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Planning Your Trip

The Best Things to Do in Rome This Summer

I love summer in Rome, and I know that sounds strange.

The heat is real, but so is the other side of it. The city empties out, slows down, and gets peaceful in a way it rarely is. Summer is actually something of a mid-season here, not the peak most people assume.

Beat the midday heat underground

From noon to 5pm, do what Romans do and get out of the sun. The underground sites like San Clemente and the Domus Aurea stay naturally cool, and the papal basilicas stay open when smaller churches close.

Cool Off in Churches and Museums

With nearly a thousand churches in Rome, you are never far from a cool, quiet, and free place to sit. The papal basilicas stay open midday when smaller churches close, and a museum like the Galleria Doria Pamphilj or the Capitoline Museums is often nearly empty in summer.

I recommend visiting the Pantheon around midday, when the light through the oculus falls straight onto the floor.

Save the Evenings for the City

Once the heat eases around 5pm, Rome comes back to life. This is the time for a passeggiata, an aperitivo on a rooftop, and a late dinner around 8:30.

I also recommend seeking out two of my favorite seasonal treats: granita di caffè and grattachecca, both of which you will only find in the hot months.

A Few Tours I Recommend for Summer

If you would rather skip the lines and the planning, these are the tours I would book, all chosen to keep you out of the worst of the midday heat.

However you choose to spend your summer holiday in Rome, a little planning goes a long way. Read my full summer guide here for what to do, when to do it, and how to stay cool.

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