How to spend Valentine’s Day 2023 in Rome
Valentine’s day is at the doors and lots of us are still trying to figure out how to impress our date! But if you live in the Eternal City, you’ve got a jump on most people. We live in the mecca of love. We’ve got temples, ruins, amazing views, yummy food and hidden gems all around. There are plenty of great ways to make this day special in Rome. Give one of these a go, and we know your date will be impressed!
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Sleeping in a cozy romantic treehouse
We all wanted our own treehouse as kids. A place where we could unwind, relax and feel disconnected. But who said treehouses are only for children? Imagine a secret hideout, tucked away in the woods with beautiful views. Your private wooden shack suspended 8 meters from the ground. Cozy wooden walls, a private balcony overlooking the trees, completely immersed in the sounds of nature. If that’s not romantic, I don’t know what is. The good news is you don’t have to build your own treehouse, this time. You just have to get yourself to Viterbo to La Piantata, where your treehouse awaits and they will arrange the rest.
Taking in the views of Rome
Living in the Eternal City has its perks. For one, we have some of the best views in the world. And what’s more romantic than admiring the views with your loved one? Take your other half to the Orange Garden, perched on top of Aventine Hill, and don’t forget to peek into the keyhole of the Knights of Malta just footsteps away. Early morning is the best time to go.
Another must-stop is Terrazza Caffarelli, between the Capitoline Museums and the Campidoglio. It’s the ultimate place to admire a picture-perfect Roman sunset. Take a romantic walk along the paths of Villa Borghese and reach the Terrazza del Pincio, looking over Piazza del Popolo: from here you can enjoy one of the most stunning views on the city center. Also in Villa Borghese, what could be more romantic than renting a small boat in the park’s lake and rowing to the small Aesculapius Temple?
The view from the Gianicolo Hill is one of the most famous of the city too, and includes the Pantheon, Castel Sant’Angelo and St. Peter’s Basilica. We suggest you go there at noon to catch a cannon that has been fired at this time since 1847, to mark mid-day in Rome.
A luxury staycation
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, why not book a romantic staycation at one of Rome’s luxury hotels? Many of the most beautiful and iconic hotels in the city propose special offers for the most romantic day of the year.
The Parco dei Principi is hosting a “Valentine’s Day” romantic package where couples can enjoy a one night stay in a prestigious double room with complimentary breakfast, access to the resort’s luxurious Prince Spa, and one candlelit dinner at the gourmet Pauline Borghese Restaurant (starting from €510). Couples can benefit from a special couples massage (Starting from €260 per couple – 50 minutes).
If you are looking for a truly unique and special experience with your better half, at the Rome Cavalieri you can enjoy many outdoor activities offered by Italy Adventure, such as: tandem parachuting with photo and video reportage, synchronized paragliding for couples and even a private helicopter tour over Rome! Experiences start from €350 per couple, excluding transfer, and must be booked at least 3 days in advance. Special room rates start from €300 in a Deluxe room, with buffet breakfast at the Uliveto restaurant.
Valentine’s Day at Baja
The Baja, an elegant Art Nouveau boat in the heart of Rome on the Tiber bank, is an ideal location to spend Lovers’ Day. On this occasion, Baja’s chefs have come up with a truly enticing menu, available in two versions, meat and fish (cost per person: €80-90 including welcome prosecco and amuse-bouche). Click here to read the menu.
The ingredients to make an impression are all there: the beauty of the place and the view, the selection of wines and the menu, and the right music to play in the background.
A romantic dinner
If you’d rather not have a staycation, you could always treat yourselves to a fantastic dining experience for Valentine’s Day 2023. The Roman restaurant scene has prepared some special menus, either to be enjoyed at the restaurant for lunch or at home for dinner.
Riccardo Loreni, the chef of Cuoco e Camicia, in the Monti area, has created a “Fish and Chili” tasting menu in which each fish dish is paired with a different chili pepper (cost per person: €70, excluding wines).
Aqualunae Bistrot is also not to be missed, with its chef, Emanuele Paoloni, who will dedicate Valentine’s Day to a tasting menu to be enjoyed inside the bistro, offering a romantic atmosphere with attention to every detail (€83 per person plus wine pairing €29 per person).
To celebrate a very romantic Valentine’s Day at the iconic Eden Hotel, the Executive Chef Fabio Ciervo has created two ad hoc menus for the 1-star Michelin restaurant La Terrazza (€300 per person, beverages excluded) and a more casual proposal for the Giardino restaurant (€180 per person, beverages excluded).
