September is a very popular month in Rome and especially the second half is high season. If you have time, you can combine your stay in Rome with a trip to the sea or the nearby mountains.
As there are many visitors to Rome in September, you need to reserve tickets for the most popular sights such as the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums or the Borghese Gallery in good time. Opening times of museums, events and concerts, here you will find all the important information.
September in Rome
Rome is still pretty quiet until mid-September. School lessons begin in mid-September and by then at the latest all Romans will be back from vacation.
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.
Rome is a very green city. Take a stroll 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.
Weather and clothes
In the first half of September it can still be very hot in Rome, even if the maximum temperatures no longer exceed 30° C / 86° F and the minimum temperatures are often below 20° C. / 68° F. Rain is rare.
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. Since you spend a lot of time outdoors in Rome, you need protection against the sun. A sun hat or a parasol are well suited. You also need comfortable shoes.
For more tips, see Heat in Rome.
When visiting the sacred sites, including the catacombs and the Vatican Museums, your shoulders and knees must be covered. If you’re going off-shoulder, take a shoulder scarf or pareo with you.
Standing in line in front of the security checkpoint on St. Peter’s Square is not a pleasant experience. You can avoid the queue by booking an audio guide or tour. You will also get a lot of interesting information.
In any case, you should avoid too much effort. The ride on the hop on hop off bus is comfortable.
You may also consider a trip to the catacombs or to the countryside.
Gastronomy
The Romans hardly eat lunch on hot summer days.
Whether you want an opulent dinner, a pizza, a sandwich, an ice cream or something sweet, in Rome you will find a large selection of the best quality. Roman gastronomy is usually excellent. In our food category you will find tips on street food, pizza, the best ice cream parlors, but also on very elegant restaurants. For an initial overview, we recommend a street food tour.
Shopping
Rome is a shopping paradise. Regardless of whether you want to stock up on fashion, look for vintage or antiques or bring a culinary specialty home with you, you will find the right ideas in our Shopping category.
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
St. Peter’s Basilica
Entry to St. Peter’s Basilica is free. However, the queues can be quite long if there are many visitors.
There is a very simple trick to avoid the queue: you book an audio guide or a guided tour in advance and you will be admitted through a special entrance without waiting. For more information read our pages on St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Peter’s Square and the history of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Tickets at a glance
Book directly with our partners at no extra charge.
At GetYourGuide (can be canceled free of charge):
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Rome September opening hours
St. Peter’s Basilica
Basilica 7 am – 7 pm – Dome 8 am – 6 pm – Treasure 9 am – 6:15 pm
More information about St. Peter’s Basilica>
Colosseum
8:30 am – 6:00 pm closing 7:00 pm
Details about the Colosseum>
Vatican Museums
Monday – Thursday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, closing 6:30 pm, Friday, Saturday 8:30 am – 8:30 pm, closing 10:30 pm. Closed on sundays. The opening times of the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo are not yet known.
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 September 5th. The entry time must be reserved by telephone +39060608.
Exhibitions
Cinecittà si mostra Visit the dream factory of Roman cinema, Metro A Station Cinecittà Tickets
Stadium of the Domitian The stadium under Piazza Navona
Via di Tor Sanguigna 3 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
until September 26, 2021 Rome. Birth of a Capital 1870-1915
Initiative for the celebration of one hundred and fifty years since the proclamation of Rome as Capital City.
Capitol Hill
Via Veneto contemporanea – 14/11/2021
Contemporary art on Via Veneto – Erwin Wurm
Via Veneto
All about Banksy 2
Thanks to about two hundred and fifty works from private collections, Chiostro del Bramante presents ALL ABOUT BANKSY: in Rome, from May 5, 2021 to January 9, 2022, a new exhibition to discover everything you can know about the most famous unknown artist in the world.
In the Chiostro del Bramante (Piazza Navona area) Via Arco della Pace 5
Napoleon Last Act. Exile, death, memory – 09/01/2022
Dedicated to the extreme moments of Napoleon Bonaparte’s epic deeds, the exhibition aims to illustrate the events of the Emperor’s exile and death on Saint Helena through an evocative visual narrative, constructed using prints, watercolors and sculptural and numismatic effigies.
Museo Napoleonico, Piazza di Ponte Umberto I free entry
until January 9th, 2022 I Marmi Torlonia. Collezionare Capolavori
The legendary marble collection of the Torlonia family, exhibition in the Capitoline Museums, Villa Caffarelli
Capitol hill
TOCCARE LA BELLEZZA
Maria Montessori and Bruno Munari in the Palazzo delle Esposizioni
Via Nazionale 194 Bus 64, 70, 71, 117, 170, H
Events
Estate Romana · The Roman summer
The Roman summer brings a holiday mood to Rome. There are numerous concerts in parks and free outdoor cinema.
Bars and restaurants set up their tables on the streets an at the Tiber. Details about the Roman Summer>
Papal audiences in September
Audiences of the Holy Father are held every Wednesday morning with the exception of September 15.
There are no public papal masses in September
The Pope’s Angelus prayer takes place every Sunday at noon in St. Peter’s Square with the exception of September 12.
30.9.-3.10. Romics International Festival of Comics, Animation, Cinema and Games
Fiera di Roma – Rome fair Train FL1 direction Fiumicino airportRiding
Longines Global Champions Tour
12.-14.9.2021 – 16.-18.9.2021 Circo Massimo
Marathon
19.09.2021 Rome Marathon
Marathon and relay race
Marathon info – relay race info
5 km Fun Run
26.9.2021 Cardio Race Info
10 miles / 10 km / 5 km
Estate Romana · The Roman summer
The Roman summer brings a holiday mood to Rome. There are numerous concerts in parks and free outdoor cinema.
Bars and restaurants set up their tables on the streets an at the Tiber. Details about the Roman Summer>
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.
Roman nights – Concerti del Tempietto
1.7.-30.9.2021 20:30
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
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
Palazzo dello Sport
The Palazzo dello Sport is a multifunctional hall where concerts are held regularly. It is located in Quartier EUR and is easily accessible by Metro B station Palasport.
Metro B EUR Palasport
Largo Venue
Largo Venue is a cultural center on Via Prenestina.
Largo Venue, Via Biordo Michelotti 2
Tram 5, 14, 19 Bus 81, 412, n5, n543, nMC Prenestina/Gattamelata
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. Romans mainly use the weekends for trips to the sea or the mountains. Therefore, you better set out during the week, when there is less going on.
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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