Season guide · Rome · Italy
Rome in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Warm days, wisteria and outdoor tables, with Easter and Italian holidays creating some of the busiest weeks of the year at the Vatican. Expect highs up to 24°C (75°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F), with about 20 rainy days across March–May. April–May are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 6°C (43°F) to 24°C (75°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 20
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 16°C (61°F) | 6°C (43°F) | 7 | 11.8 h | 3/5 |
| April | 19°C (66°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 8 | 13.3 h | 4/5 |
| May | 24°C (75°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 5 | 14.5 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 20°C (68°F) against a yearly 21°C (70°F), and 20 of the year's roughly 73 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Rome Marathon (usually March)
- 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)
- April: Liberation Day public holiday (25 April)
- May: Italian Open tennis at the Foro Italico (usually May)
- May: Municipal Rose Garden open to visitors (usually late April to June)
Make the most of the weather
Historic site · Colosseo
Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
The Forum was the political and religious centre of ancient Rome: temples, the Senate House (Curia), the triumphal arches of Titus and Septimius Severus and the Via Sacra run through the valley.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Iconic
- Views
- Outdoors
Religious site · Vatican City
St Peter's Basilica
Arrive early to beat the security queue, and cover shoulders and knees or you will be turned away.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours with the dome
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- Views
- History
_0004.jpg){kind=link}
Landmark · Tridente
Spanish Steps
The 135 travertine steps, built in the 1720s, climb from Piazza di Spagna and the boat-shaped Barcaccia fountain to the church of Trinità dei Monti.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Shopping
Neighbourhood · Trastevere
Trastevere and Santa Maria in Trastevere
Wander in the late afternoon, climb the Janiculum for sunset, then come back down for dinner.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Couples
- After dark
- Views
Museum · Capitoline Hill
Capitoline Museums
Often called the world's oldest public museum, founded in 1471, the Capitoline Museums face Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Views
- Rainy day
Day trips in spring
- Ostia Antica (About 40 minutes by train) — Ancient Rome's port is a sprawling, pine-shaded archaeological site where you can walk into apartment blocks, bakeries, a theatre and public latrines, with mosaics of shipping guilds in the Square of the Corporations.
- Tivoli (About 1 hour by train or bus) — Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites lie close together: Villa d'Este, with Renaissance terraced gardens full of fountains, and Hadrian's Villa, the emperor's vast country retreat below the town.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Rome?
Yes: April–May are among the best months. Warm days, wisteria and outdoor tables, with Easter and Italian holidays creating some of the busiest weeks of the year at the Vatican.
+What is the weather like in Rome in spring?
Highs of up to 24°C (75°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F), with about 20 rainy days over the season.