12 Things to do in Rome at Night

It’s easy to find things to do during the day since Rome has so much to offer. But what about at night? I promise there are a ton of things to do in Rome at night. From evening walks to check out the history or just walking to get gelato you will never get bored while in Rome, no matter what time of day.

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What to do in Rome at Night

1. Throw a Coin in the Trevi Fountain

Of course, the Trevi Fountain is an amazing sight to see at any time of day. There is something even more beautiful about the fountain at night. It definitely is less crowded at night which makes it that more appealing.

Throwing a coin in the Trevi Fountain is one of my bucket list items that I was able to check off on our trip to Italy in 2017. You can see all of the best things to add to your Rome bucket list here.

2. Join an Evening Tour of the Colosseum

One thing I have always wanted to do is tour the colosseum at night! With the night tour, you also get to explore the underground parts of the colosseum that are normally off-limits with the day tours.

Be sure to book your tickets WAY in advance though because they book up super fast. You can get more information about the tour and check out prices here.

3. Get Gelato

Eating gelato in Italy is one of my favorite things to do. We usually waited to get gelato until after dinner and took an evening walk while eating our gelato. This was one of my favorite parts of our trip. 

READ NEXT: BEST ROME PHOTO SPOTS

4. Check out the Nightlife in Trastevere

Trastevere is a charming town in Rome. It has a bohemian fear and is gorgeous at night. They have great nightlife including bars and restaurants. 

Just because the nightlife is great don’t miss seeing this cute town during the day. 

5. Enjoy a drink at a Rooftop Bar

Rome has tons of amazing rooftop bars. Enjoying a glass of prosecco at a rooftop bar, what better way to get an incredible view of Rome?

A few of Rome’s most popular rooftop bars are Ambrosia Rooftop, Hotel Raphael, and Hotel Forum Roma.

6. Eat your way through the City on a Food Tour

Being a foodie, eating my way through a city is always my favorite way to explore. There are tons of food tours to join in Rome and honestly, I don’t think there is a bad choice.

The Trastevere night our food tour is on the top of my list!

Check out other Rome Food Tours here.

7. Enjoy the practically empty Italian Streets

Evening walks were so relaxing in Italy. We loved walking around, people watching and enjoying the cool nights. There weren’t many people on the streets so it was great to just take our time enjoying the views. 

8. Tour the Catacombs

 The catacombs in Rome are underground passageways that were used for burials. Burials inside the city walls were forbidden in the earlier centuries so the Romans used underground tunnels for their burials instead.

While it is fascinating to see the mummies and bones, this tour could be too much for some people, especially children.

Want to check out the underground catacombs? Here are some of the best tours: 

• Ancient Catacombs and Underground Rome | Semi-Private and Private Tours
• Skip the Line: Crypts and Roman Catacombs Small-Group Walking Tour

9. Get Spooked on Ghost Tour

If the catacombs aren’t spooky enough for your join a ghost tour. Some of the ghost tours in Rome also include the catacombs so you can do both! I personally haven’t been on a ghost tour in Rome, but I may do one on my next trip.

Here are a few ghost tours I found on TripAdvisor

10. Relax with an Aperitivo

What better way to wind down from a day exploring than with an Apertivo. Similar to an American happy hour, Apertivo is a pre-meal drink. It is meant to whet your appetite and get you ready for dinner. It may sound weird but this is one of my favorite Italian traditions.

11. Enjoy Dinner like an Italian

How do you enjoy dinner like an Italian? You don’t eat dinner before 6 pm or 7 pm. Most Italians enjoy their dinner around 8 or 9 pm so going for that aperitivo sounds a little better now doesn’t it? 

Some of the best restaurants don’t even open until around 7 pm. So go relax and get that aperitivo and get your body ready to enjoy a great dinner.

12. Take a stroll around Central Storico

Central Storico, essentially the main city center of Rome, includes a lot of the attractions. It includes the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, museums, statues and so much more.

This is a great way to see this part of the city differently. All the historic streets and sites look even more magical at night.

Tips for Exploring Rome at Night

1. Trust your Gut

This applies any time you’re traveling but if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Especially if you are traveling alone, be aware of your surroundings, even more so at night.

2. Pay attention to the Metro Hours

If you are not renting a car and taking public transportation make sure you check the metro times. Usually, they operate later on the weekends but you can check updated hours here.

3. Don’t Expect to eat Dinner before 7:00 pm

Like I said before most Italians eat dinner after 8 pm and that’s when some of the best restaurants open. You can obviously find food before then but they will most likely be more touristy restaurants. Touristy restaurants aren’t bad either though. We have found a couple of restaurants that cater to tourists that are still really good. But I will say the best restaurants we found are off the beaten path.

4. Make Reservations and Buy Tickets in Advance

This is a HUGE thing. We, unfortunately, missed touring the colosseum because we didn’t buy tickets in advance. If you find a restaurant you want to eat at while researching, make sure you make a reservation. Especially if you are visiting Rome during the tourist season.

5. Take Precautions

No matter when or where you are traveling you should always take precautions. You can learn all of my tips and tricks to stay safe while traveling abroad by reading this post here.

I hope you enjoyed this post and have lots of ideas on what to at night on your next trip to Rome. What are your favorite things to do in Rome at night? Let us know in the comments!