Where to drink Champagne in Rome?
Rome is a city where a glass of Champagne can easily become part of the day rather than something reserved for a special occasion. Have one after exploring the historic centre, stop for an aperitivo before dinner or open a bottle when you’ve found somewhere worth lingering over a meal.
The city’s food scene gives you plenty to pair it with too. Cacio e pepe, carbonara and amatriciana may be the Roman classics, but seafood, fried appetisers, cheeses and lighter dishes can all make interesting companions for Champagne.
Rome has bubbles of its own
Italy’s sparkling wine scene is much bigger than Prosecco, and Rome is a good place to explore some of it.
Franciacorta is the obvious name if you want a traditional-method comparison with Champagne, but Lazio itself has its own wine identity. The region is particularly associated with Frascati, made around the hills south-east of Rome. The area is close enough to visit without turning your Roman holiday into a full wine trip.
If you see Frascati DOC or Frascati Superiore DOCG on a wine list, it’s worth trying something local. The wines are predominantly white and are often made from Malvasia del Lazio and Malvasia Bianca di Candia, with other permitted varieties depending on the appellation.
For sparkling wine, you may also come across Italian Metodo Classico wines from regions far beyond Lombardy. Rome’s international restaurant scene means you can use the city as a chance to taste your way around Italy without actually travelling from region to region.
A city made for a long lunch
Rome is not somewhere I’d recommend planning every drink around a specific neighbourhood. Part of the fun is letting the day unfold – Campo de’ Fiori, Piazza Navona, Trastevere, the Pantheon and the streets around the historic centre all lend themselves to wandering, eating and stopping whenever somewhere looks tempting.
Champagne can work particularly well when you give yourself permission to slow down. A glass before lunch, something local with the meal and another drink later in the evening is much more in keeping with the city than trying to tick off as many sights as possible.
And if you find a Champagne place worth adding while doing exactly that, put it on the Champagne Hunters map or comment on an existing listing. Local updates are especially useful in a city where menus and wine selections can change.
Good to know
If you’re visiting Rome for Champagne, I’d make a point of trying something from Lazio alongside it. Frascati is an easy place to start, and if you have an extra day, the Frascati wine area in the Castelli Romani is close enough for a trip out of the city.
Then come back to Rome for dinner. Because honestly, a day that starts with a vineyard outside the city and ends with Champagne and pasta in Rome sounds like a pretty good use of 24 hours.
