New Year’s Day in Rome: The Plunge into the TiberTradition
New Year’s Day in Rome and the Plunge into the Tiber
Pretty much everywhere, the new year starts with quiet streets and late breakfasts. That’s not the case in Rome, where an 80-year-old tradition breaks the calm every 1 January: the Tuffo nel Tevere, the plunge into the Tiber River.
At midday, a small group of intrepid divers gathers onPonte Cavour and, one by one, dives into the icy waters below. It’s a brief moment, but it draws a cheerful crowd every year and marks the start of the year for many Romans.
An 80-year-old New Year ritual in Rome
The tradition of the plunge into the Tiber dates back to 1945, when an Italian-Belgian man named Rick De Sonaydecided to celebrate his birthday on 1 January in an unforgettable way: wearing only a bathing suit and a top hat, he jumped from a bridge into the Tiber.
Once back on the surface, he reassured the crowd with a simple hand gesture: “OK.” From that moment on, he became known as “Mister OK”, and his plunge turned into a yearly appointment.
De Sonay repeated the dive every New Year’s Day for decades, transforming a personal celebration into a public ritual.
From Mister OK to today’s divers
De Sonay’s final jump took place in the 1980s, but the tradition didn’t stop. It was carried on by a small group of devoted followers, determined to keep the gesture alive. Among them was Maurizio Palmulli, a Roman lifeguard who inherited the nickname “Mister OK” and completed 34 New Year’s Day dives before retiring in 2024. Palmulli even entered film history with a cameo in Paolo Sorrentino’s film The Great Beauty.
Known for stressing the importance of preserving traditions, Palmulli passed the baton to Marco Fois, who is set to lead the plunge on 1 January 2026.
A symbolic jump into the new year
The jump is anything but improvised. Despite its playful appearance, it involves careful preparation and experienced swimmers only. Water conditions are checked in advance, and the dive is closely supervised.
Over time, this ritual plunge has taken on a symbolic meaning. Diving into the river represents renewal, purification, and the courage to face the year ahead.Some trace its deeper roots back to ancient Roman rituals linked to water and rebirth, though today the gesture is marked by a lighter, almost ironic spirit. In fact, it’s a very Roman “thing”: a mix of history, spectacle and humor.
Where and when to see the Tuffo nel Tevere
The Tuffo nel Tevere takes place around midday on 1 January, from Ponte Cavour, just a short walk from Piazza Cavour and Castel Sant’Angelo. Locals and visitors gather casually along the bridge, cameras ready, cheering as each diver jumps.
The plunge into the Tiber lasts only a few seconds, but it says a lot about Rome. A city that mixes ancient symbols with irony, tradition with spectacle, and never takes itself too seriously. Catching it on New Year’s Day in Romemeans starting the year with a story you’ll remember.