Historical Dinner: Tastes of Ancient Rome - November 20, 2026

How different were food and dining in ancient Rome? You may have an inkling, especially if you've attended some of our historical talks. Now's your chance to taste the differences... on the Appian Way! 

This dinner has been specifically designed for us and will be illustrated (in English and Italian) by a restauranteur who has spent years studying ancient Roman culinary texts and experimenting to recreate the typical flavours and recipes of the era. Space is limited, so book soon and avoid missing out on this unique culinary experience in a beautiful location.

Gustum (appetizers)

Cato the Elder's Libum (small bread buns with ricotta)

Epityrium (olive spread)

Apicius-inspired ham cooked with honey in bread crust

Columella's fresh cheese with herbs

Virgil's moretum (sheep cheese with garlic, coriander and celery)

Apicius's ova elixa (boiled eggs with condiments) & Columella's "caciofiore" (soft local cheese) 

Mensa Prima (main dishes)

a taste of patina cotidiana (the precursor of lasagna!)

dishes to share:

Pollo oxizomum (chicken with leeks, olive oil, vinegar and garum)

Isicia omentata (pork meatballs in grape sauce)

Lettuce with oxyporum (ancient Roman salad dressing!)

-- served with traditional panis quadratus (fresh segmented bread) --

Mensa Secunda (dessert)

Tyropatina (with milk, eggs, honey and black pepper)

Wine: Colli Albani DOC Antica Roma, mineral water, coffee

When: Friday, Nov. 20, 2026
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Via Appia Antica (near Cecilia Metella). Note that the new ZTL (traffic limit) in this area is only active on Saturdays and Sundays, so it will not apply on Friday. Abundant parking space available. Exact info on the location and logistics will be sent to confirmed participants.
Cost: current CCR members €40, guests €50. Advance payment required.
RSVP and payment to canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Anna by Nov. 15th (attach proof of payment). You are financially responsible for your reservation.

CCR Book Club - November 22, 2026

The November pick is the historical novel "A Far-Flung Life" by M. L. Stedman, set on a remote Australian "sheep station" in the mid-20th century.

When: Sunday, Nov. 22, 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.

Micro-Distillery Tasting - November 12, 2026

We're heading to a micro-distillery that produces handmade amaro liqueurs, gin and other distillates in small batches, to have a tasting of six of their products paired with nibbles. We'll also be given a presentation of their artisanal process.

Maximum 8 participants and advance payment required to confirm booking.

When: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026

Time: 6-7 p.m. (please be on time)

Where: L'Ardente, microdistilleria artigiana, via delle Azalee 71 (Centocelle area, near metro Mirti)

Cost: €25 paid in advance.

RSVP: ATTN Marielle at canadarome@gmail.com 

CCR Book Club - October 25, 2026

In October the reading group is going to talk about "The Husbands" by Holly Gramazio. 

When: Sunday, Sept. 25, 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.

Halloween Walk: Roman Ghosts - October 31, 2026

Prepare to be shocked and terrified this Halloween! Come and join a really unusual twilight ghost walk with Olivia along the Tiber in Rione Ripa. Equipped with sheets and lanterns, each participant will “adopt” the identity of one of many mysterious and fascinating Roman ghosts as they congregate to haunt the Tiber’s riverbanks. Meet these mysterious characters from local folklore and hear their scary true stories. Those who wish can also follow the group for a cheerful evening meal after the walk.

NB: This walk is not suitable for young children because the historical events are real and can be disturbing for them.

When: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026
Time: 5:30 p.m. (please arrive by 5:15)
Meeting Place: registered participants will be informed by email of the exact spot along the river. 
Cost: Guided walk for CCR members €10, non-members €15. Optional dinner will be no-host, paid separately by each participant.
RSVP: ATTN Marina at canadarome@gmail.com by 29 Oct. 2026

CCR Walks: EUR - October 24, 2026

Exactly a century ago, in 1926, Italy introduced the Leggi Fascistissime, outlawing opposition to the Fascist Government. As one of its many promotional initiatives, the regime planned a 1942 world's fair, with buildings designed by a range of young pioneering architects. The fair never took place, but  today the core buildings in the resulting EUR neighbourhood are indisputably the most eye catching of Italy’s landmarks from the Fascist era.

