Your ultimate guide to visiting Rome in July 2025

Rome in July is all energy and sun. 2025 marks  the Jubilee Year, bringing pilgrims, events and extra buzz to the routes and basilicas across the city. Arm nights set the scene  for concerts, riverfront fairs, and twilight strolls. Plan early morning starts, siesta-style afternoons and head out again at dawn to make the most of it. Popular activities, especially Colosseum night tours and Vatican skip-the-line tickets , sell out quickly; make sure to book in advance

Rome in July 2025 at a glance

🌧️ Weather

Hottest month—average highs 31°C / 88°F; rare rain.

☀️ Daylight

15 h; sunrise ~5:40am, sunset ~8:40pm.

🎉 Key events

Festa de' Noantri, Roma Summer Fest.

👥 Crowds

High—school breaks, tourists, Jubilee pilgrims.

🛍️ What to pack

Breathable layers, scarf, refillable bottle, sunblock.

🍽️ Seasonal treats

Fried zucchini flowers, chilled grattachecca, fresh figs.

Top things to do in Rome in July

Visit the Colosseum by night

When: Fridays–Saturdays through July
Tags: Tour, Cultural experience, Seasonal
Avoid the sun during the hottest month in Rome, and join a limited-entry night tour of the Colosseum, often with arena floor and underground access. The floodlit ruins feel dramatic and cinematic after dark. Spots are limited, so book early.

Recommended Experiences:

  • Colosseum Evening Guided Tour with Arena Access
  • Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum Guided Tour
Explore all Colosseum tickets and tours

Explore Vatican Museums in the evening

When: Fridays until late July, after 7 pm
Tags: Tour, Cultural experience, Seasonal
Skip the noon crush and take advantage of the summer Fridays when the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel stays open till 11pm. Pre-book a timed entry to wander halls and view frescoes without the heat or massive crowds.

Recommended Experiences:

  • Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Early Morning or After-Hours Skip-the-Line Tour
Best Vatican Museum tickets

Stroll Lungo il Tevere at sunset

When: Daily, early evening onward
Tags: Outdoors, Family-friendly, Seasonal
Enjoy the culture, music and food of Rome along the Tiber’s east bank, as it lights up with summer pop-ups. With over 90 stalls, craft stands, and riverside bars, it makes for a perfect laidback evening. It’s cooler after 7pm—grab a drink and watch street performers under the bridges.

Wander the Appian Way

When: Early mornings, daily
Tags: Outdoors, Explorer
Rent a bike near Porta San Sebastiano and cycle the ancient Appian Way before 10am to beat the heat. Or just take a stroll past aqueducts, catacombs, and pine-lined trails.

Recommended Experiences:

  • Catacombs of St. Callixtus Tickets with Guided Tour
See more catacomb tours in Rome

Cool off at the Baths of Caracalla

When: Open daily, last entry 6:45 pm
Tags: Cultural experience, Outdoors
These vast imperial ruins offer both history and a shady respite. With fewer crowds than the Roman Forum, it's ideal for midday exploring.

Tickets to Baths of Caracalla

Watch opera under the stars

When: Evenings, through July
Tags: Cultural experience, Seasonal
Rome’s open-air opera season unfolds at the Baths of Caracalla. Book tickets to see ballet or Giuseppe Verdi’s magic unfold under the night sky. A memorable setting with sweeping stage views awaits!

Escape to Villa Borghese

When: Mornings or early evenings
Tags: Family-friendly, Outdoors
This central park offers shaded trails, lake boat rentals, and scenic picnic spots. Start at Pincian Terrace (Terrazza del Pincio) for a sunrise view over Piazza del Popolo.

Recommended Experiences:

  • Borghese Gallery Tickets 3878
  • Borghese Gallery Small-Group Guided Tour
Browse Borghese Gallery ticket options

Hunt street art in Ostiense

When: Anytime; best late afternoon
Tags: Explorer, Cultural experience
Explore Rome’s creative side in the city’s hub for contemporary art and music: Ostiense district. Admire murals sprawl across warehouses and apartment blocks—download a map or join a guided tour to spot the best pieces.

