Half the city closes for ferragosto — but the half that stays is often the better half. A field guide to trattorie, gelaterie and bars that don’t shutter when everyone else does.
The myth of the closed city
Everyone warns you Rome is dead in August. They’re not entirely wrong — the Romans themselves leave. But that’s precisely what makes it interesting. The tourists who stay get a version of the city that doesn’t exist at any other time of year: quieter, slower, occasionally surreal.
What actually closes
Government offices, most banks, many neighbourhood restaurants (especially family-run trattorias that close for the full two weeks around Ferragosto on August 15th). Expect reduced hours at museums, though the Vatican and Colosseum remain fully open — and far less crowded than June.
Where to eat
The places that stay open in August tend to be either tourist-facing (avoid) or genuinely Rome-at-its-best. The gelaterie never close. The bars near universities often stay open because students return early. My standing recommendation: walk two neighbourhoods further than you’d normally go, find the bar where locals are eating standing up, and order whatever’s on the board.
The heat question
Yes, it’s hot. Bring a portable fan, book hotels with real air conditioning (not just “air conditioning”), and plan your outdoor activities for before 10am and after 6pm. The city between noon and 4pm in August belongs to the pigeons.