We will take a fresh look at its enigmatic buildings, which have provided the backdrop to film classics, ads and music videos, and will consider what to make of it all today. We are planning for a group of no more than 15.

When: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026

Time: 10 a.m. 

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

Cost: Guided visit for CCR members €10, non-members €15. 

RSVP: ATTN Peter at canadarome@gmail.com

CCR Wine Tasting: Wines from Lazio - October 18, 2026

Historically, wines from Lazio (such as Frascati) were regarded as little more than inexpensive drinks consumed in bulk to accompany the rustic cuisine of Roman trattorias. Thanks to soils rich in minerals and volcanic tuff (particularly in the Castelli Romani and Lake Bolsena areas), the region is undergoing an extraordinary change from mass-market bulk wine to meticulous artisanal production showcasing native grape varieties and the terroir.

Join us for a Sunday lunch tasting. If the weather is good we’ll enjoy our hosts’ beautiful terrace for this event.

When: Sunday, Oct 18, 2026

Time: 12 noon

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

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

RSVP to Linda; payment by Monday, Oct 12th at canadarome@gmail.com. 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.

Thanksgiving Lunch - October 11, 2026

Another of our club "anchor events" is returning! This big family-style Thanksgiving lunch always attracts a cross-section of long-time and new club members, visiting family, and curious friends.

Join us for this special meal -- the only place marking this event for Canadians in Rome on the same weekend as Thanksgiving Day back home! The restaurant roasts a very fine turkey, but we need to order the right size bird a week in advance, so book soon.

Menu

Creamy pumpkin ravioli

Roast turkey with chestnut and prune stuffing

Cranberry sauce

Green beans

Brussel sprouts

Roasted new potatoes

Roast pumpkin

Wine

Still and sparkling water

Selection of cakes made in-house

Coffee

When: Sunday, October 11, 2026

Time: Seating at 12:45 p.m. Please be punctual. Please note that parking can can take time to find in this area of Prati; consider public transit.

Where: Ristorante Bisteccheria L'Isola della Pizza, Via degli Scipioni 45 (near Ottaviano metro). 

Cost: Advance payment required. €45 CCR members; €60 non-members. Please note that you will be charged individually for any different or additional orders beyond the set menu listed above.

RSVP & PoP: to canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Anna by close of business on Oct. 4th COB. We cannot accommodate anyone who hasn't completed their prior payment.

Chi c'è, c'è! Aperitivo - September 29, 2026

The spirit of this informal aperitivo meet-up will be "chi c'è, c'è!" Yes, "whoever makes it, makes it" and we'll raise our cups! We won't book a specific table or wait on anyone, but we'll be sure to welcome everyone who shows up.

This friendly bistrot features Lazio Region wines and ingredients, some in traditional form and some with a contemporary twist.

When: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Where: Contesto Urbano Bistrot Romano, Via Gallia 51 (San Giovanni-Metronia area, closest station is Metro C Porta Metronia)

Cost: No host/pay your own individual order. Three "aperitivo formulas" are available for a drink and the amount of food that fits your appetite. The €10 set includes 3 tastings of the chef's choice (although food allergies can be accommodated), €15 is for 7 vegetarian tastings or 7 items including meat, and then there's the €20 set if you're hungry for "maritozzomania" (savoury maritozzi)! À la carte appetizers and mains also available.

Outing to Villa d'Este in Tivoli - September 19, 2026

Our first trip out of town this season will be to Tivoli's gorgeous Villa d'Este. This 16th-century Renaissance palace and its terraced gardens are set on a stunning hillside, with hundreds of gravity-fed fountains and brilliant masterworks of historic hydraulic engineering. Our English-speaking guide will provide unique insights.

