Rome in August

By Robert Heaney
Published: July 18, 2024
The Parco degli Acquedotti at sunset

Carrying on the summertime buzz from July, Rome remains well and truly in its prime in August. Alongside its near-perfect Mediterranean weather, world-class cuisine and wealth of fantastic heritage sites, Rome in August puts on a great spread of seasonal events and festivals to add to its already renowned bustling and electric atmosphere.

Visiting Rome in August

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Average Temperature: 64 - 86°F • Average Rainfall: – days/mth • Average Sunshine: 10 hours/day

As far as tourism goes, August is the big boy for Rome. Deep into the academic summer break, many families, couples and individuals alike flock to the eternal city to make the most of its unparalleled summertime charm. While that does mean you should be prepared for plenty of queueing and advance booking for top attractions and venues, it also lends itself to the city’s famous citywide buzz.

There are few better times than August to enjoy the very best of Rome’s idyllic Mediterranean climate. Combining near-constant sunshine with typically very warm temperatures and next to no rain throughout the month, this is a wonderful time for sunbathing in one of Rome’s many open green spaces or enjoying a glass of local wine on a traditional Italian terrace.

Things to do in August

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Just about any trip to the eternal city is simply destined to include its most iconic UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Both the Colosseum, the world’s largest-standing ancient amphitheater, and the Pantheon, a former Roman temple, offer unique insights into the day-to-day lives and culture of the now long-gone Roman empire.

In much the same way, the whispers of Europe’s most influential historical empire can still be heard among the ruins of the Roman Forum, once the site of many key administrative buildings. The oldest remnants of the Roman empire can be found atop Palatine Hill, where Rome was first founded and the supposed site of the fabled Lupercal cave of ancient Roman myth.

Equally central to Rome’s historical and cultural appeal is its status as home to the beating heart of Roman Catholicism. Vatican City is simultaneously one of the world’s most lauded religious sites, the permanent residence of the Pope and the smallest country on the planet. Adding to that are the fact that it boasts the stunning artwork and architecture of the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica, alongside one of the world’s largest historical art collections housed within the Vatican Museums.

If you know anything about Rome’s top sites, though, then you’ll be well aware that some of its top sights are far more modern. The graceful sculpture work of the Trevi Fountain and the sleek Spanish Steps linking Piazza di Spagna to Piazza Trinità dei Monti offer some of the capital’s most sought-after photo ops for their iconic architecture.

With Rome’s weather currently at its finest, it’d be a shame not to spend a free day or two exploring and lounging in some of the city’s open, green spaces. Among the best of these are the 100-plus-acre wooded glades of Villa Borghese and the unparalleled views atop Pincio Hill, alongside the impressive display of international foliage living among the Botanical Garden.

Should you find yourself with a day or two to spare, the likes of Florence, Naples and Pompeii each make for a fantastic day trip. Just a short train ride away from Rome, these and other nearby towns all offer a fantastic opportunity to explore more of what Italy has to offer, from its world-renowned cuisine to its rich and diverse historical sites.

What’s On in August

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Isola del Cinema

Each summer, Tiber Island, located between Pons Fabricius and the Trastevere district, transforms into the magical Isola del Cinema, or Isle of Cinema. Over the course of several weeks throughout the summer period, the island becomes the epicenter of visual entertainment with a vibrant and evocative film festival dedicated to bringing to the limelight the best in Italian cinema.

Inviting directors, actors, producers, screenwriters, musicians and film aficionados alike, the festival operates a vast program of outdoor screenings of great Italian films, alongside many critically-acclaimed international offerings from over 100 countries. Works on display typically include everything from full-length features and short films to virtual reality gaming experiences.

Concerti del Tempietto

Throughout summer, the ancient open-air Theater of Marcellus among the ruins of the Temple of Apollo Sosianus comes alive with an historic Roman music festival. For roughly three months, the Concerti del Tempietto puts on an impressive program of concerts across a wide range of genres.

