Best Time to Visit Rome: Month by Month (Weather, Crowds and Events)

The best time to visit Rome is from mid-April to early June and from mid-September to October, when average highs are 19–27°C (66–80°F). For fewer crowds, choose November, January or February, and pack for rain. July and August are hot: on most days the temperature reaches 30°C (86°F) or more.

Rome is a year-round city, but each season changes your trip: the weather, the queues, the opening hours and what is happening in the streets. This guide, from a local tour operator working in Rome since 2012, brings together the official climate averages, the holidays and events of the next twelve months, and what we see on the ground.

When is the best time to visit Rome?

There is no bad month for Rome, but some months suit some trips better:

• Spring (mid-April to May) and autumn (mid-September to October) have the most comfortable weather for long days on foot. They are also the busiest months, so book tickets and tours early.
• Summer (June to August) brings long, sunny days and very hot afternoons.
• Winter (November to February) is the quietest season, apart from the Christmas holidays. Days are short and cool, and November and December are the rainiest months.

If you can choose only one month, we suggest May or October.

What is the weather like in Rome month by month?

The table shows the official 30-year averages (1991–2020) for the Rome Ciampino weather station, southeast of the center, published by the World Meteorological Organization. A “rainy day” has at least 1 mm of rain. The crowd levels are our estimate based on 14 years of tours, not official data.

What the averages do not show:

• Heat: in July and August, about two days out of three reach 30°C (86°F) or more. The record highs in the 1991–2020 data are 38°C in July and 40°C in August.
• Rain: October to December have the most days of heavy rain, and September to November the most thunderstorms. Summer rain is rare.
• Daylight: the sun sets at around 16:40 in December and around 20:45 in late June.

When is Rome least crowded?

The quietest weeks are in November (after the 1 November holiday), early December (before 8 December) and mid-January to February. The Colosseum and the Vatican Museums are never empty, but in these weeks it is easier to find tickets at short notice.

The busiest periods are Easter week (in 2027, the days up to Easter Sunday, 28 March), late April to June, September and October, and the Christmas holidays from 8 December to 6 January.

In any season, start early: the Vatican Museums open at 8:00 and the Colosseum at 8:30, and the first time slots are usually the calmest. Book ahead, because official Colosseum tickets go on sale 30 days before your visit and the best slots sell out in spring and autumn.

What is Rome like in spring (March to May)?

Spring is mild and green. Average highs rise from 16°C (60°F) in March to 23°C (74°F) in May, with 6–7 rainy days a month, and evenings can still be cool.

Dates to know in spring 2027:

• 14 March: Rome Marathon. The race starts on Via dei Fori Imperiali and passes Piazza Venezia, the Circus Maximus and St Peter’s, so expect closed roads in the center that morning.
• 21–28 March: Holy Week and Easter. Easter Sunday is on 28 March 2027, and Rome is very busy, with papal celebrations at the Vatican.
• 21 April: Natale di Roma, the city’s traditional birthday. It is not a public holiday, but the city organizes free events: in 2026 there were band concerts in several squares of the center.

What is Rome like in summer (June to August)?

Summer is sunny and dry, with about two rainy days a month in July and August, but average highs reach 31–32°C (88–89°F). June is the most pleasant summer month, with long evenings: the sun sets at around 20:45.

How to enjoy Rome in the heat:

• See the big sights in the morning, rest in the early afternoon and go out again in the evening, when the city is cooler and the monuments are lit up.
• Carry a refillable bottle: Rome’s public drinking fountains, the nasoni, are free.
• Cover your shoulders and knees for St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums, even in July.

On 2 June, Republic Day, a military parade runs along Via dei Fori Imperiali in the morning, the Frecce Tricolori fly over the city and state museums are free. Around 15 August (Ferragosto), many Romans are away on holiday, and some family-run shops and restaurants close for a summer break.

What is Rome like in autumn (September to November)?

September still feels like summer, with average highs of 27°C (80°F). October is mild, at about 22°C (72°F), and for many visitors it is the best month of the year. Rain becomes more frequent from September, often with thunderstorms, and November is the wettest month: about 108 mm over 9 rainy days.

Since 2026, 4 October (St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy) is again a national public holiday; in 2027 it falls on a Monday. At the end of October the clocks go back one hour, the evenings get dark early and the Colosseum switches to winter hours.

What is Rome like in winter (December to February)?

Winter in Rome is mild but damp. Average highs are 12–13°C (54–55°F) and lows 3–5°C (38–40°F), with 7–9 rainy days a month, and snow is very rare. The days are short: in December the sun sets at around 16:40, and the Colosseum closes at 16:30.

Winter is the best season for shorter queues, with two exceptions:

• The Christmas season, from 8 December to 6 January. Christmas markets, nativity scenes and lights fill the center, and the city is busy, especially around Christmas Day and New Year. Our guide to Christmas in Rome covers the markets, the Masses at the Vatican and what is open.
• New Year’s Eve. For the last four years, the city of Rome has held a free New Year’s Eve concert at the Circus Maximus, starting at 21:00. The programme for 31 December 2026 has not been announced yet.

