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Rome wasn’t built in a day, so Washington has given Italy five months. La Dolce D.C. is a celebration of all things Italian with arts, architecture, culture and food, running March through July. Honoring the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, La Dolce gives visitors and locals a taste of international culture through exhibitions, performances, fashion, music and of course delectable Italian meals. Whether you’re stopping by for a day or planning a romantic getaway, there’s an itinerary for everybody.

The plan:

Start your Italian excursion by watching the sunrise from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The artist who designed the statue may have been French, but the six-Tuscany-born Piccirilli brothers were employed to carve the massive figure. From there, head to the Jefferson Memorial to marvel at its Pantheon-inspired dome.

The afternoon is the perfect time to walk down the National Mall to the National Gallery of Art. Here, you can see “Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals,” a show featuring more than 21 breathtaking cityscapes of the City on Water. Don’t continue without laying eyes on “Ginevra de’ Benci,” the only Leonardo da Vinci portrait in the Americas.

Zip over to The Watergate complex and admire its design by architect Luigi Moretti. There’s also “Little Rome,” a neighborhood in northeast Washington named for its collection of more than 60 Roman Catholic sites.

Just because the sun sets, doesn’t mean your day has to be over. In the evening, visit the Washington National Opera for a performance of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly,” through March 19, and Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” (May 13-27) in the

Kennedy Center

Opera House.

The details:

The event takes place through July 31 with varying exhibit and show schedules.

Information:

Go to ladolcedc.washington.org