history. Via Giacomo Medici 1 (Gianicolo).
Rome: Irish pubs
For those who want to toast St Patrick with a pint of Guinness, the best Irish pubs in Rome include Scholars Lounge, Fiddler’s Elbow, Finnegan’s, Druid’s Den, The Shamrock and The Abbey Theatre, all located in the city centre. Scholars Lounge, Rome’s biggest Irish pub, will be open for 18 hours straight on 17 March, with live music from lunchtime until the wee hours.
Cover image: The Colosseum in Rome lit up in green in honour of St Patrick’s Day in 2021.
