The selfies might have to wait but if you want to escape the heat and crowds, save your Italian sightseeing until night-time. Like their Mediterranean cousins, Italians eat and socialise late and many of the country’s renowned monuments and attractions – from the catacombs to the Vatican – remain open well into the evening. It’s a great way of getting a different perspective on well-trodden destinations.
Here’s what to see when darkness falls…
- The Vatican & Sistine Chapel, Rome.
As if Michelangelo’s world-famous Sistine Chapel fresco weren’t incredible enough, try seeing it as the sun sets. These tours usually include the Vatican Museum, where you can see several Renaissance masterpieces, as well as the sumptuous St Peter’s Basilica – Italy’s largest church. Some tours also offer a dinner overlooking the monuments too – spectacular.
- Gondola ride, Venice.
When the crowds of tourists have gone home, Venice’s streets belong to city locals once again. Discover a more intimate side to the city of bridges as you glide along quiet canals in a traditional gondola. The best time to go is the so-called ‘blue hour’ just after sunset when it’s dark enough to be atmospheric yet not too dim to see properly.
- Electric bike tour of Florence.
Wind your way along the banks of the River Arno, explore medieval alleyways and circle around celebrated churches on an e-bike tour of this romantic Tuscan city. In contrast to the frenetic pace of the city in daytime, an after-dark bike tour offers a calmer view of its famous sights and historic streets. The electric bike makes hills a breeze while the promise of gelato to finish is enough to hold anyone’s interest.
- The Duomo, Milan.
Watch night fall over this northern Italian city from the roof of its spectacular Gothic cathedral. A symbol of the city, the Duomo took nearly six centuries to complete and is Italy’s largest cathedral. Save your feet by taking the lift up the steepest part of the building before climbing the last 50 steps to its highest terrace. From the top you’ll be able to watch lights coming on in the city and on a clear evening you might even catch a glimpse of the Italian Alps.
- Catacombs, Rome.
Are you brave enough to descend beneath Rome’s streets to tour its network of burial sites and crypts at night? Spooky enough in daylight, the catacombs take on an especially eerie atmosphere after dark when a guides lead visitors through rooms containing thousands of skeletons and tombs lit only by torchlight. See the remains of monks buried in the Capuchin crypt or the Santa Costanza Mausoleum, burial ground of Emperor Constantine’s daughter.
Whether you book at night or in the daytime, get your Italy rental car sorted in advance to get the best deals.