Visiting Rome in August: Beauty, Heat, and an Unexpected Turn

Back in Rome! Who would have thought that the year of the coronavirus would take me all the way to Italy? I had originally planned only a trip to Switzerland, but luckily, I had packed for 40°C summer days. Visiting Rome in August was scorching, but I don’t mind a little heat.

After an incredible day exploring the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, and the Roman Forum, my Italian adventure took an unexpected turn. My trip was suddenly cut short: I was robbed in Rome.

But more on that below. First…

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Visiting Rome in August

What a beautiful ancient city Italy’s capital is. As the heart of the Roman Empire, Rome has so much history to offer—and I was ready to experience it all.

Visiting Rome in August was quite interesting. In Italy, and in many other European countries, August is the main holiday month, so many locals are away or unavailable. Although Rome is usually packed with international tourists, the streets were surprisingly empty that year. As a result, the major attractions were much easier to access. It was perfect for me, especially compared with my last trip to Rome in March 2019.

I could finally visit the Colosseum and the Roman Forum without waiting for hours.

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The Colosseum

Standing in the centre of Rome, the Colosseum was the largest amphitheatre in the Roman Empire, with an estimated capacity of between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators. I certainly felt very small while posing in front of it.

Getting inside was easy, with no queues at all. However, I was a little disappointed by how limited the accessible walking area was. Although I managed to take some amazing photos and admire the Colosseum as a whole, it would have been wonderful to explore more of it freely.

That said, I would absolutely recommend visiting Rome, even during the intense summer heat.

The Colosseum reminded me of the stunning Roman amphitheatre in Pula, Croatia. Remember my visit? You can read about it here: What to do in Pula!

That said, tickets to the Colosseum (get yours online here) also include entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, so I certainly walked a lot that day, all in 40°C heat.

It was so hot that I had to cool down in front of a fan before my temperature was low enough to pass the health check and enter the Roman Forum. It was the year of the coronavirus, after all.

Despite struggling to find enough drinking water, exploring the Roman Forum and climbing to the top of Palatine Hillwas incredible. What an amazing city Rome is! I had a wonderful day, and visiting Rome in August had definitely been a great idea. It is such a unique and extraordinary ancient city.

But everything changed on my second day, when I discovered that I had been robbed in Rome.

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Robbed in Rome

After a wonderful first day visiting Rome, I was looking forward to exploring more of the city. I wanted to visit Vatican City without the usual crowds. The last time I visited, it had been a little packed. Read: Rome and the Vatican City.

Perhaps I could even cycle there? Well, perhaps not.

When I went to my car that morning, I discovered that my bike and two travel bags filled with extra gear were gone. I had been robbed in Rome, in the supposedly secure car park at my hotel.

Shit! (Can I say that out loud?) Had this really just happened? I couldn’t believe it.

After several conversations with the hotel management and the local police, who were helpful but did not seem particularly surprised by the theft, I covered the shattered rear window with plastic and drove back to Germany.

My experience of Rome in August had come to a sudden and disappointing end. What a trip!

Maybe visiting Rome in August wasn’t a great idea after all. Was I a target because there were no other tourists around? Who knows! I guess it was just bad luck? Either way, as much as I like coming to Italy, I might concentrate on other European countries for a while. Goodbye Italy!