The Eternal City
Coffee at dawn in a piazza no one else has found, and the hills just outside the city for sleeping.
Stay in Rome itself — a palazzo apartment in the centro storico, the Trevi at the end of your street — or in the hills just outside, where the city is a forty-minute drive and the silence is total.
Both work. A short stay is best inside the walls; a long stay is best in the Castelli Romani, the Sabine hills, or the Lago di Bracciano. Driver service into the city for dinners and museums; the villa pool the rest of the day.
Best Villas
Rome
1 Beds·1 Baths·2 Guests
From €555 / night
Rome
1 Beds·1 Baths·2 Guests
From €395 / night
Rome
1 Beds·1 Baths·2 Guests
From €475 / night
Rome
1 Beds·1 Baths·2 Guests
From €525 / night
Rome
1 Beds·1 Baths·2 Guests
From €316 / night
Rome
2 Beds·2 Baths·4 Guests
From €755 / night
Rome
2 Beds·1 Baths·4 Guests
From €625 / night
Rome
5 Beds·3 Baths·9 Guests
Rates on request
Rome
7 Beds·6 Baths·18 Guests
Rates on request
Experiences
A private after-hours visit to the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums — empty rooms, your own pace, two hours of art history. Our most-requested experience in Rome.
A morning with a Roman food guide — the bakery for cornetti, the market in Piazza San Cosimato, supplì at Trapizzino, lunch at Da Enzo.
Through the Gladiator's Gate before the gates open, a guide who works in the archaeology. Most cinematic at first light.
A drive south into the Castelli Romani for white wine at a family fraschetta, porchetta and a long lunch in the hills above Rome.
Hard-to-get bookings: the Borghese with a Bernini specialist, or the Vatican Library's reading rooms with a manuscript curator.
A morning bicycle from Porta San Sebastiano along the original cobbled Roman road. Stop at the Catacombs of San Callisto and the Tomb of Cecilia Metella. Picnic at the villa of the Quintilii.
Travel Advisor
From the right villa to private chefs, boat charters, and bespoke experiences, we take care of every detail.
Beyond the Villa
Forty minutes east. Hadrian's Villa in the morning, lunch in town, the Villa d'Este fountains in the afternoon — two World Heritage sites in a day.
A drive through Frascati, Castel Gandolfo, Nemi. Papal summer palace, the volcanic lake at Nemi, wild strawberries (in season), dinner at a fraschetta.
Ninety minutes north. The Duomo with the Signorelli fresco of the Apocalypse, lunch on the terrace, descend the funicular for the underground city.
An hour south. The whitewashed Tyrrhenian beach village of Sperlonga, lunch on the beach, the Tiberius villa cave.
Ninety minutes north. The dying town — a hilltop village reachable only by footbridge. Most cinematic in late afternoon.
Ninety minutes by high-speed train. A day or an overnight in the Renaissance capital.
Climate
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54°F | 56°F | 60°F | 66°F | 74°F | 82°F | 88°F | 88°F | 80°F | 71°F | 61°F | 55°F |
Source: long-term monthly averages for the region. Sea temperatures stay comfortable for swimming May through October.
Where it is
Travelers Ask
Rome needs no introduction, but it does reward time. Most visitors come for three days and see the Vatican, the Colosseum, Trevi, and Spanish Steps. Stay a week and you discover everything else: the Caravaggios in San Luigi dei Francesi (free), Trastevere's two-thousand-year-old streets, the Aventine keyhole view of St Peter's, the Jewish Ghetto and carciofi alla giudia, the Appian Way at dawn on a Sunday with no traffic.
Lazio — the region around Rome — is one of the most overlooked stays in Italy. The Castelli Romani south of the city (Frascati, Castel Gandolfo, Nemi) are old villa territory with lakes, white wine, and porchetta. The Sabine hills northeast of the city are olive-and-cypress country. The Lago di Bracciano northwest has lakeside towns and 17th-century papal estates. The coast at Sperlonga and Sabaudia is the surprise — a Mediterranean coastline forty minutes from Rome that most tourists never know about.
The food in Rome is itself: cacio e pepe, carbonara, amatriciana, gricia (the four Roman pastas), saltimbocca, supplì, the great pizza al taglio of Pizzarium and Bonci, the fritti at Sforno and Da Remo. Restaurants worth a flight: Pierluigi for fish, La Pergola for the night out, Roscioli for the lunch, Pianostrada for the dinner, Armando al Pantheon for the lunch you've been planning since you got off the plane.
April, May, October, and November are our favourite months in Rome itself — comfortable temperatures, comfortable crowds. June through September is hot (high 80s°F in July and August) and busy. For Lazio (the hills outside Rome), May and September are perfect; July and August are excellent for villa stays with a pool.
Rome has a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers (high 80s°F) and mild damp winters (50s°F). The shoulder seasons — April–May and September–October — are ideal. Rainfall is concentrated in November and December.