For an Asian Valentine’s Day, head to Dao Chinese Restaurant, which proposes special dishes to share with your loved one (€50 per person, drinks excluded).
On Lovers’ Day, Frezza, Claudio Amendola’s new restaurant, located in the heart of Rome, presents a menu dedicated to sharing dishes from a charcuterie board filled with salami and cheeses, veal rolls with sausage hearts and artichokes accompanied by baked potatoes and chicory (€65 per person including a bottle of wine of your choice, coffee and cookies).
Chef Davide Cianetti of Numa al Circo restaurant has created a seafood menu for Valentine’s Day. The Lovers’ Day dinner opens with a fun welcome cocktail: “Sushi Love in Roccaraso ” made with Roccaraso genziana, yuzu from Shikoku, maracujá from Mato Grosso do Sul and prosecco (€60 per person excluding drinks).
Inside The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel, Idylio by Apreda – 1 Michelin Star – is ready to make a lovers’ day special with an elegant 6-course dinner designed entirely by its Executive Chef, Francesco Apreda (€180 without wine).
The Les Étoiles Terrace offers a Valentine’s Day dinner with options such as crispy black baby squid and marinara mousse, and a passion heart with white chocolate and Tonka bean (€150, excluding wines). There will also be an aperitif menu for €60 to pair with the amazing view of St. Peter’s.
If you are looking to have a VIP experience, book your dinner at the 3-star Michelin restaurant La Pergola, directed by Chef Heinz Beck, with the special menu created for Valentine’s Day and accompanied by live music. The menu includes oyster with artichoke mojito, grilled cauliflower with caviar and caper leaves, to finish there is a Valentine’s dessert. (€650 per person, including wine).
At Eataly’s Terra restaurant, excellent raw materials are cooked on the grill to be enhanced by the warmth of the fire. There is a four-course menu designed specifically for the occasion, including a pistachio-crusted fried tuna with spicy sweet and sour sauce and a grilled seared octopus with soft purple potatoes, semi-dried cherry tomatoes, and fried rosemary. Start time is scheduled for 8pm (€50 per person).
Additionally, on the first floor, Eataly’s Pizza and Cucina restaurant offers two different special menus – a pasta menu (€30) and a pizza menu (€28).
And if you want to have a relaxing Saint Valentine’s dinner at home, Eataly Roma’s chefs have a special take-away just for you: a Valentine’s box with an all-fish menu for an evening to remember (€35, each box is considered for one person; every two boxes ordered, Eataly gives a bottle of wine). The box is to be picked up between 10:30am and 7pm on 14th of February at the Gastronomy of Eataly Rome (1st floor).
If you want to celebrate on a rooftop, the Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora offers a special Valentine’s Day menu and an after-dinner DJset. Read the menu here. For booking call +393928071453
A surprise day trip to the lake
As Romans, we’re so lucky to be an hour away from lakes, beaches and mountains. If you’re able to take the day off, a day trip to the beautiful Lake Bolsena is the perfect way to spend your Valentine’s Day. Just an hour and a half from Rome, you’ll come across the beautiful lakeside town of Capodimonte – the gem of Lake Bolsena. Take a romantic walk along its lake front, filled with cafes and gelaterias. Have a gourmet lunch along the lake at Pepenero and unwind afterwards by strolling the streets of its charming centro storico.
A day full of relaxation and wellness at Roman spas
Enjoy some relaxation with your partner by enjoying a thermal treatment together. Acqua Madre Hammam is the perfect place to cleanse the body through a series of massages and treatments. This beautiful location, situated in the heart of Rome, recalls the beauty of ancient roman baths.
For couples who love wellness, Le Caveau by Gili spa inside the Aleph Hotel has thought of an unforgettable journey combining relaxation and beauty, with a 90-minute couples treatment with a massage with citrus and sweet almond oils, followed by a lifting treatment with vegan products to purify and plump the skin. Afterwards, guests can enjoy 30 minutes of intense relaxation amidst a hammam, a sauna and a comfortable whirlpool bath exclusively for them. They will be also pampered with gastronomic treats, including fruit selections, teas, herbal teas and bubbles.
During the entire month of February, the Cavalieri Grand Spa Club offers exclusive promotions to share with a loved one, whether your partner, a friend or a family member: 50% discount on the second Spa treatment, 50% discount on the second training session with their Personal Trainers and 40% discount on the purchase of a second product. For info call (+39) 06 3509 2950