Musicians both established and niche offer everything from classical concerts and opera arias to pop and jazz performances. Tickets to the festival typically include a guided tour of the archaeological park around the Theater of Marcellus, both in Italian and English, exploring the parallels between the venue’s modern day role and its original dedication to performing arts twenty centuries ago.

Lungo il Tevere

One of the most hotly anticipated festivals of the year, Lungo il Tevere (‘Along the Tiber’) attracts hordes of visitors keen to join in on its unique and exciting program of riverside events and activities. It isn’t difficult to notice when the festival comes to town, with the banks of the Tiber simply brimming with all manner of event stands, art installations and interactive exhibits.

The event typically lasts the duration of summer, with a vast program of evening shows, performances, improvised theater and live music concerts by local bands at its core. During the daytime, though, the venue stands as somewhat of an interactive expo of art installations, unique photo ops and street arcade games like air hockey and foosball.

Usually accompanying the festival is a market of local vendors selling all manner of wares, from vintage records to hand-crafted jewelry. Sometimes present at the market are the likes of tarot readers and petting zoos hosted by local animal shelters charities. The festival also hosts a number of pop-up restaurants, cafés and bars, offering cuisine and beverages both local and international.

Robert Heaney
Go City Travel Expert

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Ruined temples at Largo di Torre Argentina square in Rome
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Quirky Things to do in Rome

