During the summer months, the city of Rome becomes a sweltering haze of heat waves and stifling pollution. Locals flee to neighbouring regions to escape the furnace and return in the autumn months when the crowds of tourists and sizzling city have cooled. A prime time to visit, Rome is comfortably warm, allowing for outdoor excursions without much overexertion. Visiting the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain or the Vatican can be done at any time of year. Visiting Rome in autumn uncovers a road less travelled, one less of architecture and more of action. Here are five examples of what to do in an autumnal Rome.
Roman Festivals
Shopping in Italy can be costly, but exploring the cultural hub of the arts, crafts and antiques fairs is a wallet-friendly way to shop around. Street markets sell pumpkins and figs, while the Via dell’Orso displays crafty souvenirs and Via dei Coronari, antiques. At night, the Roma Europa Festival fills the city’s streets with theatre performances, dance and music, rivaling the equally popular Rome Jazz Festival, held in the Auditorium Parco della Musica.
A Unique Tour of Rome
Beating a mundane tour guide, the WHAIWHAI guidebook leads you around the city through short tales and enigmas. The scavenger hunt can be started at any point and any route can be taken, guiding you to corners you would never have discovered on a self-guided tour. The game can be played solo or in groups.
Eating in Rome
Places to eat in Rome are as common as coins in the Trevi/pesto on pasta. Autumn is truffle season and the perfect time for trying something extra special. Imported from nearby farms, delicious truffles will be a feature on any restaurant menu. Food enthusiasts can even take a day trip to nearby Piedmont’s Alba Truffle Fair to sample fresh produce. Porcini mushrooms also bud in the autumn months, adding to the array of gourmet goodies found all over Italy. The finishing touch to any meal in Rome is a large glass of wine, recently harvested in neighbouring Tuscany.
Capital View
Taking an autumnal walk is a pleasure wherever you are, but Rome’s regal Villa Borghese houses spectacular gardens where burnt orange treetops enhance the already magnificent views. Boat rides can be taken on the lake before wandering through the tree-lined avenues and floral paths. The Temple of Aesculapius and its towering roman columns makes for a typically Italian backdrop. With one of its nine entrances located close to the Spanish Steps, the gardens are a secluded and peaceful piece of Italian history residing in the heart of the city.
Opera in Rome
Late September sees the start of the opera and theatre season in Rome. Famous for its operatic finesse, The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma has previously performed Madam Butterfly, Attila and the Romeo and Juliet ballet, to name but a few. The Terme di Caracalla is another popular venue, having performed Giselle earlier this year on its outdoor stage.
Laura Jane Dale is currently interning for online travel guide, My Destination.