When: wk before Ash Wednesday (Feb/early Mar)

In the Middle Ages this riotous last fling before the rigours of Lent was celebrated with wild abandon on Monte Testaccio. Renaissance popes, anxious to keep an eye on their debauched subjects, brought the ceremony to via del Corso. Nowadays young Roman tykes dressed up in their finery are paraded about by their proud parents.

Where: Sant’Eusebio, piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 12A, Rome
When: 17 Jan
In a rare example of Italian devotion to animal welfare, Romans commemorate the protector of animals, Sant’Antonio Abate, in the church of Sant’Eusebio on 17 January; those keen to ensure their pets get a place in heaven bring them along to have them blessed.

Where: Piazza Navona, Rome
When: 6 Jan
From mid December up to 6 January, piazza Navona hosts a Christmas fair, with market stalls peddling sweets and cheap tat. The fair is dedicated to La Befana – the old witch. As the pagan legend goes, on the day of Epiphany this ‘Mother Christmas’ brought presents to good children only; naughty ones found their shoes filled with coal. The climax of the fair comes late on 5 January, when La Befana herself touches down in the piazza.

When: 31 Dec, 1 Jan
Hordes of Romans flock to piazza del Popolo to see in the new year with a free concert and fireworks display; check the city council website (www.comune.roma.it) for a full list of events. Some people add to the fun with home-grown pyrotechnics and flying spumante corks, turning the centro storico into something resembling a war zone. Beware: some older residents still honour the tradition of chucking unwanted consumer durables off their balconies.

When: 25, 26 Dec
Tickets for the papal midnight mass at St Peter’s can be obtained from the Prefettura; put your request in months ahead. Cribs can be found in most churches, but the most impressive are halfway up the Spanish Steps and in piazza San Pietro. The Roman Christmas Day is a gluttonous affair: locals feast upon fritti (calorific fried offerings), followed by panettone (currant sponge) and torrone (slabs of nutty chocolate or nougat). The pope says a special mass and gives his ‘Urbi et orbis’ blessing in St Peter’s.

Where: Piazza di Spagna, Rome
When: 8 Dec
The statue of the Madonna in piazza di Spagna is the focus of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. With the pope looking on, the fire brigade runs a ladder up Mary’s column and a lucky fireman gets to place a wreath over her outstretched arm. At the base of the column locals deposit elaborate floral tributes.

Where: various venues
When: Oct
Website: www.romacinemafest.org
Started in 2006, Rome finally got itself a film festival to match its iconic cinematic status, giving the city’s once glorious film industy a much-needed shot in the arm. Organisational hitches should be ironed out as the festival gains in maturity. Linked to another feisty newcomer – New York’s Tribeca Film Festival – this event has both arthouse kudos and the money to attract the stars and the big players.

Where: various venues, Rome
When: generally 2wks mid-Sept
Website: www.enzimi.com
This free music, theatre and arts festival – a showcase for the best up-and-coming artists – is council-funded and aimed at thirtysomethings and younger. Held in an array of unlikely locations, it hosts cutting-edge local bands and some international stars, skilfully mixing mainstream acts with offbeat sounds – the perfect opportunity to see what’s new in the city’s artistic circles.

Where: Auditorium-Parco della Musica, Rome
When: mid-Sept
Tel & website: 06 8024 1281/www.auditorium.com
A world-class tango festival, Buenos Aires Tango, features fantastic tango dancers and performances as well as open classes and a milonga.

Where: various locations in Rome
When: Sept-Nov
Tel & website: 06 422 961/www.romaeuropa.net
Rome’s cutting-edge performing arts festival offers music, dance and theatre, with an eclectic mix of international acts and emerging young talent. Buy tickets at the venues themselves or by phone or online (www.helloticket.it); book well in advance for big-name acts.