Rome moves New Year party online this year due to covid-19.

New Year's Eve in Rome, and all over Italy, will be drastically different to previous years, due to the nationwide coronavirus restrictions in place.

Italy will be in a 'red zone' on 31 December 2020 and 1 January 2021, effectively placing the entire country under lockdown during the biggest party night of the year.

• Covid-19: What you can and can't do during the Christmas lockdown

Parties and travel are banned, and anybody out on the street will need to carry a self-declaration form stating their "urgent or necessary" reason to be outdoors.

In addition there is a nationwide curfew, beginning at 22.00 and extended an extra two hours on 1 January until 07.00.

New Year in Rome

Rome will continue with its New Year celebrations, which take place as usual in the Circus Maximus, but minus the crowds.

The online event, entitled Oltre Tutto, kicks off at 22.00 on 31 December and can be viewed from home via the culture.roma.it website and on the Culture Roma Facebook page.

Among the stars performing at the Rome concert will be Gianna Nannini, who will perform live, along with pre-recorded contributions from Diodato, Elodie, Manuel Agnelli, Gemitaiz, Carl Brave and violinist Rodrigo D'Erasmo.

Opera

Rome's opera house, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, streams its season opening performance of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, conducted by Daniele Gatti, at 21.15 on 31 December.

Fireworks

As in previous years, Rome has banned fireworks on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, with the ban in place until 6 January 2021.

New Year's food in Italy

The traditional Italian New Year’s Eve meal consists of cotechino (a product similar to salami), zampone (stuffed pig’s trotter), and lentils which are meant to bring luck for the coming year, all of which is washed down with a glass or two of prosecco or spumante.

New Year traditions in Italy

A well-known but almost extinct tradition (in Rome at least) associated with capodanno involves people throwing old objects out the window, symbolising their readiness to welcome in the new year.

For extra good luck in the year ahead, remember to wear red underwear on New Year's Eve!

Wanted in Rome wishes all its readers a very happy and healthy 2021.