Rome celebrates Chinese New Year – the Year of the Water Snake – with a traditional Chinese parade along Via dei Fori Imperiali on Saturday 2 February. The Snake is seen as a positive symbol and people born in the year of the Snake are considered intuitive, introspective, full of energy, as well as being good organisers and mediators.

Starting at 19.00 from Largo Corrado Ricci, at the Forum end of Via Cavour, the parade's route takes it to the area around the Vittoriano museum nearby.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the twinning between Rome and Beijing. To celebrate, China has sent three dance groups comprising 110 dancers to participate in the Rome festivities. The artists come from the National Acrobatic Team; the Beijing Theatre of Opera and Dance; and the Beijing Wanxing dance and singing group.

At 19.30 an evening of Chinese culture begins on a stage at the side of the Victor Emanuel monument, which will have two large television screens installed for the occasion.

The event, which is free, finishes at around 22.30 with a fireworks display from the Celio hill above the Colosseum.

For more details see the city’s culture website.