The Absolute Coolest Rooftop Bars in Rome (2021)

There are few things I enjoy more than a cool glass of prosecco at a rooftop bar in Rome.

While the small streets of the city can feel chaotic when you need to pass through the city, they seem quaint and enchanting from above. Plus, it is only from a rooftop that you can truly admire the many layered domes and terraces of Rome.

Rome has amazing weather for most of the year, but some terraces are only open seasonally. Make the most of the season and check out these rooftops:

Hotel RaphaelThe intimate terrace atop Hotel Raphael is one of the loveliest rooftop bars in Rome. Located near Piazza Navona, you can see duomo after duomo, as well as the unmistakable curved top of the Pantheon. Not only does Hotel Raphael have a view that makes it the perfect perch for an evening of relaxation, it also has an all vegetarian menu if you would like to stay for dinner. The only draw back of Hotel Raphael’s terrazza is that it is rather expensive for a drink. (A Mimosa is listed on the menu for €22). Instead, call ahead to ensure that the terrace is open (+39 06 682831) and then opt for a bottle of Prosecco once you are settled into your seats.

Hotel Indigo Rome – St. George: High above Via Giulia, one of Rome’s most exclusive streets, the rooftop bar at Hotel Indigo Rome- St. George offers gorgeous 360-degree views of the city. From the secluded terrace, you can see St. Peter’s dome, Castel Sant’Angelo and the unmistakable top of the Vittoriano. Stop in for an aperitivo (happy hour) drink and claim a spot on the white couches to take in the incredible vistas and nibble on savory snacks.  The deal is even sweeter in summer when a live jazz band sets up on the 6th-floor bar every Thursday – Sunday. The terrace also has restaurant seating if you would like to stay for a meal.

Hotel Forum: Overlooking the Roman Forum, the American Bar at Hotel Forum offers gorgeous views of ancient Rome. The rooftop bar offers cocktails, beer, and wine, awe well as aged whiskeys, rums and a wide choice of grappas.  You can also opt for a coffee if you prefer, but you will probably want to linger a while longer over the view. The American bar is open every day from March to October from 5 pm until late in the evening. The rooftop terrace bar is open to all hotel guests as well as the general public, so don’t worry about dropping in. There is also a restaurant if you would like to stay for a meal.

Zuma: Set atop Palazzo Fendi, Zuma is a bar with a contemporary Japanese influence. The inside is lovely but the real draw is the wraparound terrace on the top floor. The terrace seating is first come, first serve so be there around 6 pm to snag a prime seat looking out towards the Spanish Steps (no reservations accepted for the bar – only for the fine dining setting). The other half of the terrace has views of Roman rooftops and is actually open year round, weather permitting.

Table next to a ledge on rooftop bar in rome

Eitch Borromini: Opening to the public for the first time in 2017, Eitch Borromini’s La Grande Bellezza terrace is likely Rome’s best rooftop bar. The stunning rooftop is located in a wing of Palazzo Pamphilj which overlooks Piazza Navona. The bar has 360-degree views of Rome and reservations are essential. The secret is out on this one, which means that the prices have gone up in 2019. The splurge is still worth it for an evening sunset here and the bar seems to get better each year. There are very few umbrellas so this is not the ideal place when the sun is still high. Reserve a table for 45 minutes before the sun goes down and enjoy the lights and colors.

Mecenate Palace Hotel: The Roof Garden at Mecenate Palace looks directly over Santa Maria Maggiore – one of the major Roman Basilicas.  Located on the top of Esquilino hill, the garden is one of the few rooftop bars in Rome that still feels slightly undiscovered.

fortyseven: The bar at the boutique fortyseven hotel is one of the quieter rooftop bars in Rome. Called Circus because it is just around the corner from Circus Maximus, the terrace bar has views of Tiber river, and looks out directly over the Temple of Hercules Victor, across from the Mouth of Truth. Because the hotel sits on the less visited side of the Centro Storico, it tends to be a more relaxed (but still 4-star) experience than some of the other rooftop bars in Rome. It is open March through December, from 12 pm until 11:30 pm.

Rome rooftop bar near circus maximus

 

Rooftop Bars in Rome Open Year Round:

While many of the rooftop bars in Rome close between November and April, there are several terraces that stay open all year.

The First Roma Art: A recently remodeled rooftop bar in Rome, The First Arte Roma redesigned their terrace to be available throughout the year. The glorious rooftop, located between Piazza di Spagna and Piazza del Popolo, reopened in November 2018, with a retractable roof and plenty of heaters and weatherproofing to carry it through even the winter months.  Filled with works from (primarily) Italian artists, the boutique hotel has 29 art-inspired rooms but the best feature of the hotel is its stunning two-level rooftop bar that looks out over Rome towards the Spanish Steps. The 360-degree view of Rome is dotted with church domes and is the perfect place to watch a Roman sunset with a cocktail in hand. The cocktails go beyond the classics, offering drinks like Italy 150 (citrus, limoncello, and prosecco) and spritztino (vermouth bianco with fresh mint and soda water). Cocktails cost a pretty penny at €18-20 a piece, but a glass of wine is €12.  Stop in at aperitivo time (about 7-9 pm), for a free plate of fancy little bites to go alongside your drink of choice. Luckily, the rooftop bar is also open to non-guests but you will have to book a room if you want to enjoy breakfast up on the terrace.

rooftop bar in Rome

Hotel Minerva: We regularly take visitors to Hotel Minerva to enjoy the view from their rooftop overlooking the Pantheon and Bernini’s Elephant statue. The other side of the terrace, closest to the bar, offers sweeping views of Roman rooftops out towards the Vittoriano. Grab two barstools in this quieter corner, and order a bottle of Prosecco (beer and wine by the glass tend to be expensive so make it worth your while with a whole bottle).  This is one of the largest rooftop bars in Rome so while it is less private, it is still stunning. Simply walk straight through the lobby of Hotel Minerva, take the elevator to the top floor and follow the signs.

