Anyone who’s spent any time in Rome in August will sympathise with the sensation that it’s all just… well… a bit surreal. With at least half the population missing and the streets clear of cars, it’s easy to feel like you’re missing out on something, but empty Rome in the summer can actually be a fun and even productive time. So if you’ve come back before the rest of your friends, or have been here all month and you’re starting to go slightly crazed, here are six ideas for making the most of the Eternal City.
1. Empty Rome in the summer: tackle bureaucracy
Boring I know, but there are no queues in public offices at the moment so if you’ve been putting off renewing your medical card, sorting out your Permesso di Soggiorno or Carta d’Identità – now’s the time to do it. For example, the Municipio I offices in Via Petroselli, for residents in central Rome, stay open throughout the summer period – just with limited hours (mornings only) from July 18 until September 2. Have a look at the details here. You should be aware however that if you need Marca da Bollo stamps for residence permits not all the tabaccherie are open so you might have to go further afield for those.
Ease: *****
Fun: *
2. Party like the Romans
Dealing with empty Rome in the summer? Plenty of Romans spend August here, so learn from the locals about how to make the most of the nightlife on offer. Many escape to the beach in the evening for an aperitivo or club night – try the gay-friendly beach clubs Meditteranea and Settimo Cielo in Ostia around the fourth and fifth varchi after the cancelli of Castelporziano offer some great DJ sets. Failing that, take a few beers down to the cancelli late afternoon and enjoy the sunset with friends. To reach Castelporziano by public transport, take the Ostia Lido train to Cristoforo Colombo and then the 07 or 062 MARE bus past the sand dunes. Just be aware that the buses stop running at around 21.30.
Of course, the Roma Estate programme also carries on right through until September, so you really have no excuse not to be sociable in the city as well: http://www.estateromana.comune.roma.it/
Ease: ***
Fun: *****
3. Empty Rome in the summer? Cycle the city
If you’ve been toying with the idea of cycling around Rome a bit more, now’s the time to gain a bit of confidence on the roads. Avoid the hottest parts of the day, but try planning out your route to work or just driving past some of the city’s prettiest monuments whilst getting fit – you’ll never get a better chance to make the most of car-free roads.
Ease: ***
Fun: ****
4. Try an open-air cinema or Isola Tiberina
Even if you’re not a fan of multiplexes most of the year, there’s something about open-air cinema on a balmy summer evening which is hard to resist. This year Isola Tiberina, Piazza San Cosimato, Ex Dogana and Villa Borghese are all showing films, many of them free. And of course, the entire Tiber Island entertainment programme is charming!
Ease: *****
Fun:*****
5. Make the most of the museums in Rome
Is there a museum or art gallery you’ve been meaning to check out for ages, but have been constantly thwarted by the queues? Even the lines for the Musei Vaticani are tolerable at the moment, so plunge into that air-conditioning and make the most of the relatively empty halls. We also love the National Roman Museum and its gorgeous Livia restaurant.
Ease: ****
Fun: ****
6. Empty Rome in the summer: tackle that writing project
If Facebook and Instagram are overrun with holiday pics and “sorry, still away” messages, pull the plug on your smartphone and tackle that creative project you’ve been meaning to start. Launch a blog (this one took about half an hour to set up – you can probably tell, lol!) or write a speculative magazine article about your experiences in Rome to kick-start your freelance career. It might even be time to work on that post-apocalyptic novel you’ve been plotting about a major European city being completely abandoned by its population… and this time, you might just be inspired…
It’s a great list, it took me ten minutes once to update my medical card in August – must be a record?! As for this summer, I found 40 degree heat reduced my ability to do anything, evening plans are the only way to go! There seem to be less cinemas around this year though, do you know if the one at the Castel Sant’ Angelo is open this year?
Thanks for your comment Catherine! Castel Sant’ Angelo is indeed going strong this year as well, films are scheduled right through to September 1st. Here’s a useful site with a good list of Rome’s “official” outdoor arena options this year, there are actually another eight open-air cinemas that I didn’t mention in the blog post: http://www.arenediroma.it/
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