August is the classic month of summer holidays in Rome and it has a particularly relaxed atmosphere. Combine sightseeing and relaxation, dolce vita and a trip to the sea or the mountains. Rome has a lot to offer in August.
What’s on in Rome in August?
Most of the offices and businesses are closed in the two weeks around the middle of the month “Ferragosto” and many Romans leave the city. There is little traffic and no waiting times. It is very nice to ride through Rome by bike or Vespa.
Rome offers an extensive summer program, the “Estate Romana”. There are numerous concerts, many of them with free admission. The schedule of the Roman Opera ends in the first week of August. Restaurants set up their stands on the banks of the Tiber River near Tiber Island. In many places in the city there are outdoor film screenings, most of them free.
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August in Rome
Rome in August is a city for individualists. There are no crowds on the streets or at the sights and you can enjoy the city in peace.
So that you can sleep well, your accommodation should have air conditioning. Find out in our information on hotels in Rome how to find an affordable room and which areas are best.
An inviting breeze blows into the city from the sea. Enjoy the approaching summer in one of the Roman villas and visit a lookout point. A trip to the sea with a visit to the excavations in Ostia Antica is nice. It is also very pleasant in Villa D’Este in Tivoli. If you want to visit Villa Adriana, take a parasol with you.
But you can also reach more distant destinations such as Pompei, Naples or Florence in one day with the high-speed train or with a guided tour.
How warm it is
In August, the maximum temperatures in Rome are practically always above 30° C / 86° F and the minimum temperatures never below 20° C / 68° F. You should choose your accommodation with air conditioning. There is a regular breeze through the city and the temperatures are not uncomfortable in the shade. In the middle of the month, the weather changes in some years and it can be stormy for a few days.
Climate data August
| Tmax Ø | 31°C/87.8°F |
| Tmin Ø | 20°C/68.0°F |
| Sunshine hours Ø | 10 |
| Days with rain Ø | 2 |
Source: www.wetter.com
You definitely need sun protection. Bring sunscreen, a hat or a parasol with you. You will also need comfortable shoes.
When visiting sacred sites, including the catacombs and the Vatican Museums, your shoulders and knees must be covered, even on hot days in summer. If you are going strapless, take a shawl or pareo with you.
Don’t walk around in the greatest heat in the afternoon and take a break in an ice cream parlor. Visit a park, a swimming pool or take a trip to the sea.
Take the hop on hop off buses, visit air-conditioned stores and enjoy the peace and coolness of the churches and the museums.
For more tips, see Heat in Rome.
Welcome to Rome Multimediashow
In the center of Rome, between the Vatican and Piazza Navona, a 30-minute multidimensional film show and an exhibition with interactive models await you.
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 203 
Bus 46, 62, 64, 916 C.so Vittorio Emanuele / Navona
Avoid queues
Keeping your distance is a necessary precaution. Avoid the queues and make a daily schedule. In our category 3 days in Rome you will find suggestions that you can combine with each other.
Arrival
Organize the journey from the airport to the hotel in advance and read our information about the metro and how you can get tickets quickly and easily.
Museums
Many museums can only be visited by reservation. These include the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, the Borghese Gallery and the museums of the Municipality of Rome. You can find information about the museums on our pages
Opening hours
St. Peter’s Basilica
Entry to St. Peter’s Basilica is free.
Basilica 7 am – 7 pm – Dome 8 am – 6 pm – Treasure 9 am – 6:15 pm
For more information read our pages on St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Peter’s Square and the history of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Colosseum
Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums are booked up quickly and it is necessary to make a reservation in time. On Sunday 28 the entrance is free. The other Sundays and August 15 the Museums are closed.
Mon – Thurs 9 – 18 Last admission 16 Fri + Sat 9 – 22:30 Last admission 20:30
City museums and national museums
In Rome, some of the museums belong to the municipality and some to the state.
The city’s museums include the Capitoline Museums, Trajan’s Markets, Imperial Forums and numerous other museums. National museums include the Colosseum, Castel Sant’Angelo, Borghese Gallery and many more. For the full list of museums, opening times and tickets, see our Rome Museums page.
