For couples · Rome · Italy
Romantic things to do in Rome
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Rome's romance lies in its evenings: lit fountains, dinner in a trattoria courtyard and walks along the Tiber. Early mornings are just as special, when the piazzas are empty and soft light falls on the ochre walls. Couples tend to stay in Centro Storico.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 6
- Couple-friendly sights
- 5
- Area for couples
- Centro Storico
- Best months
- April–May and September–October
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset from the Janiculum Hill
The terrace by the Garibaldi monument looks over the whole skyline of domes and bell towers; walk down to Trastevere afterwards for dinner.
2.Trevi Fountain late at night
After midnight the crowds thin and the floodlit fountain is at its most dramatic; throw a coin together.
3.The Orange Garden and the keyhole
Watch the sun set over the Tiber from the Aventine's Giardino degli Aranci, then peer through the Knights of Malta keyhole at St Peter's dome.
4.Rowing in Villa Borghese
Rent a rowing boat on the small lake by the Temple of Aesculapius on a spring afternoon.
5.Rooftop aperitivo
Several hotels around the Spanish Steps and Piazza Navona have rooftop bars looking across the domes at sunset.
6.Dinner in Trastevere
Book a table on a quiet side lane rather than the main square, and finish with a walk along the river.
Sights couples love
Landmark · Trevi
Trevi Fountain
Come early in the morning or late at night to see it without a wall of people, and keep a hand on your bag in the crowd.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Couples
- Photo spot
Gallery · Villa Borghese
Borghese Gallery
Start upstairs in the picture gallery while most visitors crowd round the Berninis on the ground floor, then come back down.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Couples
- Rainy day
- History
Neighbourhood · Trastevere
Trastevere and Santa Maria in Trastevere
Wander in the late afternoon, climb the Janiculum for sunset, then come back down for dinner.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Couples
- After dark
- Views
Park · Villa Borghese
Villa Borghese park
Hire a four-person pedal cart near the Pincio for a family loop of the park, then watch the sunset from the terrace.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Views
Viewpoint · Aventine
Aventine Hill and the Knights of Malta keyhole
The keyhole queue is shortest early in the morning; return to the Orange Garden for sunset if you can.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Where couples should stay
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and food lovers
Centro Storico
The historic centre inside the bend of the Tiber packs the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Campo de' Fiori and dozens of churches into a maze of cobbled lanes. Almost everything, including the Trevi Fountain and the Roman Forum, is walkable, though the area has no Metro station and hotels are small and priced for the location.
- Good
- Walk to most major sights; Atmospheric at night when day-trippers leave; Endless cafés and trattorias
- Watch out
- No Metro station; buses are slow; Expensive and often small rooms; Touristy restaurants around the main squares
- Nearby
- Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Campo de' Fiori, Trevi Fountain
Romantic day trips
- Tivoli (About 1 hour by train or bus) — Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites lie close together: Villa d'Este, with Renaissance terraced gardens full of fountains, and Hadrian's Villa, the emperor's vast country retreat below the town.
- Orvieto (About 1 hour 15 minutes by train) — The Umbrian hill town stands on a plateau of volcanic tuff.
- Frascati (About 30 minutes by train) — The hill town of Frascati in the Alban Hills is known for its white wine, the terraced park of Villa Aldobrandini and casual taverns serving porchetta with jugs of local wine.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Spaghetti alla carbonara, Cacio e pepe and Bucatini all'amatriciana. Most pizzerias open only for dinner; at lunchtime look for pizza al taglio instead.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Rome romantic?
Rome's romance lies in its evenings: lit fountains, dinner in a trattoria courtyard and walks along the Tiber. Early mornings are just as special, when the piazzas are empty and soft light falls on the ochre walls.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Rome?
Sunset from the Janiculum Hill: The terrace by the Garibaldi monument looks over the whole skyline of domes and bell towers; walk down to Trastevere afterwards for dinner.
+Where should couples stay in Rome?
Centro Storico: The Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori inside the bend of the Tiber.