Just like the Romans

One way to see Rome afresh is to visit out of season. Most extreme is midwinter, when official tourism drops and Romans enter into the Christmas spirit, and presepios - re-creations of the nativity scene - appear in markets in Piazza Navona, and in churches all over the city.
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The other extreme is midsummer, when Italians abandon their urban abodes, usually for the coast. In Rome, an intense heat pervades. (See the film Pranzo di Ferragosto for the mood.) But for those who stay, including heat-hardy visitors, there is the upside of free entertainment.

When you consider the 100 days of it that followed the completion of the Colosseum, free entertainment has a long history in Rome. Entertainment is the antidote of the Commune of Rome to the extreme heat of July and August. As one local says: "It is given by the lord mayor, so we all say, 'What a great guy. Let's vote for him next election!"'

Whatever the reason, there is plenty of it in the official Estate Romana. Most nights, you can cool down with a Roman granita, the Fonte d'Ora (try the kiosk of the same name on Piazza Belli, Trastevere) and meander down to the open-air cinema on Tiberina Island, or take in one of the many concerts held in parks and piazzas around the city. Historic buildings host events, too, such as tango dancing atop Castel Sant'Angelo.

Another Roman passion, August to May, is soccer. There are two local teams: AS Roma and SS Lazio. Join the madness for a game, held most Sundays at the Stadio Olimpico in the Foro Italico, on the north side of the city.

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