Looking for the best rooftop bars in Rome? Search no more. This list of the best rooftop terraces and garden bars in Rome, features everything from the new rooftop bars in Rome to cheap rooftop bars in Rome 2023– including Rome rooftop bar prices, hacks to skip the line, drink recommendations and more!
And after you’ve read about everything that Rome’s rooftops have to offer, don’t forget to check out my complete outdoor aperitivo guide for Rome – right here.
Best rooftop bars in Rome
When the heat rises in the city, there’s nowhere better to unwind after dark than on one of Rome’s best rooftop bars. But which is the best Roman rooftop bar for you? What are the Rome rooftop bar prices like, which are the cheapest Rome rooftop bars, and what should you be drinking to make the most of your evening? Fear not dear reader, I’ve been trawling Rome’s best rooftop bars all year to quench your curiosity!
1. The Court – Rome garden bar overlooking the Colosseum
This guide to the best rooftop bars in Rome starts with The Court, one of the most breathtaking garden bars in the city, thanks to its exclusive location right in front of the Colosseum. This is a ground-floor bar on a raised, private platform with enviable views of Rome’s most famous monument, and an exclusive vibe thanks to its presence in one of Rome’s swankiest hotels, Hotel Palazzo Manfredi.
Hotel Palazzo Manfredi hosts one Michelin star restaurant Aroma on its unrivalled rooftop, where chef Giuseppe di Iorio reigns supreme, but if you want to enjoy those Colosseum views without spending all of your holiday on dinner, a cocktail in The Court could be the answer you’re looking for.
However, prices are still high in this luxury garden bar. Open from the first pink streaks of dusk until the small hours, the cocktail list has been created by Matteo Zed and prices start at €27 for his creations here.
Despite being one of the most expensive garden bars in Rome, booking ahead for a table is essential as this bar has a very limited amount of seating.
Where: The Court | Palazzo Manfredi | Via Labicana 125 | Tel +39 0677591380
Prices: From €27
What to order: P*rno Pisco Sour – with a flaming passionfruit half €27
2. Alto Cocktail bar – rooftop bar of the First Roma Musica
The First Musica is the third and latest hotel in Rome from the Pavilions Hotels & Resorts group, which owns a collection of boutique hotels across Asia and Europe.
The First Musica Rome is a stunning 5 star hotel near the Vatican, with a dramatic rooftop bar, Alto, and elegant gourmet restaurant, Oliva.
Its lofty rooftop terrace bar, Alto, is worth your time for a sunset aperitivo or drinks after dark. Occupying the sixth and seventh floors of the hotel, its riverside position ensures that views are particularly striking, from Rome’s historic skyline to the green line of the river far below.
Expect to pay around €18 for a glass of wine and €25 for a classic cocktail. Light bites available too, from small pizzas to club sandwiches and salads. In the future, the roof will also be open all day to give you another option for whiling away the hours, or perhaps a spot of remote working with a glass of wine and a club sandwich.
This attractive, new-build property joins The First Arte and The First Dolce to create a trio of upscale, five star hotels bringing an international edge to Rome’s hospitality scene.
Where: Alto Cocktail Bar | The First Musica | Lungotevere dei Mellini, 26 | Tel +39 06 4561 7070
Prices: From €18
What to order: House Negroni (Campari, gin, red vermouth) €25
3. Lana – Ostiense rooftop cocktail bar in Rome
Closed for refurbishment in 2023 but back soon!
Lana is the new rooftop bar on top of Gasometro Urban Suites Hotel in Rome, and it’s a strikingly unusual cocktail bar. Located in the Ostiense district, Rome’s post-industrial neighbourhood, Lana sits on top of a former wool processing factory which is now a boutique hotel.
From its lofty rooftop, drinkers and diners can enjoy views of Rome’s beloved gasometro – the largest decommissioned gasometer in Europe – in an area which has become a magnet for urban chic. Below, global ad agency WPP has opened a trendy office in a former industrial building, and Lana sits adjacent to Industrie Fluviali as well, a hip and affordable co-working space for young entreprenuers.
