When Rome is too hot
Romans have always left the city in August. There are four ways to do it in a day, and all of them are cooler than the centre by a serious margin.
56 things to book21 placesthe nearest is in Rome itself
The middle of Rome in high summer is a bowl of stone that holds the heat all night. This is not a new problem — the emperors built their summer places out in the hills, the popes went to Castel Gandolfo, and everybody who could afford to has been leaving in August ever since.
There are four directions out of it. Go underground, where the caves stay cold whatever the sky is doing. Go up, into the beech woods of the Simbruini an hour and a half east, where you will want a jumper by evening. Go to water, either a crater lake or the sea. Or stay put and go out after seven, when the hill towns wake up and the terraces open.
One warning, because it is the mistake everybody makes: do not spend the hottest hours walking round an unshaded archaeological site. Hadrian's Villa in the middle of an August afternoon is a serious undertaking. Morning, or the last two hours of light.
The four directions are not equal and it is worth knowing which suits the day you have. Underground is the reliable one and works at any hour, which makes it the answer for the middle of the day. Up is the pleasant one and needs a whole day, because the drive east takes an hour and a bit before the temperature starts dropping. Water is the obvious one and wants an early start, because every car park on the coast is full by ten. Evening is the one Romans actually use.
The rhythm that works in August is not a compressed version of a normal day — it is a different shape. Out early, one thing before noon, a long lunch somewhere shaded, nothing at all between two and five, and then the second half of the day. That is how the country around Rome has organised itself for a very long time, and fighting it is what ruins the trip.
The one thing to take underground, and nobody does: a layer with sleeves. A cave sits at its own temperature all year, so the step from a baking street to the bottom of the stairs is abrupt and startling. It is also the single most pleasant sensation available near Rome in August.
Caves, tunnels, Etruscan wells and underground towns. They sit at their own temperature regardless of what August is doing above them — take a layer, seriously.
Closest to Rome first. Never by who pays us.
Under the groundA six-hour guided day around the underground hydraulic works of the Lake Nemi basin — horizontal wells and tunnels, some still carrying water.
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Under the groundA guided visit to the cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata at Anagni and its museum: the chapter library, the old treasury, the Caetani chapel, the oratory of Saint Thomas Becket…
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Under the groundThe tourist office of Orte runs guided descents into the tunnels under the old town: the Etruscan-Roman aqueduct, the medieval dovecote and the snow well, and on the third weeke…
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Under the groundA trip that combines caving with canyoning progression techniques: you walk through underground chambers, cross fixed sections and rope traverses with a helmet, harness and head…
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Under the groundA guided visit to natural caves inside the Monti Simbruini park, wearing a helmet and head torch, through tunnels and narrow passages.
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Under the groundInside the Lacus, a vaulted thirteenth-century room under Piazza Garibaldi, an indoor adventure course with rope bridges, a zip line and an artificial climbing wall, built with …
A sports club — you join them for the day
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Under the groundA guided visit to the rooms under the former convent of San Domenico: a frescoed church, a Roman cistern and the cell used by the Holy Office, whose graffiti are still being res…
A sports club — you join them for the day
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Under the groundA combined visit: the Ruspoli castle and its gardens, then the tunnels dug under Vignanello known as 'I Connutti'.
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Under the groundA caving trip on foot through the active branch of the Falvaterra system, walking in water at about 14-15 degrees.
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Under the groundThe longer caving route through the active Falvaterra system.
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Under the groundA short guided walk along an underground river inside the Falvaterra and Rio Obaco natural monument.
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Under the groundA viewing visit to a karst sinkhole about 60 metres deep and roughly 300 metres wide, formed when the roof of a cave collapsed.
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Under the groundA one-hour guided route covering about a kilometre of tunnels under Viterbo plus entry to the Templar Museum, with a tasting of local products.
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Under the groundA 25-minute walk through about 250 metres of tunnels cut into the tufa under Piazza della Morte, on two levels at three and eight metres below the square, lit by LEDs.
