Tourism tends to slow down in Rome during July and August, as travelers get scared off by the notorious hottest months of the year and would rather head to the seaside or more northern locales.
Despite the heat, I actually think July and August is a great time to visit the city. The crowds have thinned out, the summer sunlight makes the city look gorgeous, and it’s easy to do as the Romans do to avoid the hottest time of the day: get up early to do your sight-seeing, go back to your accommodations for a post-lunch siesta, then go out again in the late afternoon when it’s cooled down a bit, staying out until late at night enjoying the long days and cooler evening air. If you really aren’t used to the heat, consider booking a place with air-conditioning so you can get a good night’s sleep.
The best part of the Roman summer is the variety of festivals that are held in July and August. Many of the art exhibits at galleries and museums across the city are winding down in June or early July, but the outdoor music, dance, and theatre festivals are starting up. Here’s a rundown on the most interesting not-to-miss festivals in Rome:
LUGLIO SUONA BENE, 25 June – 2 August
This literally means “July sounds good.” It’s a series of concerts that take place almost every night, often in the Auditorium but also at other venues across the city. Some of this year’s biggest acts are Massive Attack, Robert Plant, James Blunt, Herbie Hancock, Simple Minds, Keith Jarrett, and Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club. http://www.auditorium.com/eventi/5707901
FESTIVAL DI CARACALLA, 24 June – 9 August
This is one of my personal favorites – the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma moves their opera and ballet performances outside to the Terme di Caracalla, with the stunning backdrop of the ruins of the ancient baths of Caracalla. This year the Terme will host ballets Swan Lake and Robert Bolle and Friends, and operas La Bohème and The Barber of Seville. www.operaroma.it/ita/caracalla.php
NOTTI D’ESTATE A CASTEL SANT’ANGELO, 1 July – 7 September
The Castel Sant’Angelo hosts jazz and classical music concerts on the outdoor terrace (with fabulous views of the city, by the way) on Wed and Fri-Sun. They also have guided evening tours (also in English) from Tues-Sun, where they show you normally “off-limits” parts of the castle, like the prisons and the Passetto di Borgo. http://www.castelsantangeloestate.it/
FESTIVAL MUSICALE DELLE NAZIONI, 4 June – 5 October
All summer long there are classical music performances (both solo musicians and ensembles) in the ancient Teatro di Marcello, an amphitheatre that looks like a smaller version of the Colosseum. http://www.tempietto.it/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
ESTATE ROMANA ON THE TIBER AND ISOLA DEL CINEMA, 21 June – 30 September
One of the Estate Romana’s most popular venues is along the lower river banks of the Tiber, where stalls selling artisanal goods, clothes, gourmet food, etc, are set up along with “pop-up” outdoor bars, restaurants, and pizzerias. It’s a fun spot for aperitivo or late-night drinks. On Tiber Island, an outdoor cinema has been set up with both mainstream films and independent films (all in Italian, though!). www.facebook.com/estateromanaturismo, http://www.isoladelcinema.com/
ROMA INCONTRA IL MONDO, 2 – 31 July
Rome Meets the World is a “world music” festival featuring international and Italian acts, held nightly in the lovely Villa Ada park in northern Rome. http://www.villaada.org/
I CONCERTI NEL PARCO, 6 – 31 July
In another big park, Villa Pamphili (between Trastevere and the Vatican area), outdoor concerts are held throughout July. There’s a variety of international and Italian musicians, with this year’s lineup including Mayra Andrade, the Tango Spleen Orquesta, and an orchestral version of Pink Floyd’s album The Dark Side of the Moon. www.iconcertinelparco.it/#
VILLA CELIMONTANA JAZZ FESTIVAL, JULY & AUGUST
This is a pretty important Italian outdoor jazz festival that takes place in Rome every year, but unfortunately they still haven’t announced the dates or concert schedule for this year! I do know that it features concerts on a near-nightly basis and an outdoor restaurant/aperitivo area so you can eat or drink during the shows (you must book ahead). www.villacelimontanajazzfestival.com
GLOBE THEATRE, 8 JULY – 7 SEPTEMBER
Yes, Rome has a Globe Theatre – it’s a copy of the one in London, set up in Villa Borghese park. It opens every summer for performances of different Shakespeare plays (in Italian). This year’s plays will be Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Much Ado about Nothing. At the end of the season there will be a “Shakespeare Fest” with theatre, cinema, and music to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth. http://www.globetheatreroma.com/
IL CENTRALE LIVE, 1 – 26 JULY
At the Foro Italico in northern Rome (near the Olympic Stadium), the smaller Stadio dei Marmi hosts a series of outdoor concerts of mostly Italian pop stars. Wildly popular (in Italy) Franco Battiato, Alex Britti, and Gigi d’Alessio will perform this summer. There’s also a bonus tango performance by Argentine dancer Miguel Angel Zotto. http://centralelive.it/
ROCK IN ROMA, 3 JUNE – 2 AUGUST
At the Capannelle Hippodrome in the south of Rome (it’s not well-connected by public transport so you’d be better off taking a taxi here) is a rock festival. The rest of this year’s lineup features important names like Franz Ferdinand, Placebo, and The Lumineers, plus some Italian favorites like Caparezza and Paolo Nutini. http://www.rockinroma.com/
¡FIESTA!, 13 JUNE – 24 JULY
Also at the Capannelle Hippodrome, the ¡Fiesta! is an “international festival of Latin American music and culture”. Remaining concerts will be held by Gente D’Zona and Eva Ayllon, and on the other nights of the festival (Wed-Sun) there are DJs, dancing, and Latin American food. http://www.fiesta.it/
