It’s the most magical season of the year… the city becomes less crowded and the crisp air fuses with the soft lights to create a unique festive atmosphere. Cafés, holiday lights, warm meals, and festive magic create the perfect stage for winter in Rome.
What to Eat
Winter in Rome is a season for comfort and depth. Try Coda alla Vaccinara, the Roman-style oxtail stew slowly simmered with tomato, celery, and cloves—served at traditional trattorias in Trastevere. Crisp and bitter puntarella greens, dressed with anchovy vinaigrette, are available only a few weeks - order them at our restaurant near the Spanish Steps, Da Mariolino. Sweeten things up with artisanal panettone from Regoli or Roscioli, especially the pistachio-filled versions. At Emme, our garden restaurant, warm up with Medaglione di Agnello—braised lamb shank in bell pepper cream, served with red chard.
What to Do
Browse Christmas markets in Piazza Navona for handmade gifts, mulled wine, and whimsical carousels. Glide across the ice rink at Castel Sant’Angelo, the fortress aglow with twinkle lights. For the faithful (or the simply curious), Midnight Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica is transcendent. On January 6th, celebrate the Epiphany with parades and costumed revelers at the Befana market.
What to See
Rome’s churches are filled with elaborate nativity scenes. Don’t miss the life-sized display in St. Peter’s Square, or the handmade crèche in Santa Maria in Aracoeli on the Capitoline Hill. For a more intimate encounter, step into Sant’Eustachio near Piazza Navona. Quiet piazzas like Piazza Mattei or Piazza dei Mercanti glow under lantern light.
Concierge Tip
We can secure a private visit to the Vatican Museums after-hours, or front-row seats at an Epiphany concert in a candlelit basilica.
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Seasonal EventsSpring
There’s no season more evocative in the Eternal City than spring. As the chill of winter lifts, Rome reveals itself anew, wisteria spills over ancient walls, café terraces buzz gently with laughter, and golden afternoons stretch longer with each passing day.
Summer in Rome is pure theatre—long golden evenings along the Tiber, rooftop aperitivi with panoramic views, and live music echoing through ancient amphitheaters. Think Riverside revelry, rooftop aperitivi, and sultry evenings...
What to Eat
Summer is a season of abundance in Rome. Sample porchetta, the herb-stuffed roasted pork with a crispy skin, from the Campo de’ Fiori market, or try it served elegantly at Roscioli. Order grilled eggplant, tomatoes, and sweet peppersdressed in olive oil at traditional trattorias or grab them fresh at Testaccio Market. Cool off with fruit - Rome's summer jewels include figs, white peaches, and Sicilian watermelon. Look for peach-stuffed brioche at Pasticceria Boccione in the Ghetto.
What to Do
Every summer, the Tiber’s banks light up with Lungo il Tevere, a long promenade filled with bars, artisan stalls, and music stages. Outdoor venues like Rome Summer Fest at the Auditorium and Rock in Roma bring internationally known acts to Rome’s sultry evenings. In July, the Feast of Noantri animates Trastevere with parades, processions, and fireworks one of the most atmospheric celebrations of Roman identity.
What to See
Enjoy classical and pop concerts in ancient settings such as Circus Maximus or the courtyard of Castel Sant’Angelo, which often hosts nighttime performances. On Ferragosto (August 15), join Romans in celebrating with fireworks, outdoor feasts, and late-night walks—many museums and churches remain open. In the golden hours before sunset, stroll through the Forum or Piazza Venezia, where summer shadows and stone glow in perfect harmony.
Concierge Tip
We’ll arrange a VIP-access early morning tour of the Vatican or an afternoon visit to the shaded and air-conditioned Domus Aurea. Let us reserve gelato tastings across Trastevere or Prati—including cult favorites like Otaleg and Neve di Latte.
Autumn is Rome at its most poetic. The air cools, the light softens, and the city’s flavors deepen. Cultural life returns in full force, while parks and gardens burst into rich color. Indulge in truffles, take long garden walks, and savor the golden light.
What to Eat
Autumn in Rome brings rich and soulful flavors. Begin with tagliolini al tartufo, butter-laced pasta with freshly shaved black truffle—served with elegance at Antico Arco on the Janiculum. Savor tortelli di zucca (pumpkin ravioli) with sage butter and toasted amaretti at seasonal menus throughout Testaccio and Monti. Try guancia di manzo (braised beef cheek) with bitter broccoletti at Emme, or visit Forno Campo de’ Fiori for a slice of castagnaccio—chestnut cake with raisins, pine nuts, and rosemary.
What to Do
Autumn is perfect for cultural immersion. The Rome Jazz Festival returns in November with performances at Auditorium Parco della Musica and Casa del Jazz. Rent an e-bike and follow the Appian Way’s historic path as it weaves through vineyards and aqueducts. On weekends, sample olive oils, cheeses, and wine at the Campagna Amica Market near the Circus Maximus.
What to See
From mid-October to early November, explore the Rose Garden on the Aventine Hill in rare second bloom. Wander the romantic avenues of Villa Doria Pamphili and end your day watching the skyline turn copper from the Gianicolo Terrace. Churches are quieter now—step into Santa Maria in Trastevere or San Clemente for time travel in three dimensions.
Concierge Tip
We’re happy to plan a truffle hunting day trip in the countryside or a seasonal wine-pairing dinner in a private apartment terrace. Autumn is also ideal for art lovers—ask us for gallery previews and VIP Vernissage invites.
