We are sure you have a list of the top attractions, landmarks, and tours that you should visit when you visit Rome. But with so many beautiful spaces to see during the day, what can you do in Rome at night to keep your eyes open?
The answer is Plenty!
There are many ways to entertain yourself when the sun goes down, including nighttime tours of the Colosseum and open-air rooftop aperitifs with live opera, as well as outdoor screenings of films on the banks of Tiber. Some would argue that the best time to explore the city is at night when it is cooler and there are fewer tourists jostling for space.
If you are more of a night owl than most, then check out our guide to the best things in Rome at night.
Other things to do in Rome at Night
1. Enjoy a movie outdoors or indoors!
A trip to the big screen is a great option if you are tired of sightseeing and want something that takes very little effort.
The coveted seats at the Isola del Cinema screens along the River Tiber sell out quickly. Patrons are hoping to catch a blockbuster in English with subtitles during the summer months. You can also find many places to catch a late-night English showing during the winter months. These include the NuovoOlimpia off Via del Corso, and the Odeon within the Cassia neighborhood. The Casa del Cinema at Villa Borghese often hosts international film festivals.
2. After hours, visit the Catacombs
Many travelers around the world have found that night is the best time to see top attractions. In Rome, these tourists are warmly rewarded with exclusive tours after hours.
The Catacombs At Night by Walkers (pictured) is one such tour. It begins when the public leave the darkened space and the evening draws in. The tour takes guests deep underground to view some of Rome’s best-preserved burial sites. They also learn all about ancient Rome.
What are some other top tours that you can do after work? A Welcome To Rome Evening Tour for first-time visitors is recommended. For those who want to experience Rome differently, a Colosseum by Night Tour will be a great choice. You can read more about that below.
3. Enjoy the sunset from one of Rome’s romantic rooftops
If you’re in the mood to indulge, you can’t go wrong with dressing up and heading to Rome’s rooftop bars for a sunset drink.
Eitchborromini Hotel is a great view. It offers a 360-degree panorama of the surrounding area from its rooftop terrace on the sixth floor (reservation required). You can book an Eitch Borromini aperitif, complete with open-air opera performances, for special occasions.
Craft beer lovers will enjoy a visit to My-Ale or Open Baladin for craft beer. Cocktail-lovers will feel at home in the cozy, rustic Black Market Monti, or the stylish, chilled-out Necci dal 422.
4. People enjoy the Piazzas
It’s hard to find a better way to spend your evening with friends than watching. This is one of the more overlooked activities that we enjoy when visiting new cities, but it’s also one of the most enjoyable and relaxing.
Piazza di Spagna (pictured), Piazza Nvona, or any other busy square in the city offer great places to relax and watch street performers, hawkers, painters, and children play hopscotch, while your friends bid farewell after a late-night meal.
It’s a great time to plan your “alone in Rome” photoshoot at Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Many Instagrammers and bloggers choose this time to set up tripods and capture that #travelgoals photo. Even if you don’t feel up for it, there might be a photoshoot happening while you’re there.
5. Take a late-night tour to see the Colosseum illuminated
You will find the crowds smaller, the views are better and the experience is much more intimate when you visit one of the top tourist destinations in the world at night.
You can choose to take an evening tour of the Colosseum, whether you have been there before and want another way to see it.
The Colosseum underground is not accessible to all visitors without a pre-booked tour.
6. Take a bite in the Jewish Ghetto
The Jewish Ghetto is a great place to spend an evening in Rome. It has rickety tables and chairs covered in red and checkered cloth that line the main street. Residents weave through the crowds, disappearing into quiet side streets. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, even though there are restaurant hosts encouraging couples to choose their place over the one nearest.
Then there are the artichokes.
Fried artichoke can be described as part crispy and part creamy. It’s on almost all Jewish Ghetto restaurants’ menus. Carciofi Alla Giudia, which is Italian for “Jewish-style artichoke”, was invented in Rome.
You can try it at Nonna Betta. It is one of the charming kosher eateries that line the cobbled-stoned Via del Portico d’Ottavia. This stop makes for a unique stop on the Rome food tour.
7. Find the best gelato in your city!
Gelato is Italian food that will please you no matter what season it may be. Even after the sun goes down, there is still time to indulge in gelato.
If this sounds like something you would enjoy at night, grab a pen. Some of Rome’s finest gelato can be found in:
- GelateriaI Caruso, Via Collina13/15, is a 10-minute stroll from Repubblica railway station. (Don’t miss their fondente or fruit gelatos).
- Ciampini Piazza San Lorenzo In Lucina 29 is a 5-minute walk away from the Spanish Steps and Piazza Navona. (If it’s available, choose the castagna — a chestnut flavor with bits of chewy-chocolate chestnut)
- Il Gelato di Claudio Torce Viale Aventino, 59, near Circus Maximus; Piazza Monted’Oro, 91/92 (Rome foodies consider Claudio Torce the master of his wild-creative flavors, high-quality, organic ingredients, and Via del Corso)
8. Take a cooking class to learn how to make authentic Italian noodles
We may be honking our own horns about this, however, everyone at Walks agrees that learning how pasta is made with a local chef and then enjoying a delicious homemade meal on the chef’s rooftop afterward is a wonderful way to spend an evening here in Rome.
Although cooking classes might not seem like something for everyone, many couples, solo travelers, families, and children end up calling them a highlight of their vacation.
