Photo : Elisa Chauveau / Ville de Paris
Paris-Rome: what if we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the twinning?
Paris and Rome are renewing their historical bond this year to celebrate seventy years of a unique partnership. Dive into a rich cultural calendar featuring outdoor cinema, exhibitions, and literary exchanges that bring the Dolce Vita spirit straight to your doorstep.
About
The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the unique twinning between Paris and Rome, an exclusive alliance guided by the motto that only Paris is worthy of Rome, and vice versa. Throughout the year, both capitals are hosting a rich cultural program to honor this historic bond. Residents and visitors can explore the artistic legacy of both cities through literature festivals, outdoor cinema, and various exhibitions. Best of all, these events are free to attend, offering a perfect opportunity to dive into Italian culture across iconic Parisian locations such as the City Hall gates and the banks of the Seine.
"Solo Parigi è degna di Roma, solo Roma è degna di Parigi": "Only Paris is worthy of Rome; only Rome is worthy of Paris": this is the motto of the twinning through which the two French and Italian capitals decided to symbolically unite their destinies on January 30, 1956.
The year 2026 thus marks the 70th anniversary of this exclusive twinning, which both cities wish to celebrate together on January 29 in Rome and then on January 30 in Paris through official ceremonies organized in the presence of the mayors of both cities, as well as through cultural programming deployed in both cities throughout the year 2026.
These cultural and memorial events, some of which are the result of collaboration between major Parisian and Roman institutions, will highlight the artistic richness of Rome and Paris, and the way in which the two capitals have inspired each other over the centuries.
Some highlights in Paris
- From April 7 to 12: ITALISSIMO, the traditional festival of Italian literature and culture, will celebrate this twinning by putting writers, artists, and works from both capitals into dialogue;
- From July 2 to 6: the Dolcevita sur Seine festival will offer a great film celebration this year with exceptional artists and guests, as well as its large open-air cinema.
Exhibitions dedicated to Rome will also begin in February on the railings of the Hôtel de Ville and on the banks of the Seine. Other events offered by several cultural establishments or structures, such as the Italian Cultural Institute, the Cie Flies, the Atelier de Paris, etc., will be unveiled soon!
Paris-Rome: a collector's stamp for a historic twinning
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the twinning between Paris and Rome, the City of Paris is partnering with La Poste to issue an exceptional collector's stamp. A rare event in the history of philately: the previous stamp celebrating this friendship between the two capitals dates back to... 1958. To find out more, click here!
Our ideas for enjoying Rome without leaving Paris
- 6 stopovers to explore Gallo-Roman remains
- Rome in Paris: ancient sites to visit online
- Paris is twinned with only one city, Rome
- Where to taste maritozzi in Paris?
- How to immerse yourself in Italian culture
- 5 paintings of Roman mythology to see in Paris
- 3 details you didn't notice on the Paris - Roma poster
The twinning is also celebrated in Rome!
> January 29: illumination of the Trevi Fountain in the colors of the two cities;
> From January 30 to June 30: exhibition "Irving Penn — Photographs 1939–2007", masterpieces from the collection of the Maison européenne de la Photographie in Paris, on the occasion of the opening of the first Center for Photography in Rome, at the Mattatoio;
> From February 25 to May 25: photographic exhibition dedicated to Agnès Varda at the Villa Medici. The French Academy in Rome pays tribute to the photographic work of the artist and director Agnès Varda (1928–2019) through the first major retrospective dedicated to her in Italy.
The twinning festivities are supported by:
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Our take on this event
The 70th anniversary of the partnership between Paris and Rome is celebrated throughout 2026, starting from January 29 and continuing until December 31, 2026. This year-long program highlights the deep artistic connections and the mutual influence that these two Mediterranean capitals have shared for centuries.
The schedule in Paris includes several key highlights: the Italissimo festival of Italian literature and culture from April 7 to 12, and the Dolcevita sur Seine festival, which features an outdoor cinema event from July 2 to 6. Additionally, art exhibitions dedicated to Rome will be displayed on the gates of the Hôtel de Ville and along the banks of the Seine starting in February. Further events organized by institutions like the Italian Cultural Institute will be announced progressively.
To mark this rare milestone, the City of Paris and La Poste have also collaborated to issue a special collector's postage stamp. All cultural events related to this anniversary are free of charge, encouraging everyone to discover the vibrant links between the two sister cities.
