Traditional Street Games Return to Villa Ada for Three Free Days
From Friday, November 13, to Sunday, November 15, 2026, Rome’s historic Villa Ada will host Sementi di Ben-Essere – Giochi di Strada,
a free public event dedicated to traditional popular sports and play, La Capitale reported. Organized by the Giochi di Strada association under the direction of Dora Cirulli, the festival runs daily from 10:00 AM local time until dusk near the park’s lake peninsula. The initiative operates with the official backing of Roma Capitale and the Presidency of the Capitoline Assembly.
For three full days, organizers aim to pull children and adults away from digital screens and into the outdoors. Sportfriends.it noted that participants can leave their computers and smartphones at home to experience the recreational activities enjoyed by past generations. A dedicated village featuring stands and equipped areas will be set up inside the park, where qualified instructors will guide attendees through dozens of traditional pastimes.
A Village of Forgotten Pastimes and Health Activities
The activity list spans a wide range of historical Italian playground games and athletic challenges. According to Talkcity.it, the lineup includes carrettini (soapbox carts), tennis trainer, bocce, tamburello, indoboard, chess, checkers, rope balancing, campana (hopscotch), jump rope, ruzzola and ruzzolone throwing games, birilli (skittles), the hoop rolling game, spinning tops, lippa (a traditional stick-striking game), tiro alla fune (tug of war), badminton, darts, piastrelle tile games, kapla blocks, slingshots, the wheel of fortune, and the heavy log test known as the peso del ciocco.
Event organizers emphasize the cultural value of preserving these physical skills. Our mission is to safeguard traditions that would otherwise be lost,
Dora Cirulli explained, pointing to past editions held at the Imperial Fori, along the Tiber River, and in Caffarella Park. The simplicity of these games is actually a concentration of ingenuity, creativity, passion, and healthy fun.
Beyond the games, the site will host a Villaggio della Salute featuring a mobile blood donation unit to add a motive of solidarity.
Guided Tours of the Savoy Air-Raid Bunker
History enthusiasts attending the weekend festival will also have access to a unique subterranean site on Saturday, November 14. In collaboration with the Roma Sotterranea association, guided tours will explore the royal bomb shelter constructed for the House of Savoy. Built roughly between 1940 and 1942 during the Second World War, the reinforced concrete structure sits deep within the park’s vegetation, approximately 350 meters from the Royal Pavilion (Palazzina Reale). While primary announcements confirmed the date, organizers did not specify exact tour times, reservation procedures, or ticket costs.
Metabolic Walking Sessions Close the Weekend
The festival schedule concludes on Sunday, November 15, with an introductory metabolic walking lesson running from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The discipline combines specialized walking techniques with breathing exercises and postural stimulation designed to boost circulation, improve joint and muscular longevity, and reactivate metabolism. The session accommodates all age groups and fitness levels, though advance registration is mandatory to manage group sizes effectively.
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