A local's guide to what's on in Rome this August.

August in Rome sees hordes of tourists arrive on vacation in the Eternal City as a large percentage of local residents bail out of the capital for Italy's Ferragosto summer holiday.

Visitors to Rome may be surprised to find some family-run restaurants and businesses closed in August however the city's museums and archaeological sites will stay open as normal.

Although many of Rome's summer festivals draw to a close in the first week of August, a number of popular events stay open all summer.

These include Lungo il Tevere with pop-up restaurants, bars and live music along the banks of the river Tiber, a jazz music festival with a backdrop of the Colosseum, and outdoor jazz and swing music in the Villa Celimontana park.

There is cinema under the stars at Casa del Cinema in Villa Borghese with a free festival of Italian and foreign movies, screened in their original language version with subtitles, from 1 August to 8 September.

There are also open-air concerts of classical, jazz and folk music every night at the archaeological site of Teatro di Marcello, as part of the Concerti del Tempietto programme.

• What's on in Rome this summer?

For the first time, Rome hosts the World Congress of Philosophy, on the Palatine Hill on the evenings of 3, 5 and 6 August. Under the title Philosophies Under the Stars, the free open-air event will feature noted Italian and international guest speakers.

The capital's national and city-run museums and archaeological sites will be open for free on Sunday 4 August.

One of Rome's most unusual summer traditions takes place on the night of 5 August when the city recreates a miracle snowfall that occurred in the fourth century, outside the Basilica di S. Maria Maggiore. This year Pope Francis will attend the celebrations.

Rome's summer opera festival at the Baths of Caracalla ends on a high note with two Puccini masterpieces on the centenary of the composer's death: Tosca and Turandot, which end on 9 and 10 August respectively.

On 10 August, Italy celebrates La Notte di San Lorenzo when Italians look to the night sky in the hope of catching a glimpse of a shooting star and making a wish. Some of the best places for star-gazing in Rome include the Janiculum hill, Monte Mario and the laghetto in EUR.

The Colosseum opens for night visits, with guided tours held in English and Italian on Thursday nights from 20.00 until midnight.

One of the novelties in Rome in August is an outdoor display of sculptures by the late Colombian artist Fernando Botero around the city centre.

Also new this summer in Rome is This is Wonderland, an immersive Instagram-friendly fairytale experience based on Pinocchio, at the waterfall gardens in EUR every evening.

Ancient Rome comes to life every night this summer thanks to the Viaggio nel Foro di Cesare project, a multimedia display screened at the Forum of Caesar.

With the recent UNESCO recognition of the Appian Way, many people will also be keen to discover, or rediscover, the magic of the ancient Roman road by foot, bicycle or even on horseback.

• Rome's best concerts this summer

On the live music front, the Villa Ada Festival hosts concerts almost every night until 7 August, with Tom Odell performing as part of the Roma Summer Fest on 4 August, and the Ostia Antica Festival hosting Blonde Redhead on 26 August.

For a short trip outside the capital, the magical gardens of Villa d’Este and the ancient ruins of Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli open late on Saturday nights in August.

Some of the capital's big summer exhibitions include Mario Testino at Palazzo Bonaparte; Louise Bourgeois at Galleria Borghese; and an exhibition at the Ara Pacis dedicated to the world of theatre in ancient Roman times.

Italy's state museums and archaeological sites normally open for the Ferragosto holiday which this year falls on Thursday 15 August.

Rome will host the 14th leg of the Longines Global Champions Roma Tour, part of the world's most prestigious show jumping circuit, at the Circus Maximus from 30 August until 1 September.

Also on the sporting front, Rome will stage the 2024 Golden Gala, Italy’s annual track and field event, at the Stadio Olimpico on 30 August.

Finally, for those who wish to escape the heat of the city, here are our guides to lakes near Rome as well as Blue Flag beaches and seven hilltop towns to explore in the Lazio region.

For updated events in Rome see our What's On guide.