Rome's Roseto Comunale opens on 21 April in time for the 2021 edition of Natale di Roma.

Rome will reopen the Roseto Comunale, the municipal rose garden on the Aventine Hill, to celebrate the occasion of the city's 2,774th birthday.

The annual event, which takes place on 21 April and is known as Natale di Roma, is based on the legendary founding of Rome by Romulus in 753 BC.

Last year the rose garden opened at the later date of 16 May due to Italy's covid-19 lockdown, resulting in the cancellation of the 2020 Premio Roma, the annual international competition to judge the most beautiful rose in the capital.

• The story of Rome's rose garden

This year however the rose garden will open as per tradition, on Wednesday 21 April, and will follow the normal timetable of 08.30-19.30.

The garden, located on the eastern side of the Aventine hill overlooking the Circus Maximus, is divided into two sections: the higher gardens feature a collection of classic specimens while the lower section contains the roses reserved for the Premio Roma.

• Rome celebrates 2,774th birthday in 2021

The higher part of the gardens will be open to the public every day from 21 April until 15 May, with the entire garden being opened to visitors daily from 16 May until 13 June inclusive.

Guided tours are temporarily suspended, until the Lazio region returns to being classified as a low-risk 'yellow zone' under Italy's tiered system of coronavirus restrictions.

• Rome plants hundreds of new roses in the city's rose garden

Recently the city planted 340 new roses in the garden which hosts about 1,100 varieties of botanical, ancient and modern roses from all over the world.

There is no charge for visiting the gardens. For full visiting and contact details see city website.

Cover photo Boris-B / Shutterstock.com.