The secret Rome filming locations of Emily in Paris seasons 4 and 5

If you're heading to Rome for a sightseeing getaway, don't forget to check out the famous landmarks that were used as filming locations for the Netflix series Emily in Paris. Plus, here are some secret back-street filming locations you don't want to miss...

If you’ve seen my travel posts before, you’ll know that I’m a bit of a filming locations geek. Whenever I head to a different destination, I like to check if there are any famous landmarks that I can visit that have been used in my favourite TV shows or films.

In fact, I planned a whole road trip around Brittany in France just to hunt out the previously unknown filming locations of The Darling Buds of May. The original 90s TV series with Catherine Zeta Zones and David Jason was my number 1 top childhood show to watch and I still rewatch it every year.

A woman standing on the Spanish Steps in Rome surrounded by flowers.

That trip took a lot of research, because there wasn’t any information about it online. Actually, when it aired in the 90s, there was no internet for it to be posted on! So, I always like to share my filming location findings so that you’ll be able to spot them when you visit, too.

So, when I was taking a quick backpack-only trip to Rome, I knew I wanted to incorporate a stroll around the filming locations of Emily in Paris when she visits the city in series 4 and moves there in season 5 of the Netflix show.

There are plenty of big sightseeing locations you can spot from the TV show, including Emily whizzing past the Colosseum, making a wish at the Trevi Fountain and sitting on the Spanish Steps at Piazza di Spagna, which was one of the first places I visited below.

A view of the Spanish Steps in Rome where Emily in Paris was filmed.

You can sit on the steps in the exact same spot as Emily and Marcello, which is the tier closest to the top of the steps. Plus, you can enjoy the same view from the top, overlooking the rooftops of Rome. I was there pretty early in the morning (before the shops opened) and it was a lovely quiet time.

A view from the top of the Spanish Steps in Rome where Emily in Paris was filmed.

If you’ve seen my other filming location posts, you’ll know that I like to find the exact spots and get the same camera angle, so please excuse the quality of the photos of the TV scenes – I just took photos of my TV so that I had the images to refer to when I arrived at each location.

Not far from the Spanish Steps is the hotel where Emily stays on her first holiday to Rome in episode 9 of season 4 “Roman Holiday”. It’s the Hotel Eden on Via Ludovisi, where the road joins Via di Porta Pinciana. I looks suitably grand, with a large sweeping roof over the main entrance and flagpoles on the balcony.

The exterior of a hotel in Rome where Emily in Paris was filmed.

There are also lesser-known filming locations that you might not be able to find. These are the back-street locations that are a location-scout’s dream – somewhere you can easily close off an area for filming, where traffic doesn’t pass through and where there will be fewer tourists.

The exterior of a filming location in Rome where Emily in Paris was filmed.

One of these is Emily’s Rome apartment from season 5. You can spot the exterior shot in Piazza Costaguti, just south of the Pantheon. Be sure to take a photo outside of the large doors, just like where Emily greets Mindy when she arrives to visit in series 5.

The interior of a filming location in Rome where Emily in Paris was filmed.

If you’re lucky, the doors might be open as it’s a sort-of alleyway through the building, and then you can step inside for a brief moment to take a photo from the interior. Maybe you can even get an arty silhouette of yourself standing where Emily was waiting for Marcello, but I didn’t think to do that – just too excited to take a snap!

The exterior of a restaurant in Rome where Emily in Paris was filmed.

Emily first experience of lunch in Rome was at the Da Giggetto Hostaria. Marcello takes her to this restaurant on the Via del Portico d’Ottavia where she tries the famous Roman dishes Pasta all’Amatriciana and Cacio e Pepe, which is my own favourite pasta to enjoy while in Rome.

A street restaurant in Rome with Red tablecloths, where Emily in Paris was filmed.

Another easy-to-miss filming spot is the place where Luc has lunch with his Roman girlfriend. It’s at Ciampini Roma where the Via del Leoncino meets Via della Fontanella di Borghese. Be sure to look up at the impressive building, which has a detailed stone carving on the corner.

The corner of a building in Rome where Emily in Paris was filmed.

As part of her Roman Holiday, Emily enjoys a drink outside the Antica Trattoria Angelina at the Piazza Margana. By the time I’d finished walking around the other sights, I was definitely in need of a drink so I also enjoyed a refreshing water (and a prosecco, of course) from the Trattoria.

A woman sitting at a table outside a Trattoria in Rome where Emily in Paris was filmed.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a trip to Rome without a visit to the Trevi Fountain. There’s a view of Emily and Marcello strolling down the Via del Lavatore, which is actually where I stayed in a last-minute Airbnb – the apartment is just visible on the right-hand side of the street in the images below.

The corner street that leads to the Trevi Fountain where Emily in Paris was filmed.

It was a really convenient location to stay (across the road from a gelato shop, yum) because it’s steps away from the fountain, allowing you to visit early in the morning when no one else is there, or to enjoy the light show in the evening, which we did most nights.

The Trevi Fountain where Emily in Paris was filmed.

The Angence Grateau team meet on a rooftop bar, near the Pantheon. This is in the Grand Hotel De La Minerva on Piazza della Minerva, and you can visit the bar for a drink with a view during opening hours. Unfortunately, it wasn’t open in the morning when I was strolling past, but I did get a photo of the exterior (below).

I also photographed Temple of Portunus on Via Luigi Petroselli (below) which is included in a montage of Emily riding on the scooter around all the sights of Rome, along with the Colosseum and other famous sights.

The Big Bus tour was a handy way to see these landmarks on the last day of my trip without getting painful feet from all the walking!

A landmark view of Rome where Emily in Paris was filmed.

A few extra locations that I didn’t visit this time but will definitely find on my next trip to Rome:

The Rome office of Agence Grateau is a little further out of the city centre at the Quartiere Coppedè. The office has beautiful curved entrance that’s easy to spot.
Marcello took Emily to look through the famous keyhole at the Villa del Priorato di Malta (Magistral Villa) on Aventine Hill in Rome. Looking through the keyhole lines up three sovereign entities: the Magistral Villa for the Order of Malta, Italy and St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
Marcello takes Emily to Trajan’s Forum in the slope of the Quirinal Hill and tells her it’s the world’s first multi-level shopping mall.
I’m pretty sure there’s a night scene of Emily walking with Marcello past Via del Teatro di Marcello but I haven’t been able to find that scene again – I guess I will just have to rewatch all the Emily in Rome episodes to find it.

A woman sitting on the edge of the Trevi Fountain.

I hope this little tour around Rome will be helpful if you’re hoping to find the Italian filming locations of Emily in Paris seasons 4 and 5. I just have to go to France now to find the locations of the original series – Paris, here I come…

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Cassie is a freelance writer with a Masters degree in Lifestyle Promotion Studies and is trained in Personal Money Management. She loves to ‘get the look for less’ so regularly shares thrifty-living advice, DIY interior design ideas and low-cost recipes on her blog.