Up Sunset Bar: Most of Rome’s rooftop bars are on the top level of hotels in the city center. Up Sunset Bar, however, is above the gorgeous Rinascente department store. The luxury shopping destination is set in between the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps and is open from 10 am – 10 pm every day. That makes it a great option for a quick drink midday, year-round. Just take the escalators to the top floor and head up the last flight of stairs outside for the best views.

view from up sunset bar in rome

Do you have any other favorite rooftop bars in Rome? Because I can always make time for another drink and amazing views.

If you’re looking for even more recommendations like these, they can all be found (with offline maps) on the Discover Rome app.

26 thoughts on “The Absolute Coolest Rooftop Bars in Rome (2021)

  1. DMae says:

    Have you been to the Terrazza Borromini at the Eitch Borromini hotel?

    I have heard the views are wonderful here, but know nothing about them.

    • Natalie says:

      I got a sneak peek at the end of April when they were still preparing to open so I haven’t been back to try it properly yet. The views are some of the best – and overlook Piazza Navona. It seems that is another for which booking ahead is essential.

    • J. says:

      I went to their website a few days ago after reading your comment and was really put off after I read their description of the terrace: “The elegant rooftop of Hotel Eitch Borromini, nicknamed by our most affluent customers: ‘La Grande Bellezza’, …” Ouch. “Our most affluent”? Somehow that felt a bit awkward. I thought: This must be one of those instances of Italians translating badly from English. And, sadly, they aren’t really known for their English-speaking skills. Then today I checked their Italian version of the page, and voilà: “La terrazza più alta di Palazzo Pamphilj è stata rinominata da alcuni dei nostri più affezionati clienti ‘La grande bellezza’.” They translated affezionati as affluent! LOL! Oh, dear. Affezionato is, of course, affectionate, but it would need some other word here, I think, to convey the meaning they meant to convey. Sombody need to write them an e-mail about this.

      • Natalie says:

        Ah! You are so right! They do have a list that you need to call to be placed on – but I otherwise find it fairly attitude free and one of the more affordable rooftop bars in the center.

  2. calebcrawford says:

    The cafe on top of the Castel Sant’Angelo. Only during the day, but great for cappucini in the morning or a glass of wine!

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  4. Lauren says:

    We went to Terrazza Borromini on our last night in Rome when we were unable to get into Hotel Raphael w/o a reso – it was beyond perfect! 360 views and not yet known enough to have a wait.

  5. Ernst says:

    Hi Natalie

    Thanks for all your tips. Which bar would you recommend for late December? Are there any bars with outdoor heating lamps / that are protected from the cold (or even inside) without losing the essence of why we’re there: the view?

    Regards

    Ernst

  6. J. says:

    Thank you for these great suggestions! One of my favourite pastimes is scanning the satellite and bird’s-eye–view imagery of Rome, both on Google Maps and Bing, for new rooftops. And I do find quite a lot of them, but often also end up in a dead-end alley: no information or little information or “I can’t tell how reliable this information is or what that is: a bar, a restaurant, or a private terrace”. My dream would be to visit the rooftop terrace of Hotel Sofitel, next to Villa Borghese. Then today I found out that there is a nearby Hotel Victoria with a terrace, but I can’t establish how good the views are. In that same neighbourhood, for example, and speaking of inconclusive information, there is a building on the corner of Via di Porta Pinciana and Via Aurora: I wonder if what I see there is a “visitable” terrace. Of course, the same neighbourhood has the Eden and Splendide Royal with their famous rooftops.

    • J. says:

      P. S. I don’t know if you already did, and now I will check it out, but I’d love it if you could write a post about the places with panoramic views of Rome: Janiculum, Giardino degli Aranci, roof of the Vittoriano, Belvedere Niccolò Scatoli in front of Fontana dell’Acqua Paola, Terrazza Viale del Belvedere near Casina Valadier, Piazza delle Muse in Parioli, Monte Mario. Speaking of Parioli… I wonder if there is a nice view of the city from Villa Balestra.

  7. J. says:

    Yippie, Natalie! So glad you liked the suggestions! Thank you so much for this wonderful website. I adore it. Soon it will be spring and those rooftops and panorama points will provide some mozzafiatio views. 😀

  8. Margaux Sallet says:

    Hi! Which Rooftop bar would you recommend for an aperitivo ? I’m in Rome tonight with 3 friends, we’ee all students so we would prefer it not to be to expensive. Thanks already !

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