Why visit Lana? Apart from its refreshing post-industrial views and uninterrupted cityscapes of Testaccio and Garbatella, thanks to its double-sided rooftop, this is also an affordable cocktail bar where you can plan to stay for dinner.
Classic cocktails – from spritzes to negronis – cost just €12, while signature cocktails especially created by bar manager Nicolo Certelli cost €15. These include the rather wonderful Black Sheep, combining mezcal, ancho reyes, amaro del capo red hot edition, lime juice, agave syrup, and a generous dusting of black salt on the glass. Mocktails cost €12 while wine starts at €8 per glass.
First courses – from light farro dishes and salads to pasta – cost just €12, while light second courses, such as chicken nuggets or pulled pork with vegetables, cost €14. The vibe is young and friendly without ever seeming stiff, while the service is impeccable. Open from 18.00 to 2.00 every day – booking recommended.
Where: Lana | Gasometro Urban Suites (GUS) | Via del Porto Fluviale 35 | Rome | Tel +39 333 184 9297
Prices: Closed for refurbishment in 2023 but back soon!
What to order: Black Sheep, (mezcal, ancho reyes, amaro del capo red hot, lime juice, agave syrup) €15
4. Polpetta Trastevere – cheapest rooftop bars in Rome
Polpetta Trastevere, a fast casual eatery in Rome’s buzziest going-out district, is both a simple street food joint and a restaurant with a lovely rooftop garden. From the outside, you wouldn’t know that this meatball-themed diner has a garden bigger than the restaurant itself, but that’s the beauty of Polpetta!
Heavily patronised by tourists due to its Trastevere location, this is the fourth Polpetta restaurant in the city, after Ostiense, Monti and Fiumicino. But Romans in the know are happy to drop in as well, particularly for the aperitivo hour, when meat, fish and vegan balls contribute to the perfect pre-dinner drink and the cocktails are pretty good too! Try the bubble spritz which contains little balls of tapioca to stay on theme. Cocktails start at around €10 making this one of the cheapest rooftop bars in Rome!
If you’re planning to stay for dinner, pick the Trastevere location and reserve a table on the rooftop. You won’t be disappointed! The historic garden of Polpetta Trastevere, which is connected to lots of lovely Roman (and romantic) anecdotes, overlooks the ancient city walls and it manages to be quite a romantic spot as well.
All in all, Polpetta Trastevere is a great solution when you fancy a Roman rooftop but you don’t want to blow the budget.
Where: Polpetta Trastevere | Via di Porta Settimiana 8 | Rome | Tel +39 06 581 8284
Prices: From €10
What to order: Bubble spritz (Aperol, prosecco, mineral water, tapioca balls) €10
5. Terrazza Navona at Hotel Palazzo Navona – best rooftop bars in Rome
Terrazza Navona is a chic and well-appointed rooftop bar on top of the impeccable four star Hotel Palazzo Navona. You’ll fall in love with its double-layer roof terrace, the highest part of which can be reached by a wrought iron spiral staircase. Up on the top level, gallery seats have been lined up along the rail so that everyone is facing outwards when they enjoy a drink and aperitivo here with a view.
Otherwise, the larger rooftop on the main decking area enjoys a mix of sunny and shady spots. The service is excellent and the drinks list is ample. Rather than automatically bringing you a range of snacks, the team at Terrazza Navona offers an ample and ambitious aperitivo menu for a fixed price.
For example, the various aperitivo formulas comprise canapes prepared by the chef, plus olives, caper berries, nuts and crisps with prices from €25, depending on the food and drink preferred.
You can also order cheese boards and pinsas which represent a good value way to fill your stomach while ordering from the basic drinks menu. Essentially, there’s something for everyone here!
Where: Terrazza Navona | Palazzo Navona Hotel | Largo della Sapienza 8 | Rome | Tel +39 06 8115 2341
Prices: From €20
What to order: Pick from one of Terrazza Navona’s popular aperitivo formulas
6. 9 Hotel Cesari – Rome’s cheapest rooftop bar downtown
On the touristy main drag between via del Corso and the Pantheon there is a whole strip of terrible restaurants and bars that you should avoid at all costs when visiting Rome. The street is called Via di Pietra and I would normally advocate a swift walk down here, avoiding restaurants and bars as you head to a more suitable area of town for refreshments.
