There is a moment, in summer, when cities change perspective. The heat slows down the pace, the light becomes softer, the roofs become horizon lines and the sunset transforms every terrace into a small theatrical scene. From the urban rooftops overlooking the domes of Rome to the terraces suspended over the sea of Sardinia and the French Riviera, passing through Florence and Puglia, summer 2026 is increasingly experienced from above.
It’s not just about drinking a cocktail with a nice view. The new geography of Italian and European terraces tells of a different way of understanding hospitality: more experiential, more gastronomic, more scenographic. Aperitifs at sunset, dedicated menus, champagne, raw seafood, DJ sets, wellness, signature cuisine and views that act as a natural backdrop. Height thus becomes a discreet luxury: not ostentation, but distance from the noise. A privilege made of light, silence, music and horizons.
Bollinger Champagne Terrace, the sunset over Sardinia
At 7Pines Resort Sardinia, summer 2026 brings with it a new partnership with Champagne Bollinger, which signs one of the most refined experiences of the season: the Bollinger Champagne Terrace. The setting, already spectacular in itself, is a terrace overlooking the Maddalena Archipelago, where Sardinia shows its most cinematic face: sea, rocks, Mediterranean scrub and that golden light that seems made especially to accompany the first glass of the evening.
The protagonist of the season will also be the Special Cuvée 007 Limited Edition, a collector’s edition that interprets the elegant and distinctive style of the Maison. Making the experience even more complete is the gastronomic proposal of the starred chef Pasquale D’Ambrosio, who signs a menu dedicated to raw seafood and “kisses of flavour”, small tastings designed to dialogue with the different cuvées.
The Bollinger Champagne Terrace is not just a new address for champagne enthusiasts. It is confirmation of the identity of the 7Pines Resort Sardinia: a destination where nature, elegance and culture of taste meet in a contemporary way, without losing authenticity.
SEEN by Olivier, Rome from the top of Palazzo Naiadi
In the heart of the capital, Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel reopens its panoramic rooftop swimming pool for summer 2026, transforming the building into a true urban oasis. Here Rome is observed from above, among roofs, domes and monumental perspectives, but without the weight of the postcard. The terrace becomes a place to enjoy throughout the day: relaxation, wellness, aperitifs, light lunches, dinner and evening music.
The rooftop offers tailor-made experiences that broaden the very concept of summer hospitality. From the new Personal Trainer Program by Anantara Spa to advanced facial treatments and private yoga lessons, wellbeing enters the narrative of the terrace and defines its rhythm. No longer just a place for sunset, but a vertical destination in which to spend different hours of the day.
To complete the experience is SEEN by Olivier, which accompanies guests from light lunch to aperitifs, from the new Nisei drink list to dinner, up to the evening DJ sets. The La Dolce Riviera concept also comes to life here, bringing Mediterranean elegance inspired by the Italian and French Riviera to the rooftop. The signature Azzurro cocktail and the dedicated gastronomic proposal transform the terrace into a small summer lifestyle manifesto: sophisticated, relaxed, perfectly Roman.
Aria Rooftop by Iside De Cesare, Florence one step away from the Duomo
In Florence, Tivoli Palazzo Gaddi reopens the doors of Aria Rooftop by Iside De Cesare, a panoramic terrace in the heart of the city that seems designed for Florentine evenings. A few steps from the Duomo, the rooftop looks at the most iconic monuments from a privileged perspective, suspended between history and contemporaneity.
The strength of Aria Rooftop lies precisely in this balance: the scenographic impact of the view and a gastronomic and mixology proposal that is not limited to being a side dish. Signature cocktails, champagne and selected spirits accompany the creations of Chef Patronne Iside De Cesare, in a dialogue between taste, atmosphere and conviviality.
Florence, from above, loses its museum dimension for a moment and returns to being a lively, sensual, summer city. Aria Rooftop thus becomes one of the addresses to mark for those looking for an elegant but not plastered experience, capable of combining the beauty of the panorama with the substance of the proposal.
View of Ostuni, the rooftop overlooking the White City
In Puglia, Vista Ostuni inaugurates the 2026 season by focusing on its Rooftop Bar, a panoramic terrace overlooking the Piana degli Ulivi Monumentali, the White City and the sea. The hotel, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, was born from the redevelopment of the historic former tobacco factory and brings with it a strong territorial identity, which the rooftop interprets with contemporary elegance.
At sunset, the space transforms into a refined meeting point for aperitifs and after dinner. The view is an essential part of the experience: the olive trees, the compact white of Ostuni, the line of the sea. But the signature cocktails also tell the story of the territory, designed to evoke the flavors and suggestions of the destination.
Among the signature cocktails, the Friggitello Tonic, the Vista Ostuni Negroni and the new Olive Silk stand out, three liquid interpretations of the Apulian landscape. To complete the experience, a calendar of DJ sets accompanies the summer evenings of music, conviviality and Mediterranean lifestyle. A rooftop that doesn’t just look at the territory: it translates it.
Etere, the contemporary sweet life of Palazzo Ripetta
In Rome, Palazzo Ripetta reopens the doors of Etere, the rooftop overlooking the rooftops of the capital. The five-star luxury hotel, affiliated with Relais & Châteaux, brings an idea of elegant and intimate hospitality to the terrace, an open-air lounge where the city enters the scene without the need for force.
Etere is designed for an aperitif at sunset, for a signature cocktail, for a light and convivial dinner. The gastronomic proposal is signed by chef Christian Spalvieri, who created seasonal cuisine for the rooftop, fresh and suited to the rhythm of the Roman summer. Not a formal dinner, but a sequence of flavors designed to accompany the evening and leave room for conversation.
Among a selection of over 200 labels and a privileged view of the city’s domes and roofs, Etere confirms Palazzo Ripetta’s vocation for a contemporary sweet life: less nostalgic, more essential, but still profoundly Roman.
SEEN by Olivier, Nice and the charm of the Côte d’Azur
On the French Riviera, Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel celebrates summer with the SEEN by Olivier rooftop, one of the most evocative panoramic points in Nice. Overlooking the Promenade des Anglais, the rooftop tells of the most dynamic and cosmopolitan soul of the city: the sea in front, the music in the background, the sunset sliding over the Riviera.
The contemporary fusion cuisine signed by chef-entrepreneur Olivier da Costa intertwines Mediterranean flavours, Asian influences and fish specialities, building an experience that changes pace throughout the day. Lunches overlooking the sea, elegant dinners, cocktails at sunset and DJ sets make SEEN by Olivier an address designed for those who experience the French Riviera as a place of passage, meeting and style.
The La Dolce Riviera concept returns here too, which interprets the lifestyle of the Côte d’Azur through a refined dialogue between Italian lightness and French elegance. From the signature Limoncello Spritz cocktail to the wellness treatments of the Anantara Spa, up to a gastronomic proposal inspired by the flavors of the French and Italian Riviera, the experience becomes a small journey into the imagination of the Mediterranean summer.
Summer 2026 chose the rooftop
From Sardinia to Rome, from Florence to Puglia, up to the French Riviera, the terraces of summer 2026 tell of a precise desire: looking at the world from a higher, slower, brighter point. Not to get away from it, but to better understand its rhythm.
They are places where the view is not simply a backdrop, but an integral part of the experience. You go for a cocktail, you stay for the view. You arrive for an aperitif, you end up chasing the light of the sunset. Because summer, seen from above, has a significant advantage: it always seems a little more beautiful.