Offbeat experiences in July

Tour the Jewish catacombs

Tour the Jewish catacombs
Subterranean Rome, without the crowds
Fewer visitors reach the Jewish catacombs at Vigna Randanini. Rome’s only public Jewish burial site, date from the 2nd–5th centuries CE and feature ancient kokhim tombs and vivid frescoes. Accessible by reservation only, this cool subterranean maze is a rare dive into the city's hidden history.

📍 Where: Via Appia Pignatelli 4

Watch a movie alfresco

Cinema beneath the stars
From June until mid‑July, Rome’s outdoor film festivals (Il Cinema in Piazza) light up places like Villa Borghese, Piazza Vittorio, and Parco degli Acquedotti with free screenings of Italian and international films. Arrive early to grab a good seat! Don’t worry, most of these films have subtitles!
📍 Where: Villa Borghese or Piazza Vittorio (check local listings)

Join a night Vespa tour

Zoom past landmarks after dark
Book a pillion ride on a Vespa sidecar with a local driver and circle Rome’s monuments in the night. Less traffic, cooler air, and plenty of photo stops make this a favorite summer thrill.
📍 Where: Departs near Piazza Venezia

Sample grattachecca at a historic kiosk

Roman-style shaved ice, crushed to order
Try this local summer dessert—hand-shaved ice with syrups and fruit. Try the classic combos at Sora Mirella by Tiber Island, best enjoyed post‑4pm as the heat eases.
📍 Where: Lungotevere degli Anguillara 7

Festivals and events in Rome this July 2025

Festa de' Noantri

  • Dates: 16 – 30 July 2025
  • Event type: Cultural Festival
  • Location: Trastevere
  • Honors the Madonna of Mount Carmel with processions, fireworks, live music, and food stalls—arrive by 7pm before the lanes gridlock.

Estate Romana (Roman Summer)

  • Dates: All July 2025
  • Event type: Cultural Festival
  • Location: Citywide
  • City-backed arts spree: jazz on piazzas, dance on church steps, pop-up theatre most evenings after 8pm, nearly all of it for free.

Roma Summer Fest

  • Dates: All July 2025
  • Event type: Concert Series
  • Location: Auditorium Parco della Musica, Flaminio
  • Star-studded open-air concerts in Renzo Piano’s cavea—rock, indie, orchestral—with seats from ~€30.

Rock in Roma

  • Dates: 11 – 24 July 2025 (select nights)
  • Event type: Concert Series
  • Location: Ippodromo Capannelle & Auditorium Cavea
  • Big-ticket sets by The Black Keys, Sfera Ebbasta, Joe Bonamassa and more; use Capannelle rail stop to dodge post-show taxi lines.

Summertime at Casa del Jazz

  • Dates: 5 June – 9 August 2025 (nightly in July)
  • Event type: Jazz Festival
  • Location: Casa del Jazz Park, EUR
  • Intimate 1000-seat lawn hosts global jazz names—John Scofield, Take 6, Incognito—under the pines; tickets from €25.

Opera at the Baths of Caracalla

  • Dates: Select nights, July 2025
  • Event type: Performing Arts
  • Location: Baths of Caracalla
  • Verdi, Puccini and Mozart under the moonlit ruins; curtain rises about 9pm—book weeks ahead to get the best seats.

Open-air Cinema Season

  • Dates: July – August 2025
  • Event type: Film Festival
  • Location: Villa Borghese, Piazza Vittorio, others
  • Free or €6–€8 alfresco screenings start ~9:30pm—pack a light sweater and arrive early for seats.

