View this email in your browser Rome by Month Rome in August: How to Plan for Your Best Trip Since I moved to Rome in 2001, I've come to look forward to August. The city empties out, it's quiet, and I can drive and park everywhere. Alessandro and I take the occasional trip out to the beach at Ostia for some downtime, the way Romans do, and I get to eat more gelato than usual. If you're coming this month, I can tell you how to make the most of it. ROME IN AUGUST: THE FULL GUIDE BEST THINGS TO...
23 days ago • 2 min read
View this email in your browser Rome in Summer HOW TO BEAT THE HEAT IN ROME It is hot in Rome right now. Properly hot, the kind that decides how your day goes. This is the kind of heat where a full day of sightseeing can drain you by early afternoon. I've spent a lot of summers here, and the people who enjoy Rome in this heat are the ones who plan around it instead of pushing through it. So here is exactly how I do it. HOW TO KEEP COOL IN ROME THIS SUMMER Start early, and I mean early The...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
View this email in your browser ROMAN FORUM Rome Update: The Colosseum just launched evening walks on Friday nights. It's a guided tour through the Via Sacra, House of the Vestal Virgins, Temple of Vesta. 75 minutes. No crowds, no heat. Tickets sell out a week ahead, so don't wait. FULL GUIDE TO VISITING THE ROMAN FORUM What to know before booking ✅ Start date: Friday, June 19, 2026 ✅ Schedule: Every Friday, 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM ✅ Last entry: 8:30 PM ✅ Duration: Guided tour (75 minutes) ✅...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
View this email in your browser Where to Eat in Rome Where to Eat Near the Colosseum A lot of people assume everywhere near the Colosseum is a tourist trap. That is not the case. There are some great places to eat close by, you just have to know which ones and which streets to walk to. Here are the spots I recommend. BEST RESTAURANTS NEAR ROME'S COLOSSEUM For a real Roman trattoria Il Bocconcino is one of the few Slow Food restaurants in the area. The cooking is fresh and traditional, and the...
2 months ago • 1 min read
View this email in your browser Unusual Things to do in Rome The City Beneath the City This Week: Rome is full of famous sights, but some of my favorites are the ones you have to go below the street to find. There's a whole second city under the surface, and most people never think to look for it. And in summer it stays cool, so when the heat peaks, this is one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon in Rome. ROME'S UNDERGROUND SITES A few I'd send you to first: Domus Aurea: Nero's golden...
2 months ago • 1 min read
View this email in your browser 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. ULTIMATE GUIDE TO ROME IN SUMMER Beat the midday heat underground From noon to 5pm, do what Romans do and get out of the sun. The...
2 months ago • 1 min read
ST. PETER'S IN 2026 Want to visit St. Peter's Basilica without waiting two hours in line? Visiting the Vatican has changed since 2025, so I tested every option myself for this 2026 update. In this video I break down your four real choices,what each one actually gets you, and which one I would pick. WATCH NOW More Romewise Vatican Resources Planning the rest of your Vatican visit? The Romewise Vatican Hub is the place I'd send you next. It's the one page on the site I update most often,...
3 months ago • 1 min read
View this email in your browser Inside Ancient Rome THE HILL WHERE ROME BEGAN This Week's Deep Dive: Your Colosseum ticket covers three sites: the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Palatine Hill. The Palatine Hill is the one people tend to skip, usually because they run out of time or energy after the first two. I think that is a mistake. In my opinion, it's one of the best ancient Roman sites you can visit, but it helps to know what you are looking at before you go. THE FULL GUIDE TO...
3 months ago • 1 min read
View this email in your browser Special Churches in Rome The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore Santa Maria Maggiore has always been one of my favorite churches in Rome, and as of April 2025 it's also become one of the most visited. Pope Francis chose to be buried here rather than at the Vatican, and tens of thousands of people have already come to pay their respects. But there's a lot more to this basilica than the tomb, and I think it's worth going for the church itself. FULL GUIDE TO SANTA...
3 months ago • 1 min read