As the golden light of late summer softens into early autumn, Rome becomes a canvas for creative reverie. From historic palaces to contemporary institutions, the city offers a curated dialogue between past and present—art that speaks to memory, ritual, identity, and renewal. Below, discover the exhibitions we’re most drawn to this season.
Galleria Borghese – Poems of the Black Earth by Wangechi Mutu (Until 14 September 2025)
A groundbreaking solo exhibition by Kenyan-American artist Wangechi Mutu—her first in Italy and the first by a living female artist at the Galleria Borghese. Mutu weaves together mythology, femininity, ecology, and colonial legacy in over 25 works, including collages and biomorphic sculptures suspended in air. Her art enters into delicate yet powerful conversation with the villa’s collection of Caravaggios and Berninis, offering a hauntingly beautiful meditation on what we inherit, and what we bury.
Discover more - Galleria Borghese
Chiostro del Bramante – FLOWERS. Flowers in art, from the Renaissance to the virtual (Until 14 September 2025)
Inside a Renaissance cloister steeped in harmony, this exhibition unfolds like a blooming garden—bringing together artworks from classical painters to contemporary creators and immersive digital artists. A feast for the senses, it is both scholarly and joyful, showing how something as delicate as a flower can hold centuries of symbolism, faith, politics, and passion. Don’t miss the installations that invite you to quite literally walk into a living painting.
Discover more - Chiostro del Bramante
MAXXI – Stadiums: Architecture of a Myth, Stop Drawing, and more (through 21-26 September 2025)
At Zaha Hadid’s sculptural museum of the 21st century, architecture becomes narrative. Stadiums: Architecture of a Myth reflects on the cultural power of sports arenas, while Stop Drawing challenges how we imagine buildings without ever putting pencil to paper. The program is an ode to experimentation, where concept meets form and emotion meets space. An essential visit for lovers of design, city life, and future-thinking creativity.
Discover more - MAXXI
Villa Torlonia – Mafai, Raphaël, Berlinguer and more (Until 2 November 2025)
This trio of intimate exhibitions invites us into the private rooms of creativity. Mario Mafai and Antonietta Raphaël—founders of the Scuola Romana—share a story of artistic love and political resilience. Alongside them, Niki Berlinguer offers a tactile, poetic tribute through textiles and tapestries. In the neoclassical charm of Villa Torlonia, every room feels like a letter left behind by someone who dared to imagine a softer world.
Discover more - Villa Torlonia
Vittoriano – Open City 2025: Rome in the Year of the Jubilee (Until 28 September 2025)
Set beneath the colonnades of the Altar of the Fatherland, this exhibition is a journey through sacred Rome—its rituals, pilgrimages, and reinventions. Through photographs, archival footage, and urban plans, Open City 2025 explores how Rome has prepared itself for the Jubilee, and how the city continues to balance solemnity and splendor. The view from the rooftop terrace is, as always, a reminder of why Rome remains a spiritual home for millions.
Discover more - Vittoriano
Museo di Roma in Trastevere – Frigidaire, Freehand, and Tina Modotti (Until mid‑September)
In the heart of Trastevere, this museum feels like a secret haven of bold ideas. Frigidaire dives into the anarchic brilliance of Italy’s underground magazine scene, while Freehand reveals how animated film transformed storytelling in the post-war years. The standout, though, is Tina Modotti—a tribute to the radical photographer, activist, and muse. Together, these exhibitions create a rich, layered portrait of 20th-century resistance, image, and imagination.
Discover more - Museo di Roma in Trastevere
Ara Pacis Museum – Franco Fontana: Colore e Spazio (Until 31 August 2025)
Franco Fontana’s retrospective at the Ara Pacis is a celebration of line, hue, and silence. Over 200 works—landscapes, cities, nudes, and fashion—reveal his unmistakable mastery of color as a language of structure. Fontana’s camera doesn’t just capture space; it builds it, offering a visual rhythm that feels both architectural and musical. Set against the serene altar of Augustus, this show reminds us of Rome’s dual identity: classical and ever-modern.
Discover more - Ara Pacis Museum
Fondazione Memmo – Soft You by Anthea Hamilton (Until 2 November 2025)
British artist Anthea Hamilton reimagines Shakespeare’s Othello through scent, texture, and form in this multisensory installation. Using velvet, marble, clay, and botanical elements, Soft You becomes a stage where vulnerability and alienation are tangible. Hamilton has described the work as an “emotional theatre,” and indeed it feels like entering a dream built from memory and metaphor. The experience lingers like a whispered poem.
Discover more - Fondazione Memmo
Baths of Caracalla – Specchio d’Acqua (New Permanent Installation)
While not a formal exhibition, the recent addition of Specchio d’Acqua—a vast reflecting pool at the Baths of Caracalla—deserves mention. It magnifies the grandeur of the ruins, doubling the arches and columns in silent water. At sunset, when performances are held or when silence reigns, the space feels like a modern temple to stillness, inviting both wonder and reflection.
Discover more - Baths of Caracalla
Concierge Tips
Looking to skip the lines or book a private visit? Our team at Rome Luxury Suites would be delighted to arrange a tailor-made art itinerary for your stay. From chauffeur services to exclusive gallery tours and after-hours access, we make sure your Roman holiday is filled with cultural beauty—and none of the queues.
Rome is one of the most important art cities in the world and for centuries has been welcoming artists to adorn its walls, ceilings, churches and palaces.
