When most people envision Rome, they see themselves in t-shirts and shorts, dining at sidewalk tables on uneven cobble-stones, listening to music pouring onto the street, indulging in a daily gelato, and spending evenings on rooftops with a negroni or a spritz and a drop-dead view of St. Peters.

May, June, and July in Rome can be as vivid as that. August is devilishly hot, and September and October are clear and breezy, with Rome’s lush green vines still covering the orange and pink buildings with as much vigor as ever. So what is February like? Here is a secret: between a few days of slightly crisper air and maybe a few drops of rain, even a dramatic thunderstorm that turns the skies a fantastic shade of deep, malevolent blue, there are remnants of those colorful, al fresco dining, rooftop lounging days. Sundays spent in Villa Borghese listening to ‘Dipinto del Blu’ and running around sans jacket are not unheard of. Here are a few photos from this past February in Roma. The vibrant colors and magical shadows speak for themselves.

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