Free entry
All museums run by the Municipality of Rome, such as the Capitoline Museums and the Trajan’s Markets, have free admission on August 7th. The entry time must be reserved by telephone +39060608. Entry is also free to the National Museums, most of which do not require a reservation.
Exhibitions
Cinecittà si mostra Visit the dream factory of Roman cinema, Metro A Station Cinecittà Tickets
Galleria Colonna – one of the largest ancient private palaces in Rome. The most beautiful rooms of the palace and the art collection of the family with artists from the 15th and 16th centuries such as Pinturicchio, Cosmè Tura, Carracci, Guido Reni, Tintoretto, Salvator Rosa, Bronzino, Guercino, Veronese, Vanvitelli
Via della Pilotta 17 (near Piazza Venezia) Bus 51, 60, 63, 80, 83, 85, 160, 170, H, n5, n8, n11, n90, n543, n716 (Piazza Venezia) Tickets
Capuchin Crypt – Museum and Crypt of the Capuchins
Via Vittorio Veneto 27 Bus 52, 53, 61, 63, 80, 83, 160, n90, nMA (Barberini) Tickets
The Colosseum tells of itself, permanent exhibition in the Colosseum – with the support of Heinz Beste, DAI Rom
Piazza del Colosseo Metro B Colosseo Tickets
Video makes you happy. Videoart in Italy
The exhibition curated by Valentina Valentini is divided into two spaces, Palazzo delle Esposizioni and Galleria d’Arte Moderna.
until September 4, Gallery of Modern Art, Via Francesco Crispi 24
The animated cloister – space is just noise
With The Animated Cloister – space is just noise, the intention is to recreate a series of immersive audio experiences, true listening pauses, ecstatic and meditative moments capable of swaying the visitor to a state of transcendental stillness capable of transcending all forms of collective temporality. The collision of the four artists involved shapes the project by harmonizing a chorus of voices that shape a shifting fluid entity that cannot be compressed.
INTERESTING YEARS. Moments of Italian Life 1960 – 1975
Through a careful selection of photographs and visual documents from the Istituto Luce, the Anni interessanti exhibition is an eye-opening, intense and revealing journey through a period of national history, from 1960 to 1975, that indelibly marked the country’s face and identity.
Exhibition “Who’s on stage! One Hundred Years of Performances in Ancient Ostia (1922 – 2022).”
The exhibition traces the most important moments of historical performances. A montage of period photographs and films shows excavations and elements of Ostia’s archaeological landscape in different eras.
Crazy – Madness in contemporary art
Madness, like art, refuses established schemes, escapes from any rigid framework, rebels against constraints, so also Crazy, the project curated by Danilo Eccher.
In the Chiostro del Bramante (near Piazza Navona) Via Arco della Pace 5
Domitian Emperor. Hate and love
Domitian was the last emperor of the Flavian dynasty. Although his reign was quite successful, he finally fell victim to a conspiracy. 94 works in 15 halls tell his time and his story.
The exhibition is a co-production of the Sovrintendenza Capitolina and the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, with loans from London, Copenhagen, Paris, the Netherlands, Karlsruhe, Munich, Rome and Naples.
Capitoline Museums, Villa Caffarelli – until Jan. 29, 2023
The Colors of Antiquity. Santarelli Marbles at the Capitoline Museums
In two rooms of Palazzo Clementino at the Capitoline Museums, there is on display a broad overview of the use of colored marbles, from their origins to the 20th century, through a fine selection of pieces from the Santarelli Foundation.
Events
Papal audiences in August
Audiences of the Holy Father are held every Wednesday morning in August and reservations are not necessary.
There are no public papal masses in August
The Pope’s Angelus prayer takes place every Sunday at noon in St. Peter’s Square.
Ferragosto · Assumption of Mary
Ferragosto is one of the most important holidays of the Romans and the middle of the summer vacation.
Ferragosto falls on a Monday this year. Ferragosto details>
Concerts
Rome has a lively music scene. Many pubs and music venues offer live music, especially on weekends. Classical music can be found in many churches and palaces.
With the summer heat, many concerts are relocated to the open air, such as the Caracalla thermal baths or the Circus Maximus. The Rock in Roma festival moves to the racecourse and the Roman theater in Ostia Antica.