Rome is an absolute treat for sightseers, with attractions including the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain reading like the world’s most essential bucket list. In a city as old as Rome though, you need only scratch the surface to discover a hidden universe that’s teeming with weird and wonderful things to see and do, from secret fairytale neighborhoods to ancient relics. Heck, there’s even a McDonald’s with a section of 2,500-year-old city wall inside. We’ve put together a selection of offbeat ideas to help you dodge the tourist traps and experience the Eternal City at its most eccentric. Read on for our favorite quirky things to do in Rome... Step Into a Fairytale Tiny Quartiere Coppedè, with its peaceful gardens, huge ornate fountains and colorful gargoyle-and-fresco-festooned facades, is barely known to Rome locals, let alone the visiting tourist masses. Take a stroll through its hushed streets and piazzas to experience a fairytale mishmash of fantastical architectural styles, from Ancient Greek to Art Nouveau, and pretty much everything in between: gothic, medieval, mannerist and more. Expect Florentine towers, Baroque Roman palazzi and Moorish arches, as you wander, as if in a dream, through this fascinating enclave of the Trieste neighborhood. Look out for the Spider Palace, Fountain of Frogs, and the massive iron chandelier hanging beneath the archway at the entrance on Via Tagliamento. An Audience with the Pope You don’t have to be religious to attend the pontiff’s weekly benedictions and prayers at St Peter’s Square or the Vatican’s Nervi Auditorium. Just rock up with an open mind and let papa's calming tones wash over you. Tickets are free, or you can buy a combi pass that also gets you a tour of St Peter’s Basilica. Proceedings normally kick off around 9.30am on Wednesdays, assuming the pope is in town. We recommend arriving early to bag the best seats in the house. Dead Interesting If it’s crypts full of skulls and churches toting ancient relics you want, well, you’ve come to the right place. Treat yourself to a tour of the crypts at Santa Maria della Concezione, where the mortal remains of some 4,000 Capuchin friars decorate the walls, like some sort of ultra-macabre episode of Dream Home Makeover. Steel yourself for the bizarre crypt of pelvises and try not to be startled when you spot the skeleton on the ceiling clutching a scythe (made of bone, of course). If your hunger for dead things still isn't satisfied try San Silvestro in Capite, where a skull on display purports to be the decapitated head of John The Baptist. Meanwhile over at the Basilica di Santa Maria, young lovers can pay homage to the garlanded remains of their patron saint, Valentine. Quirky Basilica Views Of all the Instagrammable snaps of St Peter's Basilica available from various vantage points around Rome, the Aventine keyhole is perhaps the quirkiest. Here, curious tourists joining the queue to peer through this otherwise unremarkable keyhole are rewarded with a perfectly framed image of the Basilica flanked by the Villa dei Cavalieri’s garden hedges. Over on Via Niccolò Piccolomini, an optical illusion par excellence reveals itself as you stroll from the far end of the leafy avenue towards St Peter’s. Initially massive in appearance, the basilica’s distinctive dome seems to decrease in size the closer you get. Utterly baffling and even more dramatic when experienced at speed. From a Vespa sidecar, for example. Fries With That? Hungry for some history with your Big Mac? Make for the McDonald’s on the basement floor of Rome’s Termini train station, where you can view part of the Servian Wall that encircled the city as a defense against invading Gauls and Carthaginians in the 4th Century BC. It’s a pretty incongruous sight inside this otherwise identikit McDonald’s restaurant and fairly out there in terms of unusual things to do in Rome. There’s another, larger section of the wall to check out just outside the station. Visit a Circular Church With somewhere in the region of a thousand churches across Rome, you can be sure there are a quirky few among the more traditional styles. Take Santo Stefano Rotundo, Rome’s first circular church, which dates from the 5th Century. Cruciform from the outside, it's inside that things get really interesting, with a large circular central space replete with spiraling columns, and some amazing frescoes by 16th-century artists Niccolò Circignani and Antonio Tempesta depicting – in gruesome detail – the grisly demise of 34 martyrs. The Mouth of Truth Looking precisely like a character from the classic 80s movie Labyrinth, the Bocca della Verità – or Mouth of Truth – is a huge marble mask that lurks within the portico of Rome’s medieval Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin. Legend has it that pilgrims brave enough to place their hand inside the mask’s mouth will lose their fingers if they’ve been telling lies. You can test this for yourself, if you happen to be feeling particularly brave and/or virtuous. A Cacophony of Cats Amid the ancient ruins of the Theatre of Pompey and several Roman Republican temples, roam hundreds of homeless cats, protected here within the environs of the Largo di Torre Argentina square. You’ll spot them wandering among the ruins, peering out from behind columns and ancient stone walls. Some of the healthier and bolder cats have even been known to interact with the tourists here. A purr-fect afternoon out for cat lovers, in other words. Dinner and all that Jazz If you came here in search of quirky things to do in Rome, Tramjazz is unlikely to disappoint, for it is truly the jazz, dinner and sightseeing extravaganza you never knew you needed in your life. Until now. Your adventure begins when you board the Stanga 1947, a vintage tram that rolls gently through the streets of Rome while you enjoy a candlelit three-course dinner punctuated by bursts of live music from the in-house (or should that be in-tram) jazz band. This unique experience takes in various major attractions, with stops at the Colosseum and Villa Borghese for all your selfie-taking requirements. We defy even jazz haters not to love this one! Save on quirky things to do in Rome Save on admission to Rome attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Saint Peter's Basilica and Ponte Sant Angelo by night
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Rome in December

