In Rome, there are endless opportunities to fill your days with art, food and culture. But as the sun sets over the city’s cupolas, terracotta rooftops and hills, the Eternal City becomes even more enchanting. Rome can turn even early birds into night owls.
Dedicating at least one evening to strolling without a fixed destination (or even cruising around on a Vespa, for your own scene from Roman Holiday) is a must in Rome. But in addition to the joy of seeing where the evening takes you, there are things to do in Rome at night that you may not want to miss. Here are some of the best — with help from the experts at ItaliaPass.
Take a Rome night tour
One way to appreciate Rome by night is to go on a self-guided tour to some of the major sights. The Pantheon, Colosseum, Forum, Trevi Fountain and Castel Sant’Angelo are always awe-inspiring, but there are extra benefits to seeing them at night, including less extreme temperatures and thinner crowds. A self-guided stroll to see the major monuments is an obvious choice, but if you want a little more guidance and less walking, a Rome by night twilight driving tour can give you the freedom to create your own itinerary, but with the ease of a driver at the helm. Adding spots along the way for an aperitivo or dinner can give you a dose of Rome’s nightlife and city energy in between gazing up at monuments.
Soak up the views at a rooftop bar
It’s one thing to explore the streets of Rome, but seeing the city from above — such as at a rooftop bar — allows you to truly appreciate the expanse of the former Roman Empire. Heading to a perch above the city, ideally at sunset, is one of our top tips for the best things to do in Rome at night. Many hotels have bars with sweeping views, so you may not need to travel too far from your room to kick off your evening by watching the sun dip. For prime views, some hotel bars to check out are The Court at Palazzo Manfredi for Colosseum selfies, Cielo at Hotel de la Ville for skyline snaps, and Gigi at Orient Express La Minerva for views from every angle.
Enjoy a leisurely evening of food and wine
Romans generally eat dinner later than North Americans — that is, well after sunset. This means after a rooftop aperitivo, you can head off to a trattoria or restaurant for a hearty meal. Enter Trastevere’s warren of streets filled with clinking glasses and outdoor table action. Or, get a taste of cacio e pepe, carciofi alla Romana and other Roman specialities while meeting other travelers for a nighttime cooking class. You can even opt for an organized family-style dinner, such as the one included for ItaliaPass members with ItaliaDine at a restaurant near Piazza Navona.
Do a street food crawl
Come dinnertime, you’ll probably be at the table for a couple of hours if you opt to move through the classic cycle of antipasti (appetizers), primi (first courses), secondi (mains) dolci (desserts) and digestivi (after-dinner drinks). If you only have a couple of days in Rome and don’t want to cut into evening sightseeing time, consider combining dinner with exploring by opting for a street food tour. You can grab a piazza al taglio or supplì and then head to a nearby piazza with a bottle of wine by your side, or go for a food tour to hit multiple places for tastes, such as with a Trastevere Food Tour.
Listen to live music or see an outdoor film
Evenings in Rome are pleasant for much of the year, with numerous music and film festivals and plenty of low-cost movie theaters spread around the city. (Rome has always been the hub of Italian cinema; its historic film studios at Cinecittà were known as “Hollywood on the Tiber” in their prime.) In the summer, head to the baths of Caracalla as they are transformed into an outdoor opera house. As fall takes hold, there’s the Rome Film Fest in October, and all year there are numerous bars and music venues to catch local acts, as well as global headliners in venues like the Renzo Piano-designed Auditorium Parco della Musica and the Rationalist Palazzo dello Sport in the EUR district.
Ready to make the most out of your trip to Rome? With ItaliaPass you’ll get discounts on train travel and tours, enjoy free entry to major attractions, and have exclusive access to members’ only lounges and events such as ItaliaDine, an organized dinner for Rome travelers. All of this, backed by 24/7 English speaking customer service. Learn more at Italiapass.com.
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