Best time to visit · Rome · Italy
The best time to visit Rome
Weather, crowds, prices and events for every month, so you can pick the trip that suits you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Arnaud 25, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Quick answer
The best times to visit Rome are April to early June and mid-September to October, when days are warm enough to eat outdoors but cool enough for long walks among the ruins. July and August are very hot, with some closures in mid-August, while November to February is cooler and wetter but brings the lowest prices and shortest queues.
Key facts
- Best months
- April–May and September–October
- Shoulder season
- March, June and November
- Warmest month
- July (avg high 32°C (90°F))
- Coldest month
- January (avg high 12°C (54°F))
- Rainiest month
- November (~9 rainy days)
- Lowest hotel prices
- January–February and November
Seasons
Rome has a Mediterranean climate: hot, dry summers that often pass 32°C in July and August, mild and sunny springs and autumns, and cool, wetter winters that seldom fall below freezing. Autumn brings the heaviest rain, often in short, intense storms.
March–May
Spring
Warm days, wisteria and outdoor tables, with Easter and Italian holidays creating some of the busiest weeks of the year at the Vatican.
June–August
Summer
Hot and dry, with temperatures often above 30°C, open-air concerts and opera, and some local closures around Ferragosto in mid-August.
September–November
Autumn
Warm September days, golden October light and the start of the rains in November, when crowds and prices fall.
December–February
Winter
Cool and sometimes rainy but rarely freezing, with a festive December, quiet January and February and the lowest hotel prices.
Month by month
Long-term averages (rounded). Crowds and prices are relative, 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). Daylight is sunrise to sunset on the 15th.
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12°C | 3°C | 7 | 9.4 h | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| February | 13°C | 4°C | 7 | 10.5 h | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| March | 16°C | 6°C | 7 | 11.8 h | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| April | 19°C | 8°C | 8 | 13.3 h | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| May | 24°C | 12°C | 5 | 14.5 h | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| June | 28°C | 16°C | 4 | 15.2 h | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| July | 32°C | 18°C | 2 | 14.9 h | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| August | 32°C | 19°C | 3 | 13.9 h | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| September | 27°C | 15°C | 5 | 12.4 h | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| October | 22°C | 11°C | 8 | 11 h | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| November | 17°C | 7°C | 9 | 9.7 h | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| December | 13°C | 4°C | 8 | 9.1 h | 3/5 | 3/5 |
Yearly events
Recurring dates shift from year to year; confirm with the organiser before you book.
| Month | Events |
|---|---|
| January | Epiphany and the Befana fair in Piazza Navona (6 January) |
| February | Carnival celebrations and frappe pastries (February or early March) |
| March | Rome Marathon (usually March); Holy Week and Easter at St Peter's (March or April) |
| April | Natale di Roma — the city's birthday with historical parades (21 April); Liberation Day public holiday (25 April) |
| May | Italian Open tennis at the Foro Italico (usually May); Municipal Rose Garden open to visitors (usually late April to June) |
| June | Republic Day parade on Via dei Fori Imperiali (2 June); Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Rome's patron saints (29 June) |
| July | Festa de' Noantri in Trastevere (usually second half of July); Open-air opera at the Baths of Caracalla (usually June–August) |
| August | Ferragosto public holiday (15 August) |
| September | Romaeuropa Festival of contemporary performance (usually September to November) |
| October | Rome Film Fest (Festa del Cinema di Roma, usually October) |
| November | All Saints' Day public holiday (1 November) |
| December | Christmas market in Piazza Navona (usually early December to 6 January); Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations at St Peter's; New Year's Eve concerts and celebrations (31 December) |
Cheapest and quietest times
Hotel prices are usually lowest in January–February and November, and the sights are quietest in January–February and November.
What to pack
| Season | Pack |
|---|---|
| Spring | Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; A packable rain jacket for showers; Comfortable walking shoes |
| Summer | Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen; Comfortable walking shoes |
| Autumn | Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; A packable rain jacket for showers; Comfortable walking shoes |
| Winter | Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; A packable rain jacket for showers; Comfortable walking shoes |
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best month to visit Rome?
The best times to visit Rome are April to early June and mid-September to October, when days are warm enough to eat outdoors but cool enough for long walks among the ruins. July and August are very hot, with some closures in mid-August, while November to February is cooler and wetter but brings the lowest prices and shortest queues.
+When are hotel prices lowest in Rome?
Usually in January–February and November. Cool and often sunny between rainy spells, with short queues at the Vatican and some of the lowest hotel prices of the year after Epiphany.
+What is the rainiest month in Rome?
November, with about 9 days of rain on average.
+How hot does Rome get?
The warmest month, July, averages highs of 32°C (90°F) and lows of 18°C (64°F).