Best Time To Visit Rome | A Comprehensive Month On Month Guide To Rome

The coldest month of Rome, starts off with festivities of the New Year’s and occasions such as the La Festa dell'Epifania (Epiphany) and the Festa di Sant'antonio Abate (blessing of the animals). A low season as the cold wind does not invite much tourists and neither the locals, who are exhausted from the December festivities wander out much. So, a visit in January enables you to wander and explore the city, pretty much on your own pace. In addition, an annual massive winter sale is organised all over Italy. Almost all participating shops, including the high-end ones, offer staggering discounts upto 70% for a period of 60 days.

In comparison, Rome in February is calmer than in the other months. The winter winds continues and so does annual winter sale with massive deals and discounts. Festa di San Valentino aka the Valentine’s day is celebrated with quite the oomph, along with the usual fan fare of hearts and chocolates, you can spot padlocks placed on bridges and other unexpected spots. Couples could also avail a two-for-one ticket deal at all state-run museums and archaeological sites. The annual carnevale organised during the week before Lent usually falls in February and various events are organised at the Piazza del Popolo, including choreographed horse shows, races, dancers and costumed performers.

An italian saying, marzo è pazzo (March is crazy) aptly suits the weather of Rome in March. One day you might feel that spring and sunshine are making a comeback and on the next day you’ll realize that winter isn’t done yet. From Festa della Donna (International women’s day) to the commemoration of Caesar’s death, Rome observes a number of special occasions during the month. If Easter in Rome falls during the month of March, expect a high influx of tourists and locals visiting to participate in the festivities, otherwise the crowd is comparatively thin. Depending upon the day’s weather you can either enjoy you a hearty scoop of gelato or indulge in some heart warming traditional Roman dishes.

April in Rome is quite special, for one Rome celebrates its birthday on the 21st of April, with all the fanfare. Roman streets and parks becomes the place to be as the spring bathes the whole of Rome with blooming flowers such as roses, wisteria, azaleas and poppies. Events like the spring festival, Rome Marathon, the Roman artichoke festival and liberation day brings the whole city alive with activities. The buzz is further intensified if Easter happens to fall in April. In addition, the month also offers yummy and scrumptious spring special and Easter special traditional recipes, only available during this time of the year.

The pink azaleas on the spanish steps, the roses from the rose garden and the wisterias on the tree laden paths, Rome literally blooms out during May. Starting off the month right, Primo Maggio, labour day in italy is celebrated on May 1st with a free concert at San Giovanni. Before the storm of summertime tourist arrives, the city packs in some amazing cultural activities such as the Open House Roma, Rome Outdoor Festival and Notte dei Musei ( Night at the Museums). Not missing on the sports front the city also hosts the BNL Tennis championships at the Olympic Stadium and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

As the temperature starts rising, the official high season for Rome begins. The city preps to entertain the locals as well as the inflow of tourists with a number of interesting events including Festa della Repubblica, its Republic Day, the Gay Village Festival, the Roma Estate Lungotevere and the Festa di San Giovanni (The Feast of Saint John). One of the perks of visiting Rome in June is that you can observe the city’s transition from spring to summer and can enjoy some of best ice cream(gelato) you’ll ever had. Though the flip side is that the accommodation prices and the crowds are on the higher side of the spectrum.

While July is the warmest month in Rome, the hot temperatures do not ditter the tourists from visiting the eternal city. In fact, July is one of the best months to visit Rome in order to experience some outdoor events such as cinema in the piazza, concerts in Teatro Marcello or the opera at the baths of Caracalla. The annual mega summer sales also kicks in around mid- July to enchant everyone further. Despite the long lines at the major Rome attractions and the scorching heat, tourists have a gala time as they can unwind in the perfectly warm night, looking over a great view, while sipping some great wine.

The fanfare of July festivals such as Festival di Caracalla, the opera under the stars at the baths of Caracalla, the Gay Village Festival and the Summer shopping sales extend well into the August. While the summer sun is still scorching a slight breeze sombers the harsh effects. However, Rome observes Ferragosto, The holiday of assumption on August 15, after which the italian’s leave for their summer holidays. As a result, much of Rome is closed for the last two weeks of August. Note that, the Gran Ballo di Ferragosto is observed on Ferragosto, filling all of Rome’s squares with live dance performances.

Though the tourist crowd thins comparably during September, the month is filled with exciting indoor and outdoor activities. Sagra dell’Uva, the grape harvest festival allows visitors to honor the grape; notably grapes, food and wine are sold at bargain prices. The Notte Bianca Festival (the white night festival) and the Arts and Antique Fairs celebrates the heritage of art and culture of the city. Most museums and galleries in the city offer new shows after the summer respite, inviting art lovers across the globe. While the summer wave is still strong, evening tends to be bit cooler with increased chances of rainfall.

The onset of Fall brings a bite to the October air, while the days are still warm, nights become comfortably cool. The green leaves starts changing colours, enveloping the city in the beautiful undertones of falls. Many outdoor sites are open later than usual as the pleasant weather gives the perfect setting for long walks and visiting such places. Inspired from the season, Roma Europa Festival hosts variety of music concerts during the month of October and November. The International Film Festival of Rome with all its A-list stars and the grand halloween celebrations further lures locals and tourists to enjoy the outdoors, before the winter sets in.

Rome in November is full of surprises, it can vary between pleasant, chilly and rainy days. The days becomes shorter as the temperature starts to drop by each passing day. Though comparatively low, November does receives its fair share of tourists, who are looking to explore the eternal city before the cold season sets in. Between the Roma Jazz Festival, the Roma Europa Festival and the Feast of Saint Cecilia (the patron saint of all musicians) November observes various live events by local and international musicians accompanied by mouth-watering cuisine. However, the best of all, November marks the official beginning of Rome’s favorite Artichoke season.

During December, Rome turns into a winter wonderland. While the snow is missing the festivities, the spectacular decorations donned by the city’s magnificent churches and old piazzas and the buzz around the town makes up for it. In addition, December offers the perks of cheaper accommodations and commute along with comparatively thinner crowd at major attractions. Submerged in Christmas spirit, depictions of the Nativity scenes are displayed throughout Rome and the Piazza Navona market becomes a hub for all things Christmas. Several public and private events are organised to ring the New Year, the Piazza del Popolo holds the largest public celebration, featuring music, dancing and fireworks. New Year's in Rome is an equally pompous affair with festivities all around and grand masses in most churches around the city.