Hot days give way to warm, comfortable nights in Rome. It’s the perfect kind of weather to relieve the air conditioned comforts of your vacation home for the streets all a-buzz with Rome nightlife. For this reason, you can find plenty of things to do during the twilight hours in the Eternal City. From outdoor concerts to dancing at Rome’s annual LGBTQ-friendly event, Gay Village.
Meanwhile, don’t forget that all summer long you can catch a flick at a number of outdoor theaters in Rome for both live and cinematic performances!
1. Gay Village
Now in its 16th year, Gay Village is Rome’s largest LGBTQ-friendly event that takes place each year, starting in late spring through to early fall. The event consists of multiple outdoor stages, restaurants, bars, arcade games, and booths selling merchandise. It’s highly popular among locals, both gay and straight, for seasonal nightlife. This year it has returned to its original location in Testaccio, after taking place in EUR the last few years.
Click here for more information
Secret Papal escape route connecting St. Peter’s Basilica with Castel Sant’Angelo
2. Night Tours of Castel Sant’Angelo
The lit up castle next to the Vatican is opening its doors to visitors for both day and night tours of areas typically closed off to the public – including the secret Papal escape route from St. Peter’s. Part of an initiative by ArtCity, tours in English are available Thursday through Sunday at 8:30pm. Guided access to the secret passage is available Thursday through Sunday at 8pm, 8:45pm, 9:30pm, 10:15pm and 11pm.
Click here for more information (Italian only)
Facade of Hadrian’s Temple surviving from 146AD, now the surface for the ‘Luci sul Tempio di Adriano’ lightshow
3. Luci sul Tempio di Adriano
Over the last few years the City of Rome has invested more into night visits to its various monuments during the summer, taking advantage of high season and the pleasant temperature at night. A recent addition to the light shows at the ancient forums and Colosseum is a free light show at Hadrian’s Temple in Piazza della Pietra. The 12 minute lightshow highlights the life and legacy of Emperor Hadrian as the temple dedicated to him from 145AD is illuminated each evening. The 11 columns from the original temple, since incorporated into other buildings, including the modern day Italian Stock Exchange, leave a majestic impression on the adjacent Piazza della Pietra.
More information about the performances can be found here
‘Viaggi nei Fori’ – still from Caesar’s Forum
4. Viaggi nei Fori and Sangue e Arena
Two more light shows that highlight monuments in Rome include the award-winning Viaggi nei Fori already in it’s 4th year, bringing the forums of Augustus and Caesar to life, and the new Sangue e Arena which debuted this year in the Colosseum. We wrote about the Augustus’ Forum and Caesar’s Forum experiences in previous posts a few years ago, detailing the genius of the light shows that recreate these spaces to help visitors understand what life was like 2,000 years ago.
Now the Colosseum has received the same treatment with Sangue e Arena, which brings to life the 100-day celebration that took place to mark the inauguration of the stadium in 80AD. Exotic animals, naval battles, and gladiator shows are just a few of the scenes presented in the light show, which takes place 3 times each night throughout the summer.
Björk in Rome, 30 July 2018
5. Björk Concert
The original date 13 July was cancelled due to bad weather, the highly anticipated concert of the alternative Icelandic performer, Björk is slated for July 30th, 2018 at the Baths of Caracalla. She’ll be performing songs from her recently released album, Utopia, which is her 9th studio album.
Tickets can be purchased online here
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Are you visiting Rome this summer? Share your plans in the comments below!