After the visit, we'll have lunch at Terrazza Gregoriana, with its panoramic view. The fixed menu includes antipasto, first course, salad, water, wine and coffee. Any dietary restrictions must be communicated ahead of time.

We are grateful to the Conversi family for their assistance in organizing this excursion!

When: Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026

Timing & transportation: meet at Ponte Mammolo station (metro B) at 9 a.m. The Cotral bus to Tivoli is a 48-minute trip (cost €4.50 return). Our guide will meet us at Tivoli's Piazza Garibaldi stop. From there it's is a short walk to the Villa (2 min.) and then to the restaurant (10 min.). Stairs and ramps between the Villa and its gardens. Return time will be around 3:30-4 p.m., as there are regular buses from Tivoli to Rome. Further details will be provided to participants upon reservation. 

Cost: €55 for CCR member, €60 for non-members, including admission, guide and lunch! Transportation and other purchase not included. Advance payment required.

RSVP and payment: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Marielle by Sept. 11.

CCR Book Club - September 22, 2026

The first meeting of the 2026-27 season will discuss "What We Can Know" by Ian McEwan. Globo describes the novel as "a masterpiece, a fictional tour de force that reclaims the present from our sense of looming catastrophe, and imagines a future world where all is not quite lost."

When: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026
Time: 6 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 - June 18, 2026

The last novel to be discussed in the 2025-2026 club season is "Pick a Colour" by Souvankham Thammavongsa. Bloomsbury says that this novel, "told over a single day with razor-sharp precision and wit... confirms Souvankham Thammavongsa's place as literature's premier chronicler of the immigrant experience, in its myriad, complex, and slyly subversive forms." 

When: Thursday, June 18, 2026
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Where: Private residence of CCR member (Piazza Cavour 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.

Book Launch and Author Meeting - May 26, 2006

We are pleased to present a very special literary event. Join us for the Rome launch of "La Poesia di Carol Shields," a bilingual English/Italian collection of the poetry of the award-winning, late Canadian writer Carol Shields. Translated and curated by Nella Cotrupi, the collection brings a major Canadian voice to Italy. “These translations are a bridge between an extraordinary writer and a linguistic community that has not yet had full access to her most distilled voice.” The collection is published by I Quaderni del Bardo Edizioni di Stefano Donno.

Also presenting at the same event will be the Canadian-Italian writer Genni Gunn, who will discuss her latest book "The Cipher," a historical novel of secrets and lies, spies and lovers, which takes place during the Second World War.

Speakers will include the author/editor Nella Cotrupi, writer Genni Gunn, and publisher Stefano Donno.

When: Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

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

RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com

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 27, 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: Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Time: 5:30 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.

Élisabeth Pion: Private Piano Recital - March 29, 2026

We are pleased to offer a special private piano recital by 29-year-old French-Canadian pianist Élisabeth Pion, the Gold Laureate and Audience Choice Award winner of the prestigious 2025 Honens International Piano Competition. Élisabeth appears on international stages as a recitalist, chamber musician, and guest artist and has performed at esteemed venues such as Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, and Sala Cecília Meireles. She is a regular guest artist with distinguished ensembles and has collaborated with conductors such as Gerard Schwarz, Elias Grandy, Nathalie Marin, Kensho Watanabe, and Nicolas Ellis, to name a few. In 2024-25 she was a Radio-Canada Breakthrough Artist.

Élisabeth performs a broad range of concerto repertoire, adding her own perspective to known masterworks and bringing rarely performed works to new audiences. She has released two albums, both of which were finalists for the Prix Opus.

The recital will be followed by a light aperitivo.

When: Sunday, March 29, 2026

Time: 6 p.m.

Cost: €10

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

Note: open only to current members of the CCR.

RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com by Thursday, March 26, ATTN Marielle. Please note that space is limited so reserve early.

CCR Book Club - March 22, 2026

The March novel pick is going to be "Bear" by the late Marian Engel. The Canadian Encyclopedia calls this 1976 book "the most controversial novel ever written in Canada."

When: Sunday, Mar. 22, 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.