Valentine’s Day in Rome: 10 Romantic and Fun Date Ideas

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and what better place to spend the day than in the eternal city right? If you’re looking for ways to make the day even more special for your better half, read on for a list of romantic things to do on Valentine’s Day in Rome. 

Walk up to Gianicolo Hill with a Bottle of Wine and Enjoy the View at Sunset or Sunrise

The Gianicolo Hill, also known as Janiculum Hill, is the second tallest hill in the city of Rome. As you go up, you will see spots that offer stunning views of the city. My suggestion is to head up the hill to the Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi which offers panoramic views of the eternal city. Sunrise and Sunset are the best times to visit in my opinion. You could choose to hike up, get a cab or just hop on the bus that stops right in the square. 

If you’re heading there for sunset, you could carry a bottle of your favourite wine to set the mood. You could also choose to buy a glass of wine or some beer from the green kiosk in the square itself and relish it as the sun goes down on the city. I highly recommend staying till you see the city slowly light up with lights at dusk. It’s absolutely gorgeous! 

Vespa Ride in the City

A fun and unique way to impress your date on Valentine’s Day is to rent a Vespa and explore the city. You could choose between joining a vespa tour of the city or renting a Vespa and riding through the streets of Rome . Vespa rental can range between 40 to 60 Euro for a day where as the Vespa tour of the city could range between 65 to 90 Euro for a 2 or 3 hour tour around the city. 

Boating at Villa Borghese

A romantic way to spend your Valentine’s Day in Rome is to pack a picnic and head to the stunning Borghese Gardens where you can rent a boat and enjoy a romantic ride on the lake surrounded by nature and roman ruins. If the weather is too chilly for a picnic, you will also find beautiful restaurants in the park to choose from for the perfect Valentine’s Day date. If you’re looking for an elegant place for a romantic evening,  Casina Valadier’s gourmet restaurant is what you should check out. 

Booking.com

Book a Romantic and Relaxing Spa Day

What better way to spend Valentine’s Day in Rome than by a whole day of pampering and relaxing with your better half. And luckily, Rome offers many such day spas that you can head to. The best spas in the city are QC Terme in Fiumicino, Cavalieri Grand Spa Club, Rocco Forte Spa and Acqua Madre which is a unique hammam style spa in the Jewish Ghetto. 
If you’re looking to visit some of the natural thermal pools that can be found across Italy, you could also rent out a car and drive to either Saturnia which is 2.5 hours away from Rome or to the lesser known Bagni San Filippo in Tuscany which also takes about the same time to get to from Rome. Click here for more details on the lesser known Baths of San Filippo. 

Book a Private Wine Tasting

Another cool Valentine’s Day idea would be to book a private wine tasting for you and your special someone. These can be organised in different wine bars across Rome and there are some who even offer wine tasting right at your home or hotel room in the city. Pretty cool right? If not, you could always drive to the nearest vineyards in the Castelli Romani region south of Rome. Some of the most popular ones are The Old Frascati Wine Tour or you could check the Easy Frascati page for more inspiration. 

A Romantic Evening with a Stunning View

If you would like to make your evening extra special, make sure to book your tables at one of the rooftop bars in the city which offer stunning views along with a selection of premium italian wines and drinks. 

You could  choose from  Terrazza Les Étoiles which boasts of a beautiful view of the Vatican, Minerva Roof Garden, which offers a romantic view over the Pantheon, Tiziano Terrace by Monti View which as the name suggests offers stunning views of the cityscape of central Rome or from the many others mentioned in this amazing list by therooftopguide.com.

Or you could choose to head to this lesser known bar right on top of the Spanish Steps called Il Palazzetto Cocktail & Wine Bar that serves a selection of Italian wines and cocktails with a really cool view of the steps. Drinks cost about 10 Euro which isn’t too steep in my opinion. The view makes it totally worth it though. 

Take a Day Trip

The small quaint towns around Rome offer the perfect romantic setting for Valentine’s Day. Getting away from the city can also give you the exclusive alone time you need with bae. 

You could check out Castel Gandolfo, which is the Pope’s summer house and is located right on a beautiful lake. If not, you could visit the town of Calcata, which is a town overlooking the valley of Treja river and has a very interesting history. Or you could take the ferry from the port town of Anzio and visit the tiny island of Ponza which is gorgeous with its colourful little houses. For a unique experience, you could also book a night stay at the tree house resort in Viterbo for an even more unique and romantic experience.

Wander the City at Night

Rome at night is a whole new level of romantic. With fewer people out on the streets, beautifully lit up monuments minus the chaos during the day the city sure does have an unbeatable charm. My suggestion is to head to the center and walk to all the monuments the city has to offer. They have their own charm while all lit up with only a handful of people around. My favourites at night are the Pantheon, Piazza Venezia and Fontana di Trevi.

Book a Cooking Class

Another fun date idea for Valentine’s Day could be a cooking class with your better half. And luckily Rome has a selection of cooking classes to choose from. You could learn to make Pizza, Pasta, Gelato, Tirmisu and anything Italian and getyourguide.com has a range of them to choose from. Sounds like fun right? And the best part? you get to eat all the food you cook during the experience after. You can look some up on Airbnb Experiences and see which one appeals to you the most for your special day. 

Fontana di Trevi at Night

I know I mentioned this earlier as well, but Fontana di Trevi at night is an absolute must! Here’s why! During the day, the tiny piazza around the fountain is packed with people making it impossible to enjoy this gorgeous monument with all the chaos and constantly being scared of pickpockets around. Definitely recommend heading there post 12 am or even later if you can and enjoying the beauty of the beautifully lit Trevi Fountain with just a handful of people around. 

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