Businessweek
Why August—Yes, August—Is the Best Time to Go to Rome
The new rules for making the most of the Eternal City.
The Spanish Steps right after sunrise.
Photograph by Federica Valabrega for Bloomberg Businessweek
I arrived at Hotel de la Ville, an 18th century palazzo perched above the Piazza di Spagna, on the cusp of golden hour, caught in the flow of locals and visitors angling toward the city’s trattorias and wine bars for their daily aperitivo.
The cool, drizzly March weather made a spritz at the hotel’s lively second-floor Julep Herbal & Vermouth Bar tempting. But I had other plans: The Spanish Steps were less than 100 feet away, and I imagined that at this food- and drink-centric time of day, the famous travertine staircase would be devoid of sightseers.