Rome by Night Guided Golf Cart Tour

Castel Sant'Angelo and St Peter's Square

The tour heads first along the Tiber to Castel Sant'Angelo, the round fortress built as a mausoleum in the 2nd century and later used by the popes as a castle and refuge, linked to the Vatican by a fortified passage. At night its walls and the angel-lined bridge in front are floodlit, one of the most romantic views in the city.

A few minutes further on, the cart stops for about ten minutes at St Peter's Square in Vatican City. The great oval square, framed by its curved colonnades, is almost empty at this hour, and the dome of St Peter's Basilica glows above the obelisk and fountains. It is the perfect moment for photos that are impossible to take by day.

Janiculum Hill and the Aventine Keyhole

From the Vatican the cart climbs the Janiculum Hill, which is not one of the classic seven hills but offers the widest panorama over Rome. From the terrace you look across the domes and bell towers of the historic centre spread out in lights, a view that locals love on summer evenings.

On the other side of the river, the tour climbs the quiet Aventine Hill to the gate of the Priory of the Knights of Malta. Look through the small keyhole and you see a perfectly framed view of St Peter's dome at the end of a garden avenue. At night the queue that forms here by day is usually short or gone, and the guide tells the stories behind this curious spot.

Mouth of Truth, Circus Maximus and the Colosseum

Near the river the cart stops at the Mouth of Truth, an ancient marble mask set in the portico of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin; legend says it bites the hand of anyone who lies. Then it passes the long grassy valley of the Circus Maximus, where chariot races once drew up to 150,000 spectators, with the palace ruins of the Palatine Hill above it.

The ride continues to the Colosseum, lit in gold and nearly deserted at night. You have about ten minutes to walk around and take photos of the amphitheatre's arches and the Arch of Constantine beside it. Seeing the Colosseum at night is a completely different experience from a daytime visit and one of the highlights of any Rome by night tour.

Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Piazza Navona

Passing Piazza Venezia and the white marble Vittoriano monument, the cart enters the narrow streets of the historic centre. At the Trevi Fountain you stop for about ten minutes to hear about the ancient aqueduct that still feeds it and to throw a coin over your shoulder, the traditional promise to return to Rome.

Next come the Pantheon, its great portico and dome lit up in Piazza della Rotonda, and Piazza Navona, the Baroque square built on an ancient stadium with Fountain of the Four Rivers at its centre. These squares are lively but relaxed late in the evening, and the guide points out details you would easily miss on your own.

Spanish Steps, Villa Borghese and Piazza del Popolo

The last guided stop is the Spanish Steps, climbing from Piazza di Spagna to the church of Trinità dei Monti. After a final round of photos the cart passes the edge of the Villa Borghese park and descends to Piazza del Popolo, the great oval square with its twin churches and Egyptian obelisk, where the meeting-point option starts and ends.

With the pickup option, the driver then takes you back to your hotel or apartment. The whole route covers ground that would take a full day on foot, which is why golf cart tours are so popular in Rome. Itineraries can change slightly because of traffic, road closures or city events.