Rome from above
The rooftop bar elsewhere is a concept that competes with urban skylines of glass towers and LED signage. In Rome it competes with the Roman Forum, the dome of the Pantheon, the umbrella pines on the Pincian Hill, and the Tiber catching the last hour of daylight. No other city gives a rooftop bar this much raw material to work with. The challenge for our editors was not identifying which rooftops have views: nearly all of them do. It was identifying which ones earn the full price of the drinks through quality, service, and atmosphere rather than relying entirely on the scenery below.
"The best rooftop drink in Rome costs more than the best drink at street level. The view justifies the premium. What separates the bars on this list from the merely scenic is that they could survive on drink quality alone, even if you blindfolded them."
The rooftop restaurant and bar of Hotel Eden on Via Veneto is the most complete rooftop experience in Rome: 360-degree views from the Borghese gardens to St. Peter's dome, a cocktail program by one of Italy's most respected bar teams, and service that justifies the price entirely. The Bellini is made with white peach puree imported from the Veneto. Sunset table reservations book 3 weeks ahead in June and July.
On the seventh floor of Sofitel Roma near Piazza di Spagna, Settimo delivers one of Rome's clearest views north toward Villa Borghese and east toward the Quirinal Palace. The cocktail list is strong and Italian-focused. The terrace is heated in spring and autumn, extending the outdoor season well beyond the obvious summer months. The house Negroni rosso, served with a sliver of orange peel aged in the glass, is worth the trip alone.
The rooftop of Hotel Borromeo overlooks Piazza Navona and Borromini's church of Sant'Agnese, giving a perspective that even most Romans have not seen. The bar program is serious and the terrace small enough to feel exclusive without being unwelcoming. The Spritz here uses a house vermouth made with Roman herbs. Reservations are essential for the 12 terrace seats. The view at night when the piazza fountains are lit is among the best in the city.
Hotel de la Minerve's rooftop is a genuine Roman claim: the view from the terrace looks directly over the Pantheon's oculus and across to the medieval campaniles of the centro storico. The bar is exceptional, the Champagne list is serious, and the terrace holds 30 guests. The two hours before sunset are when the light on the Pantheon dome is at its most extraordinary. Cocktail-only reservations are available from 6pm onwards.
Above the Spanish Steps at Hotel de la Ville, Cielo occupies a terrace with direct sight lines to Trinità dei Monti and the Borghese gardens beyond. The bar team trained under the Rocco Forte hotel group's global program and the quality shows. The wine list favors Lazio producers, which is a defensible choice given the quality of wines from Castelli Romani. The terrace hammocks and sun loungers in the afternoon transition to cocktail tables as evening falls.
The rooftop pool and bar at the Radisson Blu Esquilino has a panorama that sweeps from Santa Maria Maggiore to the Vittoriano monument, with the Roman roofscape filling in between. The pool is available to non-hotel guests for a daily rate in summer, which includes bar access. The cocktail program is well-considered and the pool bar format makes this one of the most usable rooftops in the city for an afternoon into evening session.
In warmer months, Il Sorpasso in Prati opens a rooftop extension above its legendary ground-floor wine bar that takes in the Prati roofscape and the green hills of the Vatican gardens on the horizon. Less formal than the hotel rooftops, priced for regular use, and with the same excellent natural wine list downstairs now available with a view. Gets very busy by 8pm on weekdays. The wine and cheese aperitivo is the rooftop format at its most Roman.
The rooftop bar of St. Regis Rome on Via Vittorio Emanuele Orlando looks directly toward the Vittoriano monument and takes in the Esquiline Hill beyond. The bar's signature red door at street level opens to an elevator that deposits guests directly on the terrace. The Bloody Mary program, a St. Regis global signature, is prepared tableside and better in Rome than in most other properties in the group. The views justify the premium entirely.
The kiosk bar at the Gianicolo hill viewpoint is not a hotel rooftop and does not try to be one. What it offers is the best unobstructed panorama of Rome's historic center from anywhere in the city, at kiosk bar prices. A beer or a Peroni from the fridge, drunk standing at the terrace railing while the city stretches out below you for 270 degrees, is one of Rome's most honest pleasures. Go at sunset on any Thursday evening.
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Rooftop bars are Rome's most photographed drinking category. But the city's ground-level drinking life is equally rewarding: the cocktail bars of Rome are a growing world-class scene, the date night bars in Trastevere and Monti have some of the most beautiful interiors in Europe, and the aperitivo hour bars are Rome at its most Roman. Comparing cities? Our Paris rooftop bars guide and the Barcelona rooftop bars guide cover the two other great Mediterranean rooftop cities.