Lungo il Tevere

  • Dates: 6 June – 24 August 2025
  • Event type: Riverbank Festival
  • Location: Tiber Embankment (Ponte Sisto → Sublicio)
  • Night market of craft stalls, over 90 food stalls, DJ sets and beer gardens running nightly until 2am; entry is free.

Isola del Cinema

  • Dates: mid-June – early September 2025
  • Event type: Film Festival
  • Location: Tiber Island
  • A cinema festival spanning 80 days held on the Tiber Island’s arena; €6–€8 seats sell out on weekends.

Extravillae Festival

  • Dates: 12 – 29 July 2025
  • Event type: Performing-Arts Festival
  • Location: Villa Adriana & Villa d’Este, Tivoli
  • Dance, theatre and classic-film evenings framed by UNESCO gardens; free entry after 6:30pm while seats last.

Viaggio nei Fori (Journey through the Forums)

  • Dates: Nightly to 31 August 2025
  • Event type: Immersive Light Show
  • Location: Forums of Caesar & Augustus
  • Fifty-minute 3-D mapping narrated by Piero Angela; the timed-entry seats of €15 sell out fast in high season.

Caravaggio 2025 Exhibition

  • Dates: 7 March – 6 July 2025
  • Event type: Art Exhibition
  • Location: Palazzo Barberini
  • Blockbuster show unites 24 authenticated Caravaggio canvases—many rarely loaned—making early-July tickets gold dust. Grab yours quick!

Galleria Borghese Immersive Nights

  • Dates: Fri–Sat evenings, July – October 2025
  • Event type: Multimedia Experience
  • Location: Galleria Borghese Gardens
  • After-hours façade projections trace the villa’s 400-year story starting at 9pm; separate ticket required.

Highlights for different traveller types

Families with kids

  • Bioparco Zoo located in Villa Borghese,  offers shade, animals, enclosure and mist fans. Visit early to beat heat.
  • Villa Borghese boat rentals and playgrounds provide scenic downtime.
  • Time Elevator, a 45-minute multisensory 5D ride  near Trevi Fountain, brings  Roman history to life in an air-conditioned setting.

Couples

  • Experience Verdi, Puccini, or Mozart performed  at Caracalla under the stars, wine in hand.

  • Stroll Trastevere’s Festa de' Noantri, especially during fireworks.

  • Take a sunset Vespa tour for dreamy city views without the crowds.

Solo wanderers

  • Browse river stalls at Lungo il Tevere and grab a Spritz.

  • Join a small-group Vatican night tour to meet others while you explore the halls of Renaissance masterpieces—without the crowds.

  • Wander Testaccio’s shaded markets and try a street food lunch.

Your perfect 3-day Rome in July itinerary

  • Morning: Beat the crowds and the heat early at the Roman Forum when gates open (8:30am).
  • Breakfast: Cornetto and espresso at the iconic Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè or Bar San Marcello .
  • Midday: Visit the Capitoline Museums —cool, quiet, and full of sculpture.
  • Lunch: Try carbonara at Trattoria da Gino al Parlamento.
  • Afternoon: Relax at the Pantheon ; pop into the nearby Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
  • Evening: Night tour of the Colosseum; book a slot with arena access.
  • Morning: Start at Villa Borghese for shaded gardens and early Borghese Gallery entry (reserve in advance).
  • Breakfast: Cappuccino and pistachio cornetto at La Terrasse Cuisine & Lounge.
  • Midday: Explore Tridente’s boutiques or visit Palazzo Altemps.
  • Lunch: Grab supplì and pasta from Mercato Testaccio.
  • Afternoon: Stroll Aventine Hill to the Orange Garden and Keyhole view.
  • Evening: Opera or ballet at Baths of Caracalla (arrive 30 mins early).
  • Morning: Visit the Vatican Museums with early access (book 8am slot).
  • Breakfast: Espresso and pastry at Sciascia Caffè 1919, Prati.
  • Midday: Climb St. Peter’s dome , then escape to Castel Sant’Angelo shade.
  • Lunch: Pinsa and salad at Osteria Nuvolari, near Piazza Cavour.
  • Afternoon: Wander Borgo Pio or take a nap.
  • Evening: Aperitivo and food trucks at Lungo il Tevere from 7:30 pm.