Both work. For a short visit (3–5 nights), stay in a palazzo apartment in the centro storico — the rione of Monti, Trastevere, or near the Pantheon. For a longer visit (a week or more), the hill villas in the Castelli Romani, the Sabine countryside, or near Lago di Bracciano give you pool-and-garden days with driver service into Rome for dinners and museums.
The four Roman pastas (cacio e pepe, carbonara, amatriciana, gricia), Roman-Jewish artichokes (carciofi alla giudia), supplì, pizza al taglio, saltimbocca, abbacchio (spring lamb). Bookings worth making: Roscioli, Pierluigi, Armando al Pantheon, Pianostrada, Da Enzo al 29 in Trastevere, La Pergola for the once-in-a-trip dinner.
After-hours Vatican, an Appian Way Sunday morning bicycle, the Caravaggios in San Luigi dei Francesi (free), the Aventine keyhole view, Trastevere food walks, the Borghese Gallery on a private hour, dinner at a Roman trattoria you'd never find without a local.
Tivoli (40 min — Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este), the Castelli Romani (45 min), Orvieto (90 min north), Sperlonga (1 hr south), Civita di Bagnoregio (90 min north), Florence (90 min by train).
Not in Rome itself — most of the centro storico is a limited traffic zone (ZTL) and parking is impossible. We use private driver service for evenings and day trips. If you're staying in Lazio (Castelli Romani, Sabine hills), a car is helpful, or arrange driver service through us.
Explore
Each region is hand-picked, walked, and slept in by us first. See which one is calling.
“A fabulous experience in every way. Thank you for all your help in working with us to choose the perfect villa and for all the recommendations. A trip to remember.”Doorways Client · Villa Larianella
“Our experience with Doorways was exceptional — La Casetta and The Farmhouse were impeccable, and the owners’ hospitality was off the charts. Two of the most magical properties in all of Umbria. Can’t wait to return!”Doorways Client · Sogno Casetta & Farmhouse
“My longtime dream of renting a villa with friends in Tuscany became a reality thanks to Susan and Doorways. Villa Laura was the perfect property — and Susan is trustworthy, professional, and passionate about her stunning properties.”Doorways Client · Villa Laura
“Awesome! Great central location and splendid views. A great, great place. This was my second time with Doorways and it was even better than the first!”Doorways Client · Poggio delle Rose
“We absolutely loved the villa on Lake Como. The local concierge devised a fabulous itinerary, and each of the services — provisions, chefs, tours on the lake — was exceptional. Our first time renting a villa, and we would highly recommend.”Doorways Client · Lake Como
“Phenomenal. The villa was a restful, beautiful place to stay, with spectacular views in Tuscany. Fresh herbs outside the door, a wood fire, more amazing views, and a quick dip in the pool. The four of us loved it — go, enjoy!”Doorways Client · Tuscany
“We couldn't have been better-taken care of! This was a very special experience — one that will be etched in our hearts forever.”Doorways Client · Villa Plaisir
“Three-sixty views over golden wheat fields and sunflower crops, a beautifully kept pool, an olive grove and fruit trees. And Mariela the housekeeper — what a wonderful person. The grounds, the views and the pool: magnificent.”Doorways Client · Villa Molinazzo
“I cannot speak highly enough of Doorways! Susan planned our stay and our wedding at Villa Laura in Cortona, and it was beyond our wildest dreams. Sophie the house manager gave us the best week of all our lives.”Doorways Client · Villa Laura · Wedding
“From arrival to departure, the week was filled with incredible hospitality, warmth and beauty. The description and photos did not do the experience justice. Xenia has created something truly special, and the Chianti hills were idyllic. Belissimo!”Doorways Client · Il Casolare
“Villa Mida is a delightful surprise — amazing water views, a unique indoor spa, attentive staff. After full days exploring the Amalfi Coast it was wonderful to return to a soothing setting to recharge. We can’t wait to return!”Doorways Client · Villa Mida
“This villa was amazing — everywhere you looked was a “wow” moment. Pool, hot tub, outdoor kitchen, king-size beds with double shower heads. Bocce, foosball, ping pong. Thanks Susan for recommending this property for the four couples.”Doorways Client · A Tuscan Villa
“The villa was spectacular. The service from the property manager and maid was first class, and the modern amenities were much appreciated. A five-star luxury experience.”Doorways Client · Villa Brezzablu
“10/10 would highly recommend. Susan is the utmost professional, full of knowledge, and she really gets to know you. Her trip planning and the details she provides are very valuable. A must if you want a unique and tailored experience!”Doorways Client · Doorways Client
“We had the absolute best experience working with Susan. We stayed at CasaCau in Roma — wonderful accommodations, delicious breakfast every morning, and the location was absolutely amazing — just down the road from the Fontana di Trevi. A real gem!”Doorways Client · CasaCau
“La Poggiolaia is a beautiful property with an amazing pool — and the sunsets are stunning.”Doorways Client · La Poggiolaia
“Comfortable in every way — and the chef was outstanding. Walking, eating, exploring… just entering into the beauty and culture of Italy.”Doorways Client · Casa del Fattore