Renowned home to the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, few destinations match up to the genuine traditional festivity of Rome in December. Alongside its usual selection of historical wonders and culinary delights, the Italian capital truly comes to life throughout the holiday season, its streets adorned with all manner of Christmas décor and brimming with a jovial atmosphere. Visiting Rome in December Average Temperature: 39 - 59°F • Average Rainfall: 9 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 3 hours/day As is the case for many European destinations throughout the festive period, Rome in December sees a slight uptick in tourism rates from its usual low-season numbers. While its largely evergreen attractions mean that Rome is never truly quiet, you can certainly expect busier streets and slightly more crowded venues than in November or January. Temperatures in December tend to vary significantly, ranging from mild and comfortable to only a little above freezing. Though you’re likely to get a good few sunshine hours on most days, there’s also a good chance of at least a day of rain each week. If you’re looking to explore some of Rome’s many open-air attractions, prepare to wrap up warm if need be and be sure to pack an umbrella! Things to do in December There are arguably few places better for observing the holiday season than the beating heart of Roman Catholicism. Both Rome and the Vatican pour their souls into honoring the festive period, with impressive Christmas displays housed on St. Peter’s Square and Piazza San Pietro alongside expertly-crafted nativity scenes at 100 Prespi and the Church of Saints Cosma and Damiano. Nothing reflects the festive period in Europe quite like a Christmas market, replete with all manner of charming gifts and winter treats. Though still a relatively novel concept in Italy, many of the country’s best mercatini di natale take place in Milan, Florence and Bolzano in the north, making for a great festive day trip from the capital. There’s also a smattering of delightful markets throughout Rome itself, the most notable of which can be found on Piazza Navona. If you find yourself in Rome over Christmas itself, you could be in for a real treat. Catholic churches around the world honor Christmas Eve by holding mass at midnight, and St. Peter’s Basilica is no exception; only this time, the Pope delivers mass himself. Reach out ahead of time, and there’s a chance you might be granted one of a small few free tickets to this very special midnight mass. While you’d have to be extremely lucky to see Rome in the snow, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the seasonal chill. For a limited time throughout the festive period, the Auditorium Parco della Musica and the Ice Space Village offer excellent ice-skating rinks for those with the right balance or determination to enjoy, both of which open early in December. Events in December Feast of the Immaculate Conception Should you happen to be exploring Rome on 8 December to find the streets buzzing with processions and lined with locals in prayer, you’re witnessing the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Held to honor the conception of the Virgin Mary, this festival marks the beginning of the holiday season in Italy. The festival is marked by a couple of key events, the most important being the Pope’s Angelus Prayer on St. Peter’s Square, followed by his procession from the Vatican to the Piazza di Spagna. Another key tradition is the inauguration of St. Peter’s Square, during which many locals and visitors alike gather to see the unveiling of the Vatican’s annual nativity scene and Christmas tree.. Note that the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, or Immacolata, is a public holiday throughout Italy and is of great importance to many Romans. As such, many museums, attractions and services are likely to be closed for the day, including the Vatican Museums. However, most major stores and supermarkets in the center will remain open, along with a handful of restaurants, cafés and bars. Hanukkah Although Rome is known for being a predominantly Catholic city, it’s also home to a very substantial Jewish population. So substantial, in fact, that Piazza Barberini hosts an impressive annual event to honor the celebration. A 20-foot tall menorah is erected in the square, drawing in huge crowds as one of its candles are lit every evening of the festival. Whether you’re religious or not, this daily event is a great way to join in on some seasonal festivity. The lighting of the candles typically takes place at 4 PM on the Sabbath and the final day, and at 6 PM every other evening. Each evening is usually also accompanied by a night of partying and dancing, making for a truly joyful way to spend a winter’s evening in Rome. New Year’s Eve Though Christmas may be little more than a recent memory by this point, the festivities are still far from over. On the contrary, just about all of Rome veritably ignites with New Year’s Eve celebrations, making it one of the very best places in Europe to party away the twilight hours of the year. Many Italians traditionally spend the evening at home or among friends over cenone, or ‘a really big dinner’. Also known as the Festa di San Silvestro, many restaurants throughout Rome offer the meal as a set menu, often consisting in some degree of spiced sausages and lentils. These set menus will often come at a fixed price and may be accompanied by Prosecco and traditional cakes such as panettone or pandoro. One of the main epicenters of New Year’s Eve celebrations is along the Via dei Fori Imperiali, linking the Colosseum to the Piazza Venezia. Commencing with a late-evening concert, thousands of largely tipsy revelers flock to the area to attempt a collective harmony of Auld Lang Syne as a stupendous display of crackling fireworks bathes the Colosseum in a rainbow-strobing glow.
Robert Heaney
Tourists at the Colosseum
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