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 Walks: Courtesans of Rome - April 14, 2024

Let us follow their footsteps over Rome’s cobblestones as they flick their silky fans at us. Fiammetta, Matrema-non-vole and Imperia are just a few of the most famous of Rome's cortigiane oneste, the upper class courtesans who were treated as royalty by their admirers and would-be lovers in the 15th and early 16th centuries. Their fantastical gowns, sumptuous jewels and luxurious apparel, outrageous banquets and intricate etiquette made their way into ballads, literary works and music -- often written by these very same educated, sophisticated women. Their colourful world all but disappeared with the Sack of Rome in 1527 and the strictures of the Counter-Reformation, but  their memory lives on in the streets, and we will explore it.

When: Sunday, April 14, 2024

Time: 10 a.m. walk starts; optional: meet at 9:30 for coffee or 9:45 for briefing.

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

Cost: €10 for CCR members, €15 for non-members. You are financially responsible for your booking.

RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Peter before 5 p.m. April 11.

CCR Talks: Bosch, a Different Renaissance - January 31, 2023

An exhibition has opened recently in Milan entitled “Bosch e un altro rinascimento” (Bosch and another Renaissance). It brings together works by, or influenced by, Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516), a 16th-century Dutch painter. Bosch had a huge influence on his time as well as on contemporary artists and modern art movements. Bosch or “El Bosco” was a favorite artist of King Philip of Spain, and German Expressionists, Surrealists, and Salvador Dali are among his more modern admirers. This lecture will serve as an introduction to the artist, his life, and times, as well as examine his artworks’ many secrets and conundrums.

When: Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Time: 6:30 p.m. (lecture duration approx. 75 to 90 minutes)
Where: on Zoom
Cost: €10 for members and €15 for non-members.
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Joe by Sat., Jan. 28, 2023. You are financially responsible for your reservation.

CCR Talks: The Caves of the Oppian Hill and the Discovery of the “Grotesque” - December 7, 2021

The great palace of Emperor Nero with its amazing wall and ceiling paintings was abandoned and purposely buried after the Emperor’s death in 68 AD. Despite this attempt at obliteration, the frescoes miraculously survived and were rediscovered by accident in the late 15th century. The unearthing of these paintings contributed to an artistic revolution never before seen in Western art. This lecture, the first this season, will look at the artists, aristocrats, and adventurers who first crawled into the “grotte” (or “caves”) beneath the Oppian Hill and drew inspiration from what they saw as well as sharing the bizarre legends and stories that swirled around the discovery of this mysterious underground world.

When: Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Time: 6 p.m. (lecture duration is approx. 75 minutes)
Meeting Place: on Zoom
Cost: €10 for members and €15 for non-members.
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Joe by Saturday, December 4, 2021. You are financially responsible for your reservation.

CCR Remote Lecture: Venice at the Crossroads - June 5, 2020

As the 15th century was ending, Venice faced many external pressures and had to decide what its future would be: remain an independent maritime power or become a regional Italian presence. This dilemma, and its eventual resolution, was reflected in the art and architecture of the time. 

Join us on a virtual tour of the city, its paintings, and its people just over five centuries ago.

When: Friday, June 5, 2020,

Time: 6.00 p.m. Rome (Central European) Time.

Where: at your home (and where the lecture takes you).

Cost: €10 for members and €15 for non-members. Advance payment required payable by transfer to the CCR bank account.

RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Joe by 1 p.m. Central European Time on Wed. June 3, 2020. You are financially responsible for your reservation.

CCR Talks: Raffaello - February 13, 2020

Raffaello Sanzio, known simply as Raffaello to his admirers, seemed poised to become the greatest artist of all time when he was cut down by a sudden but fatal illness in April 1520.  In commemoration of the 500th anniversary of his death the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome is planning an exhibition which will open in March 2020. This lecture for the CCR is intended to give an overview of the artist’s momentous career to enhance viewing and appreciation of the upcoming exhibition.

When: Thursday, February 13, 2020

Time: 7 p.m.

Where: In the Trieste neighborhood of Rome; exact location will be sent to confirmed participants by email.

Cost: €10 for members and €15 for non-members. Optional potluck contribution: not obligatory but those wishing may contribute a dish (savory or sweet) or a bottle of wine/prosecco to share with other participants at the lecture.  Please advise Joe when reserving if you would like to do so.

RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Joe by Mon., Feb. 10, 2020. You are financially responsible for your reservation.

CCR Walks: Introducing the "Honest" Courtesans - October 28, 2017

The Italian Renaissance is a time in which memorable female figures graced the cultural and artistic world. They may have made their mark on their own or as the wives or lovers of great men.  They ranged from artists to intellectuals to noble-ladies and even to high class courtesans ("cortigiane oneste"). This walk focuses on this last group, many of whom were able to weave themselves into the social fabric of their time in new and interesting ways, and in some cases acquire the elusive "respectability" they coveted. Join us as we explore the many facets of this difficult, brittle world, by looking at the neighborhoods they lived in, the churches they patronized, and in some cases the artwork which captured this long-lost world. 

The courtesan "Antea" -- detail, by Parmigianino

When: Saturday, October 28, 2017
Time: 10 a.m.
Meeting point: Coffee bar near Piazza Farnese; exact location sent to confirmed participants by email.
Cost: €10 for members and €15 for non-members.
RSVP required by Wed. Oct. 25, ATTN Joe at canadarome@gmail.com. You are financially responsible for your reservation.
NB: Please bring correct change.