However, Via di Pietra changes when you reach Piazza di Pietra, and things suddenly get interesting. This beautiful piazza is worth your time for the stunning columns of the Temple of Hadrian, but it is also home to a fine Gran Caffè in the Neapolitan style, Gran Caffè La Caffettiera; popular cocktail bar Salotto42; and a discretely placed hotel, 9 Hotel Cesari, actually one of Rome’s best kept rooftop secrets.
A sign on a metal stand alerts you to the fact that 9 Hotel Cesari has a rooftop bar which opens from 18.00 in the evening, and this charming discovery has gone straight onto my list of the best rooftop bars in Rome.
Stroll straight through the lobby and into the red velvet lined lift – then punch in the top floor button to escape onto one of central Rome’s cheapest rooftop bars around.
This multi-level rooftop bar charms with terraces overlooking piazza di Pietra on one side, and glimpses of Sant’Ignazio church on the other. Expect a cosy mix of tables for two and low-slung sofas in this perfect escape from the heat of the Roman streets.
With beers priced at a very reasonable €6, glasses of wine and prosecco starting at €9 and cocktails starting at €16, these are street-level prices for a rooftop with a view – making it one of the cheapest rooftop bars in Rome and probably the cheapest rooftop for such a central location. Bottles of wine and prosecco start at €34 – an even better way to ensure value for money.
Service isn’t terribly quick and sofa tables are often pre-booked, but this is a place where you can drop in out of season but need to book when tourists are in town. Come early if you want to ensure an immediate seat without a reservation and enjoy (for once!) a reasonably priced rooftop bar in Rome.
Where: 9 Hotel Cesari | via di Pietra 89/A | Rome | Tel +39 06 6749701
Prices: From €6
What to order: Glass prosecco (€9)
7. Jacopa – A contemporary rooftop in Trastevere
Trastevere is still one of the best-loved destinations for a summer evening stroll in Rome, but there hasn’t always been a breathtaking vantage point from which you could gaze across the district. Most of the bars are dim, ground floor affairs with the occasional outdoor table, whilst in summer months, you can technically brave the pop-up bars along the riverside (not advised in terms of quality and price).
Enter Jacopa, a restaurant on the peaceful side of Trastevere, hosted by Hotel San Francesco, on the edge of one of Trastevere’s lesser known but picturesque squares. The ground floor restaurant is all about the ‘eating everything’ culture which unites traditional Roman poor-food (no part of the beast is wasted at the table) and and an energetic, modern way of looking at food in a sustainable but subtle way.
You can definitely start your evening at Jacopa’s ground-floor bar, but an unmissable destination in warmer weather is it’s recently refurbished roof terrace, a bijoux space with a lovely atmosphere overlooking the Aventino and the sleepier side of Trastevere. A minimalist menu of largely cold dishes is being served here, so don’t expect the full Jacopa menu – but feed on that view!
The year-round cocktails menu is fun, combining tradition with experimentation (there’s a theme emerging). Meanwhile, Jacopa’s rooftop bar is open every day from 17.00 with some tables reserved for dinner from 20.00. Reservation necessary for larger parties.
Where: Jacopa | Via Jacopa de’ Settesoli, 7| Rome | Italy |Tel 065809075
Price: From €12
What to order: One of the house signature cocktails
8. Maio – Rome’s rooftop bar for shoppers at Rinascente
Italian department store brand La Rinascente used to be a mid-mark emporium offering frumpy fashion concessions, cosmetics and household essentials. However, a recent group-level strategy change has changed all that. In 2017, the retail house shifted from generic department store to a luxury approach, transferring to a swanky new purpose-built location on Via del Tritone (Metro Barberini). Out went household essentials, and in came designer names and upmarket food and beverage options on the top floor.
