CCR Special Visit: Palazzo Colonna - January 31, 2026

Palazzo Colonna houses one of the richest private art collections in Italy and offers a rare glimpse into the grandeur of a palace that is still home to members of one of Rome’s most famous noble families. For more information about this very exclusive visit, have a look at this recent article in the Independent.

Our private guide, Rebecca Harden, will begin the tour in Galleria Colonna and the Great Hall. The grand Baroque gallery, is lined with masterpieces by artists like Tintoretto, Guercino, Carracci, and Bronzino, and the Great Hall is longer than Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors, with dramatic ceiling frescoes, ornate gilding, marble, and painted mirrors. The second part of the tour will include the Princess Isabelle Apartments, preserved exactly as she left them in 1984. The rooms are filled with period furniture, silk-covered walls, and intimate heirlooms, as well as works by Pinturicchio, Brueghel, and Vanvitelli. Finally, we will also visit the terraced gardens on the Quirinal Hill, with fountains, citrus trees, and Roman sarcophagi.

When: Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026

Time: 10 a.m.-12 noon; group gathering by 9:45 a.m.

Meeting Place: Bar Bibo, Piazza S. Apostoli (next door to Palazzo Colonna) 9:45am

Cost: Guided visit for CCR members €28, non-members €36. A maximum of 15 guests can be taken on this private tour, so please book your spot early. Advance payment required.

RSVP: ATTN Charlotta at canadarome@gmail.com

CCR Book Club - January 24, 2026

At this luncheon meeting, the reading group will discuss their first book choice of the new year, "Perfection" by Vincenzo Latronico. This novel was shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize and is available in both its original Italian version ("Le Perfezioni") and in the English version translated by Sophie Hughes.

When: Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026

Time: 1 p.m.

Where: Private residence of CCR member (Quartiere Trieste). Exact address sent to confirmed participants by email. Open only to current members of the CCR. 

Potluck: Please let Lucy know what food you'll be bringing.

Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Lucy. As space is limited, reservation is compulsory.

Welcome New Year Aperitivo - January 9, 2026

Join us, after the end of the winter holiday period in Italy, to toast the new year. We'll be soothed by the jazzy sounds of Hotel Quirinale’s house pianist as we catch up over a glass and an aperitivo spread!

When: Friday, Jan. 9, 2026
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m. 
Where: Hotel Quirinale, Via Nazionale 7
Cost: Advance payment of €20 for CCR members and €25 for non-members, including a choice of 1 drink (wine, beer, or cocktail) and an assortment of coldcuts, cheeses, fritti, olives, etc.. Any additional drinks must be paid to the server right after ordering ("No Host").
RSVP & PoP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Marina by  Jan. 7th.

CCR Walks: Popeless! - November 30, 2025

A new exhibition entitled "Il Giubileo senza papa" (The Jubilee Without a Pope) at Trajan's Market charts the ways in which jubilees shaped the medieval image of Rome, focusing particularly on the second popeless Holy Year, held in 1350, amongst Black Death (Bubonic Plague) and earthquake survivors in Rome. The pope at that time was in Avignon, so he could not preside over the celebrations.

When: Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025

Time: 10:30 (please arrive by 10:15)

Meeting Place: registered participants will be informed of the exact spot by email. 

Cost: Guided visit for CCR members €10, non-members €15. MIC card holders eligible for free admission to Trajan's Market. Make sure your card is up-to-date and already valid before the weekend. For others, the cost of admission to Trajan's Market for residents of Rome (with ID confirming this) is €13. Non-residents €17.50.

RSVP: ATTN Joe at canadarome@gmail.com

CCR Book Club - December 14, 2025

NB: Full/wait list open.

The CCR Book Club's Christmas-themed gathering will be a jovial lunchtime potluck around a discussion of the novel "The Berry Pickers" by Amanda Peters. In this story, a four-year-old Mi’kmaq girl goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine, in a mystery that haunts the survivors, unravels a community, and remains unsolved for nearly fifty years. Themes include the search for truth, the shadow of trauma, and the persistence of love across time.

When: Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025

Time: 1 p.m.

Where: Private residence of CCR member (Villa Pamphili area). Exact address sent to confirmed participants by email. Open only to current members of the CCR. 

Potluck: Please let Lucy know what food you'll be bringing.

Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Lucy. As space is limited, reservation is compulsory.

CCR Wine Tasting: Rare Vintages from Humble Roots to Triumph - November 22, 2025

NB: Full/wait list open.

Italy possesses an extraordinary wealth of native grape varieties -- a living archive of viticultural biodiversity stretching back centuries. Yet for decades, many of these indigenous cultivars fell into obscurity and were overshadowed as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and other international varietals swept across the Italian countryside. Now, a determined group of winemakers deeply rooted in their ancestral terroir are reclaiming this legacy. They are reviving forgotten native grapes unique to their regions, coaxing them back from near extinction and crafting distinctive wines that capture the authentic character of the land. The result is a collection of rare vintages virtually unknown beyond Italy's borders, expressions that tell stories of place, tradition, and a commitment to the preservation of this wine heritage.

When: Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025

Time: 7 p.m. 

Where: Residence of CCR members – Villa Patrizi area (exact details will be sent to registered participants).

Cost: €35 for members (€40 for non-members); advance payment required to confirm your place. A light dinner will follow the wine tasting.

RSVP to Linda; payment by Monday, Nov. 17 at canadarome@gmail.com. Please note that you are financially responsible for your reservation.

We are pleased to have Canadian-Italian sommelier Cindi Emond lead this wine tasting in English. Following years of dedicated wine studies, Cindi completed WSET and three diploma levels, and has certifications from Fondazione Italiana Sommelier and the Worldwide Sommelier Association. With her background in education and as a fine art and documentary photographer, Cindi combines technical knowledge with the gift of storytelling, making wine accessible and entertaining.