CCR Walks: Farnesina in Trastevere - A Renaissance Villa - May 20, 2026

A foray into the charmed life of Agostino Chigi, the Sienese moneylender who became the Pope’s banker and was known as “richest man in Christendom.” His suburban villa, now called “Farnesina in Trastevere,” was inspired by ancient Roman villas. It was frescoed by Raphael and other leading artists with works celebrating Agostino’s good fortune and his meteoric career in Renaissance Rome. The Farnesina became the setting for luxurious banquets, tragic love stories, and artistic debate. Miraculously surviving the dramatic events which marked the end of Renaissance in Rome, the Villa and the gardens have recently been restored and help bring that lost world back to life.

Art historian and author Olivia Ercoli will guide us through this beautiful ancient villa.

When: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

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

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

Cost: CCR members €15, non-members €22 includes guided tour and entrance fee to Villa Farnesina. Advance payment required by Friday, May 16.  

RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com  ATTN Linda.

CCR Wine Social: Dinner and Tasting - May 8, 2026

We're having a social at a great wine bar and wine cellar in Rome! The Enoteca Peluso in the Ludovisi neighbourhood periodically holds excellent events featuring selected wines paired with dinner, and we've booked a table to take advantage of this opportunity. Join us for an informal but informative evening as we socialize over great food and wine. 

This event will focus on four wines from the producer Il Roncal in the Colli Orientali del Friuli region of Italy: Malvasia, Ribolla Gialla, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, and Schioppettino. A sommelier will be serving and although there won't be a formal presentation, they will be happy to answer all our questions.

Book soon, as there are limited spots at our table!

Where: Enoteca Peluso, Via Sardegna 36A (Ludovisi/Via Veneto/Villa Borghese area)

When: Friday, May 8, 2026

Time: 8 p.m. 

Cost: €38 for members (€40 for non-members), by reservation only. Advance payment required to confirm your place.

RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Linda and payment by noon on Monday, May 4th. Please note that you are financially responsible for your reservation.

CCR Wine Tasting: Great Italian Summer Wines - May 16, 2026

Refreshing! Light-bodied! Crisp! Discover the joy and versatility of a chilled Italian white, rose, sparkling and red wine. Sample the best wines for your meals and to share with friends on a hot summer day.

Where: Private residence (Corso Trieste area). Exact details will be sent to registered participants.

When: Saturday, May 16, 2026

Time: 6 p.m.

Cost: €35 for members (€45 for non-members). Advance payment required to confirm your place. A light dinner will follow the wine tasting.

RSVP to Linda at canadarome@gmail.com.Payment by Monday, May 11th  Please note that you are financially responsible for your reservation.

We are pleased to have Marco Lori, Italian sommelier and wine master, lead this CCR wine tasting. Marco’s sommelier training in 1995 sparked his passion for wine and set in motion years of study. In 2014 he earned the “Italian Sommelier Executive Wine Master” status, recognized by the Worldwide Sommelier Association. He is the founder of “Off the Vine,” a gastro-tourism venture in Italy.

CCR Book Club - May 26, 2026

The May book choice is "Remarkably Bright Creatures" by American author Shelby Van Pelt. According to Good Reads, this 2003 novel is "An exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus… Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible."

When: Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Time: 7 p.m.

Where: Private residence of CCR member. 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 Book Club - April 19, 2026

For their April meeting, the CCR Book Club is reading the French blockbuster "Watching over Her" ("Veiller sur elle") by Jean-Baptiste Andrea. The New York Times review argues that this novel, which is set in a monastery in Piedmont and "traces the personal and political entanglements of a sculptor whose swagger belies his physical stature," poses the question of whether art can compromise with fascism.

When: Sunday, Apr. 19, 2026

Time: 1 p.m.

Where: Private residence of CCR member. 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.

Summer Season Reception - June 17, 2026

Join us for our traditional garden reception as the 2025-2026 club season draws to a close and we catch up before people start leaving on their summer travels and other plans. Our heartfelt thanks to Canada's Ambassador to the Holy See, Joyce Napier, for graciously hosting our cocktail party at her beautiful Official Residence.

Menu -- waiter service

assorted canapés

mini meatballs with honey and walnuts

savoury pastry cups with gratin vegetables 

vegetarian couscous

smoked salmon pockets

assorted brochettes

fresh fruit skewers

dessert cups

prosecco, red and white wines

juices, water, tea and coffee

When: Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Where: The Official Residence of Canada's Ambassador to the Holy See, Via di Porta San Sebastiano. Exact address and advice on parking will be sent to confirmed participants.

Time: 6 to 8 p.m.

Price: €35 for current CCR members, €45 non-members; payment in advance.

N.B. This event is open to non-member guests only if accompanied by fully paid and registered CCR members.

Security: Mandatory registration of all participants. Please note that due to security requirements we will need the full name of each person attending at the time of booking. Also, you are required to have photo ID on the evening of the event. Anyone not on the guest list will be denied admission.

RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Marielle by June 14th, 2026