Roman nights – Concerti del Tempietto
1.07.-2.10.2022 20:30
18:30 – 19:30 Rehearsal
19:45 Guided tour of the Teatro di Marcello, 20:30 Concert
Chiostro di Campitelli
Rome’s Music Park
A jewel is the Parco della Musica, built by the internationally known architect Renzo Piano, in northern Rome on Via Flaminia. See all events here. Events and tickets
Summer Festival of Music in the Auditorium Tickets
Tram 2
There are several auditoriums and an open-air stage in the Parco della Musica. There are performances in all styles.
Some events are also organized together with the Casa del Jazz. Events and Tickets Casa del Jazz
Bus 160, 671, 714, 792
The thermal baths of Caracalla
The thermal baths of Caracalla offer a very nice atmosphere. There are concerts and operas. Events and Tickets Baths of Caracalla
Bus 118, 628, 671, 714, 792
Circo Massimo
As in the previous year, events are held at Circo Massimo. Events and tickets Circo Massimo
Metro B, Bus 81, 85, 87, 118, 160, 628, 715
The Roman Theater of Ostia Antica
Another spectacular venue is the Roman theater in the excavations of Ostia Antica. The theater was built in the time of Augustus with 3,000 seats and was expanded to 4,000 seats in the 2nd century.
Events and tickets Ostia Antica
Metro Piramide – Ostia Lido stazione Ostia Antica
Amusement parks
In Rome and the surrounding area there are a few parks that offer a welcome change.
Luneur
The Luneur Park offers many rides. It is located in the south of the city in the EUR district on Via Cristoforo Colombo. The opening times in winter are irregular, mostly Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., in summer daily until midnight. On the Luneur website you can see the calendar with the opening days. Bus connections are lines 30, 170, 714 and 791, Colombo / Agricoltura stop. From there it is 750m to the entrance on Via delle Tre Fontane 100.
Hydromania
Hydromania is an amusement pool in western Rome.
Hydromania is located at exit 33 of the Grande Raccordo Anulare. Unfortunately it is not easy to reach by public transport. The journey by bus 088 from the terminus of Tram 8 near Casaletto is a bit lengthy.
Cinecittà World
Cinecittà World is a theme park about cinema and television. It is located next to the Castel Romano outlet center on Via Pontina between Rome and Pomezia. A shuttle bus runs from the Termini main station. Tickets
Roma World
Roma World is a theme park on ancient Rome. It is right next to Cinecittà World. The program is supported by the Gruppo Storico Romano. Roma World is open in summer. Tickets
Excursions in the area
Rome has beautiful surroundings. In summer the Romans like to escape the heat of the city. You drive to the sea or in the mountains.
You can reach many destinations by public transport. Of course, it is more convenient to rent a car.
Trips to the sea
Ladispoli, Santa Severa and Santa Marinella are very nice seaside resorts in the north of Rome. To do this, take the FL5 train line, which runs from Ostiense, Trastevere and San Pietro stations to Civitavecchia. A 3-zone ticket is sufficient for Ladispoli, and 4 zones for the locations of the two saints.
It is very easy to get to Ostia Lido. A ticket for city traffic is sufficient for the journey and on the way you can visit the excavations of the old port city of Ostia Antica.
Formia is very beautiful in the south of Rome. The journey from Roma Termini takes around 90 minutes.
Trips to the mountains
The most famous summer residence of the Romans in Castel Gandolfo. Here the popes spent the summer at around 400 m. Pope Francis, on the other hand, remains in Rome and the palace and gardens in Castel Gandolfo can be visited.
You can get to Castel Gandolfo by train from Roma Termini or from Ciampino with a 3-zone ticket. The train station is on the volcanic hill between Lake Albano and the village.
Day trips
With the high-speed trains that are punctual to the minute, Florence and Naples are only around 1 ½ hours away. With our tips you can put together your own day tour or book an organized tour. Take a day to stroll around Florence and see the world famous Uffizi Gallery. Or visit the excavations in Pompeii and see Vesuvius, which is still active today and buried the city under its ashes.
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