Best day trips from Rome in July

Tivoli

🚅 Travel time: ~1 h by train

Cooler hill breezes make July perfect for Villa d'Este’s fountains and Villa Adriana’s ruins. Go early to avoid peak sun.

Explore Tivoli

Ostia Antica

🚅 Travel time: ~45 min by train

Explore the ancient port ruins, colorful mosaics and Roman streets without the Pompeii crowds. Bring water and a hat—shade is limited.

Castelli Romani (Frascati)

🚗 Travel time: ~40 min by train

Escape to Rome’s nearby wine towns. Frascati has breezy terraces, porchetta sandwiches, and vineyard tastings. Ideal for a lazy lunch.

Lake Bracciano

🚗 Travel time: ~1 h by train + 15-min walk from Bracciano station to lakefront

A scenic lake for swimming and castle views. Take a picnic or rent a pedal boat. Cooler than the city.

Go shopping in Rome in July

  • When: Weekends
  • Where: Via Leonina 46
  • Local designers and vintage finds in a curated space. Stylish locals come for accessories and upcycled fashion.
  • When: Year-round
  • Where: Via del Corso
  • Historic indoor arcade with bookshops, Italian brands, and elegant ambiance. Air-conditioned and centrally located—perfect for a post-lunch break from the heat.

Pro tips for visiting Rome in July

  1. Start sightseeing by 8:30am to beat both heat and crowds. Sites like the Forum open early.

  2. Carry small change. Many cafés and public toilets charge a small fee and don’t accept cards.

  3. Always carry a scarf or linen shirt: churches require covered shoulders and sun demands protection.

  4. Fill your bottle at public fountains (nasoni). Water's cold, safe, and everywhere.

  5. Buy bus/metro tickets in advance from tabacchi shops—bus drivers don’t sell them

  6. Metro Line A may shut down early for repairs; plan return routes from Spagna or Ottaviano.

  7. Dinner starts late. Locals eat at 8:30–9pm; try aperitivo around 7pm if hungry early.

  8. Shops stay open later, but smaller ones close mid-afternoon (1–4pm). Plan purchases before or after.

  9. Bring a mini fan or cooling towel—museums can be warm despite AC.

  10. Book Vatican and Colosseum night tours a month ahead—they fill fast in summer.

  11. Trastevere is loud in July. Book your stay a little further from  the main piazzas for sound sleep.

  12. Many churches and museums offer free or discounted late hours—check sites weekly.

Frequently asked questions about visiting Rome in July

Is Rome too hot to visit in July?

It’s hot, yes—highs often hit 32–34°C. But start early, rest midday, and plan night outings.

Are most attractions open in July?

Yes. Summer hours often extend into the evening. Major sites run daily, with occasional closures for events.

What should I wear for sightseeing?

Breathable layers and covered shoulders. Churches require modesty. Hats, scarves, and linen work best.

Can I visit the Vatican without a tour in July?

Yes, but lines are long. Book skip-the-line or early evening slots. Fridays offer late hours.

Is tap water safe to drink in Rome?

Yes—public fountains provide clean, cold water. Refill often.

How bad are crowds in July?

Very high. Expect tour groups by 9am and packed piazzas at dusk. Book tickets early.

Is there air-conditioning in hotels and restaurants?

Mostly yes, but some rely on fans—especially in historic buildings. Check before booking your stay.

What time do restaurants open for dinner?

Most open at 7:30pm; locals dine after 8:30pm. Reserve on weekends.

Do I need to tip in Rome?

Not required, but rounding up or leaving €1–2 is appreciated. No need for US-style tipping.