See the dayCrater lakes half an hour out, the sea an hour or two. Cold rivers in the gorges east of the city for the ones who want a shock.
Closest to Rome first. Never by who pays us.
On the waterA day out under sail from the Porto Turistico di Roma at Ostia.
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On the waterA sailing base on the Lake Bracciano shore at Polline, inside the regional park, with its own beach.
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Down the riverThe association that runs the Casa del Fiume visitor centre inside the Valle dell'Aniene nature reserve in Rome.
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On the waterA surf school at Ostia Lido with programmes for children, teenagers and adults, a summer surf camp and an adaptive surfing programme.
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Down the riverA circular route inside the Valle dell'Aniene nature reserve in Rome: a guided walk along the reserve paths, then a raft descent of the river past old bridges and small rapids, …
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Down the riverA raft descent of the urban stretch of the Tiber.
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On the waterA CONI-accredited water sports school on the Ostia seafront, at the VLounge beach club.
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Down the riverPaddle under Castel Sant'Angelo and past Tiber Island, down the middle of Rome.
A sports club — you join them for the day
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On the waterNinety minutes on a wakeboard on the Tiber, without leaving Rome.
A sports club — you join them for the day
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On the waterA kitesurf school working several spots on the Roman coast, with a base at Fregene.
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On the waterA kitesurf school at Fregene running three levels of course: beginner, intermediate and advanced, each covering specific manoeuvres and safety technique.
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On the waterA kitesurf school working the Fregene, Focene, Maccarese and Passoscuro spots north of Rome.
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On the waterFour guided outings from the beach club on Lake Albano, all the same length and the same price: on a paddleboard along the Francigena shore, aboard the club's sailing boat, on f…
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On the waterKayak rental on Lake Albano below Castel Gandolfo.
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On the waterAn SSI diving school based at Frascati that organises guided dives on the coast north and south of Rome, including Santa Marinella and Tor Paterno, plus try-dive sessions, cours…
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On the waterThree hours paddling across Lake Albano, gear included, children from six up.
€42.40 per person
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See the dayThe Simbruini, the Lepini and the country behind Rieti: beech forest, high pasture and a noticeable difference in temperature by the time you park.
Closest to Rome first. Never by who pays us.
On the trailClimbing on an indoor artificial wall with routes for every level and an instructor always present.
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On the trailA slow, guided sensory walk in the beech forest of the Simbruini, led by a certified forest bathing guide.
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On the trailGuided snowshoe outings on off-trail routes in the Simbruini, with TSL snowshoes and winter Nordic walking poles included in the price, sanitised after each use.
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On the trailGuided snowshoe walks in the snow-covered woods of the Monti Simbruini, on routes of different difficulty from beginner outings on packed snow to longer hikes.
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On two wheelsGuided electric bike rides on the trails of the Monti Simbruini park.
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On the trailGuided walks in the Monti Simbruini regional park led by certified AIGAE guides, from gentle walks to demanding summit hikes.
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On the trailA guide company based in Subiaco that runs tours of the Benedictine monasteries, the Rocca Abbaziale, the old town and the convent of San Francesco.
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On the trailA long but not difficult ring hike starting from the small settlement of Campaegli and reaching the summit of Monte Autore.
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On the trailA day hike through open landscapes, old beech forest and wide karst plateaus to the summit of Monte Autore, the third highest peak of the massif.
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On the trailA visit to the monastery of San Benedetto, built against the rock face above the Aniene valley, where Benedict lived as a hermit.
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On the trailCross-country skiing lessons on the FISI-approved loops at Monte Livata and on the touring route linking Campo dell'Osso to Monna dell'Orso.
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On the trailTwo days learning fire, knots, shelter building and orientation in the Monti Simbruini with national survival instructors.
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On the trailA walking tour that starts at the convent of San Francesco with its Renaissance works, crosses the medieval bridge of San Francesco, then follows the river into Subiaco through …
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On the trailGuided walks of varying length and difficulty on the trails of the Monti Simbruini, including night walks with head torches.