Do opening hours change with the seasons?

Some do. These are the current official hours:

The Vatican Museums are also closed on Sundays, except the last one of the month, and on several religious holidays, including 11 February, 19 March and Easter Monday. For tickets and rules, read our Vatican guide and our Colosseum guide.

Which public holidays and events should you plan around?

When are museums free in Rome?

• First Sunday of the month: state museums and archaeological sites are free, under the Ministry of Culture’s “Domenica al museo” scheme. This includes the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine, which are also free on 25 April, 2 June and 4 November. On these days Colosseum tickets cannot be booked: they are handed out at the Piazza del Colosseo ticket office in order of arrival, and the arena, the underground and the upper levels are closed. Our Colosseum tours, and our golf cart and Fiat 500 tours with a Colosseum ticket, do not run on these days. The next dates are 6 December 2026, 3 January and 7 February 2027.
• Last Sunday of the month: the Vatican Museums are free from 9:00 to 14:00 (last entry 12:30), unless the day is Easter, 29 June, or 25, 26 or 31 December. You cannot book, and the wait can be very long. The next dates are 29 November and 27 December 2026, 31 January and 28 February 2027; there is none in March 2027, because the last Sunday is Easter.

What is the best month for…?

What should you do if it rains in Rome?

Most rain falls between October and December. On a wet day:

• Stay flexible. Save open-air sites, such as the Roman Forum, the Palatine and the Appian Way, for dry days, and plan museums and churches for wet ones.
• Visit the Pantheon. When it rains, you can watch the drops fall through the oculus in the dome, while small holes in the floor drain the water. Read our Pantheon guide.
• Wear shoes with a good grip. Rome’s cobblestones, the sampietrini, are slippery when wet.
• Check the forecast on the Italian Air Force weather service, meteoam.it.
• Keep your golf cart tour. Our golf carts have rain covers and run all year. If it rains on the day of a Fiat 500 tour, we switch to golf carts with covers, and if none is available, we offer you another date or time.

See Rome in every season with us

Our private golf cart tour of Rome runs all year, in sun and in rain. Your driver picks you up at your hotel in the historic center and shows you landmarks such as the Colosseum, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain, seen from the outside, with a Trevi Fountain ticket and a gelato or coffee stop included. Tours last 2, 3 or 5 hours and start at 9:30, 10:00, 14:30, 18:00 or 18:30. The 2-hour tour runs from November to mid-April and costs €350 for 1–3 people, then €115 per person from 4. From November to January, the 18:00 start is already after dark.

Our golf cart tour by night lasts 2 hours and starts at 20:00, 21:00 or 22:00, when there is less traffic and the monuments are lit up. At 20:00 it costs €450 for 1–3 people, then €150 per person; later starts cost a little more.

The Rome by night tour in a vintage Fiat 500 is a 2-hour ride in a restored cabrio converted to electric, with your own driver. At 20:00 it costs €590 for 1–3 people, €1,180 for 4, then €240 per person from 5; later starts cost more. In winter, dress warmly: we have blankets on board.

All these tours are private, with up to 21 guests guaranteed and larger groups on request (on the 2-hour golf cart tour, the maximum depends on the start time). See all our golf cart tours in Rome, vintage Fiat 500 tours in Rome and night tours.

Explore it with us

Private Golf Cart Tour of Rome2, 3 or 5 hours, hotel pickup, runs in the rain · from €350 for 1–3 peopleBook nowGolf Cart Tour by Night2 hours, starting at 20:00, 21:00 or 22:00 · from €450 for 1–3 peopleBook nowRome by Night in a Vintage Fiat 5002 hours in an electric vintage cabrio · from €590 for 1–3 peopleBook now

FAQ

What is the best month to visit Rome?

May and October are the best all-round months, with average highs of 23°C (74°F) in May and 22°C (72°F) in October and only 6–7 rainy days. Both are busy, so book tickets and tours in advance.

When is Rome least crowded?

November, early December and the weeks from mid-January to February are the quietest, apart from public holidays. The days are shorter and wetter, but it is easier to find tickets and time slots at short notice.

Is November a good time to visit Rome?

Yes, if you don’t mind some rain. November is one of the quietest months, with average highs of 17°C (62°F), but it is also the wettest, with about 9 rainy days. Pack a waterproof jacket and shoes with a good grip.

What is the weather like in Rome in winter?

Mild but damp. From December to February, average highs are 12–13°C (54–55°F) and lows 3–5°C (38–40°F), with 7–9 rainy days a month, and snow is very rare. In December the sun sets at around 16:40.

Is August a good time to visit Rome?

Only if you can handle the heat. Average highs are 32°C (89°F), and most days reach 30°C (86°F) or more. Sightsee early in the morning and in the evening, and remember that the Vatican Museums are closed on 14 and 15 August.

What happens in Rome on New Year’s Eve?

For the last four years, the city has held a free New Year’s Eve concert at the Circus Maximus, starting at 21:00; the 2026 programme has not been announced yet. On 1 January, the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums are closed.