Tips, tricks and things not to miss — in Rome and beyond.
Visit Rome in the summer, and you won’t just want to know where the water fountains are and to remember your SPF. You’ll want to know how to skip the lines.
June, July, and August are the tip of the top of Rome’s peak tourist season. And that means several things.
When it comes to Rome in summer, let’s get back to basics: what the weather in Rome in June, July, August, and September is really like… and how to deal.
In this first installment of the Rome summer guide, you’ll find out about some surprising ways to beat the heat, why Rome’s water fountains are freakin’ awesome, which of Rome’s sights have nada shade, why dressing skimpily isn’t always the answer, and—of course—what that heat is a great excuse for (hint: it comes in a cup or a cone…).
Want to survive enjoy Rome in summer, at the height of its temperatures? Read on!
Rome in summer? Hot? Um, yes (at least for this New England girl). Rome’s average temperature in both June and September reaches a high of 81° F. The heat peaks in July, with a high of 88° F. And August isn’t much cooler, at 87°.
Even though it’s already feeling like summer in Rome, the season officially kicks off this week. Which makes it high time for a guide to enjoying Rome… in the summertime!
Turns out, I’ve got a lot to say about Rome in summer. (Big surprise, right?). So I’ll publish this guide as a series, with posts on Rome’s best beaches, swimming pools, events, and more.
Posts in the guide to Rome in summer include…
The most idyllic island escapes near Rome
…and six other top spots for the best gelato in Rome
Restaurants in Rome open in August (the summer holiday, when most places are closed)
The best swimming pools in Rome
How to survive the crowds (and skip the lines)
Happy summer, everyone!
I shared some of my love for Ischia with you recently. But I also got to share it with the Globe and Mail's readership over the weekend, when my feature on the Mediterranean island, and some of my photographs, ran on the travel section's front page. You can also read it online here.
No, I’m not moving—but I am headed to the States for the biggest chunk of time since relocating to Italy. In June and July, instead of sweltering in the Rome heat, I’ll be sweltering in New York City enjoying the surplus of air-conditioning in Manhattan.
And, of course, I’m already thinking about what I’m going to miss about Rome while I’m gone. Not to mention what I’m excited to experience in New York.
Here’s a (partial) list… so far:
1. Drinkable wine (that doesn’t break the bank). Is it terrible that this is one of the first things I thought of? Yeah, probably. But whenever I go back to the States, I can’t get over how the same mediocre bottle of wine that would cost €2 on the shelf, or be cheap “vino della casa,” in Italy, somehow gets marked up to $40 or $50 in the U.S. Eesh.
I get a lot of questions about Italy. And I try to answer as many of them as I can—either via email, or comments, or through blog posts, my e-book, and, obviously, one-on-one in my consulting sessions.
But everyone likes to mix it up once in a while. So I’m thrilled to announce a new Revealed Rome series: #RevealRome.
It works this way. Just ask a question that you want to see me answer in video format. (And no, it doesn't have to be about Rome!). You can submit your question either by posting it in the comments, on the Revealed Rome Facebook page, on Twitter, or by emailing me at revealedrome@gmail.com. Tag your question #RevealRome. Every two or three weeks, I’ll pick a couple of the questions to answer with a video post.
(First video episode here!).
In the meantime, make sure you subscribe to the Revealed Rome YouTube channel. I'll be unrolling several new video posts in the next few weeks!
For the May issue of National Geographic Traveller (that’s the U.K. version of the magazine), I was asked to write about how to explore Rome like a local. If you’re based in the U.K., check it out to find out more about my favorite restaurants, bars, stores, and neighborhoods in Rome. Not in the U.K.? Here’s the online version.
Rome's public transport might not sound super-sexy… but it's crucial to know about, at least if you don't want to spend a bundle on taxis. Catch me on Anthony Capozzoli's "How to Tour Italy" radio program (his 100th episode, and my third time on the show!), sharing tips and tricks to getting around Rome by metro, bus, and tram. You can tune into the episode here.
(In previous episodes, we've spoken about some of my favorite underground sites in Rome, and about everything Rome-related, from graffiti to gelato).