Now, if you visit La Rinascente on via del Tritone, you’ll find the kind of premier brands which used to only cluster around via dei Condotti and via del Babuino. La Rinascente’s ground floor is a mecca for designer shoe and handbag enthusiasts, with open-plan boutiques from Gucci, Prada, Valentino, Chloe and more, plus a walk-in hall dedicated to Louis Vuitton.
The top floor is home to several quick eateries and designer restaurant concepts, including the new Maio Restaurant. This bar and terrace restaurant occupies the sixth and seventh floor of La Rinascente, including the outdoor, upper level. Enjoying fabulous views overlooking the Eternal City, this is just the place for a glass of something cool and refreshing day or night, after some much deserved retail therapy.
The aperitivo hour officially runs from 17.00 – 20.00, while from 22.00 until midnight, it’s time to get into the after dinner mood with a signature cocktail. Reserving a table for a special occasion is essential.
Where: Maio Restaurant | 6th & 7th floors La Rinascente |Via del Tritone 61 | Tel +39 0687916652
Price: Cocktails from €15
What to order: Can’t go wrong with a house Negroni (€15)
9. Divinity Terrace – Rome’s most romantic rooftop bar, by the Pantheon
Another strong contender for one of the best rooftop bars in Rome is the Divinity Terrace, probably the most romantic rooftop bar in Rome, with enviable views over The Pantheon. Situated on top of the Marriott Autograph Collection The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel in via di S. Chiara, this terrace has lots of cosy corners for spending a special moment with a loved-one, while enjoying some of the most breathtaking sunset views in all of the city.
The terrace overlooks the spiral bell-tower of St Ivo church on one side, and the gently stepped dome of the Pantheon on the other, giving it some of the best rooftop bar views in all of Rome.
Classic cocktails start at €20, but look out for the house specials too. Don’t forget to book ahead if you want to guarantee a seat at sunset.
Where: Divinity Terrace | The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel | Via di S. Chiara 4/A | Rome| Tel+39 0687807070
Prices: From €20
What to order: Check the regularly changing menu for something fresh
10. Eitch Borromini – Rome rooftop bar with the best view
La Grande Bellezza terrace at Eitch Borromini Hotel, the Roman rooftop bar with the best views in the city, hands down, has a lot to offer even before you order a drink. From the incredible bird’s-eye views over Piazza Navona, to the romantic rooftops of old Rome, and the sun dipping over the dome of Saint Peter’s – you have to forgive the punters crowding at the rooftop edge angling for a fabulous picture or two.
The terrace belongs to the handsome four-star hotel in the palazzo below, Eitch Borromni, which also boasts another delicious roof terrace and restaurant on the fourth floor, from whose alabaster pillars you can peer right down onto the fountain of the four rivers in Piazza Navona.
But for cocktails, and THOSE views, I highly recommend heading directly to the top floor where Terrazza Borromini offers great mixed drinks in delicious surroundings. There are a few bar snacks available – such as plates of prosciutto and mozzarella – but this is not a place to dine, it’s more of a pre-dinner spot, opening at 6.30 pm and seeing most visitors drift away to dinner by 9.30 pm / 10 pm, except in high summer, when guests stay until midnight to beat the heat.
The prices fit the location and the fact that this is a high-end hotel bar, so expect to pay €25 for a mixed drink. Aperitif drinks like the classic Aperol or Campari Spritz count as a cocktail here in terms of prices, but are gloriously dressed with fruit, making them perfect for that sundown photo.
This bar has rightly become one of the Rome’s best loved rooftop bars so reservations are now essential every night. If you are visiting Rome, and you only have time to make it to one rooftop, this should probably be top of the list: Rome’s rooftop bar with the best views, bar none.
In conclusion: €25 is a lot to pay for a cocktail, but this bar with its unforgettable city views is just about worth it. Don’t forget to book and come as early as you can to catch that sunset.
Where: La Grande Bellezza | Hotel Eitch Borromini | Via di Santa Maria dell’Anima, 30| Rome|Tel +39 06 6821 5459
Prices: From €25
What to order: Catch the sunset in a Campari Spritz or Negroni (€25)
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