See the dayEvening tastings, night visits and dinner in a hill town. In August this is when the country is actually awake.
Best fit for this section first, then whatever you can book today. Closest to Rome breaks a tie. Never by who pays us.
With your handsPick-up at Frascati station at half past four, a tasting of three Frascati wines with local snacks at the farmhouse vineyard, then a guided walk through the historic centre and …
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On horsebackThree to four hours in the saddle for experienced riders: from the ranch through pinewood and forest out to the beach at Ostia, Rome's own coast, where the ride stops at a beach…
A sports club — you join them for the day
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With your handsAn evening at an organic olive farm in the Sabina: a walk through the grove, a guided tasting of the farm's oils and a light supper with olive oil pairings and drinks.
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In the hot waterA three-hour late-afternoon slot in the Stigliano thermal park, from 17:00 to 20:00, that combines the pools and thermal lakes with an aperitivo.
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In the hot waterA night ticket to the open-air thermal pool of Terme dei Papi, valid from 21:00 to 01:00.
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With your handsAn evening slot from 17:00 to 20:00 with three cru wines - Meta Classico Brut, Verdeluce and Sorelle - served with cured meats, cheese and seasonal local dishes.
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On the waterEvening boat trip leaving at 18:00 and returning at 21:00, with an aperitivo on board.
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With your handsA bistrot two steps from Piazza della Libertà, run by the team behind the Michelin-starred Sintesi.
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With your handsTwo tastings in the historic rooms of a hunting lodge that belonged to the Colonna family, followed by a plated dinner.
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On the trailEvening openings of the Villa Gregoriana park on Fridays and Saturdays in summer.
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On the waterGuests sit on a floating platform out on Lake Nemi and are served by staff.
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Off roadAn evening quad ride on unmade tracks up to a natural terrace for the sunset over the mountains, then down to the square of Anticoli Corrado for pizza by the slice and a soft dr…
See the dayDriving time from the middle of Rome, on the road network and without traffic. It tells you whether the day stands up; it is not a timetable.
Ponza is an island: you get there by ferry, not by road, so there is no driving time to give.
Getting there
The day stays yours: you leave when you want, stop where you want, and come back when the light goes.
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See prices on LocalrentNo parking to find, no wrong turns, and you leave when the day is done.
Affiliate link — you pay their price, never more, and they pay us. You book with Welcome Pickups, and anything about that booking goes through them.
See prices on Welcome PickupsHot enough that the locals leave, and the stone in the centre stays warm well after dark. Rather than publish a temperature we have not measured, the practical answer is on this page: go underground, uphill, into water, or out in the evening.
The caves, without competition — they hold a steady low temperature all year. After that, the beech woods above Subiaco, which are an hour east and a different climate.
For the city, it is the hardest month. For everything on this site it is fine, as long as you plan around the middle of the day. The sea is at its warmest and the lakes are at their best.
Some family-run places close for a fortnight around the middle of the month, which is a national habit rather than a rule. It is exactly the case where the phone number on the card matters more than any opening time we could publish.
Four places, and they are the four grids above: underground into the caves and the tufo towns, up into the beech forest of the Simbruini an hour east, into water at a crater lake or on the coast, or out in the evening when the hill towns wake up.
It has a sea breeze, which the middle of the city does not, and the water is the point. What it is not is empty — the coast is where everybody else has the same idea, and the car parks fill early. The lakes, up in the hills, are the quieter version.
Leave it for a day, at least. The city is a bowl of stone that holds the heat after dark; an hour out there are caves at a steady low temperature, beech woods, crater lakes and thermal parks. Every one of them is on this page.
In August they fill up for exactly the reason you are reading this page, so book rather than turn up — most run on fixed departures with a guide and a group size, and the card carries the operator's own booking route.
At opening, or in the last two hours of light. These sites have no shade and they are made of stone that has been absorbing sun all day. Hadrian's Villa at two in the afternoon in August is a serious undertaking rather than a pleasure.
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