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Rome autumn. For Rome, autumn is the most popular season. Nature plays with colors, it’s not too hot and not too cold, just to feel good.
Autumn is the most popular season in Rome
Many visitors come to Rome, especially in October. It’s a little quieter in November and December. From mid-September it is high season in Rome and in October Rome has the highest number of visitors. Most visitors focus on a few sights, particularly St. Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Vatican Museums. It is therefore important to reserve in good time.
Autumn weather in Rome
Autumn begins on September 22nd and the autumn weather in Rome usually sticks to it. For the Romans, autumn begins with the start of the public school year in mid-September. From mid-September to early November, the temperatures in Rome are very pleasant. The heating season then begins between the beginning and mid of November. There is no frost in Rome in November and December. Sometimes there can be fog in the morning, which gives the city and parks a special atmosphere.
In autumn it sometimes rains heavily. The rain usually does not last long and it rarely rains for several days. While in Northern Europe everything is green in summer and brown in autumn, in Rome the grass is brown in summer and turns green again in autumn.
So follow the weather report and pack a rain cover. On rainy days you can visit the numerous churches and museums. When it rains, you take refuge in a church, a shop, a bar or a restaurant. In the Colosseum, too, you are pretty much safe from rain.
Climate data Rome autumn
| Sep | Oct | Nov | |
| Tmax Ø | 27°C/80.6°F | 21°C/69.8°F | 16°C/60.8°F |
| Tmax absolute | 40°C/104°F | 32°C/89.6°F | 25°C/77°F |
| Tmin Ø | 17°C/62.6°F | 13°C/55.4°F | 9°C/48.2°F |
| Tmin absolute | 4°C/39.2°F | 2°C/35.6°F | -5°C/23°F |
| Sunshine hours Ø | 7.3 | 5.2 | 4.4 |
| Days with rain Ø | 5 | 8 | 10 |
Source: www.wetter.com
Enjoy the autumn in Rome
The mild autumn climate is ideal for roaming the city. Take your time and don’t rush from one sight to the next. Find a nice spot and observe life. Only in the current center of Rome, the former Field of Mars, is it best to walk or take an e-scooter. Otherwise, there are a few bus lines that go from the center to many sights like the Vatican or the Catacombs. If you want to do all this on foot, you will need good shoes and blister plasters.
To get to know Rome, we recommend taking a hop on hop off bus. This way you can get a good feel for the city and decide what you want to see in more detail. You can find some recommendations for planning your day in our Three Days in Rome category. For the very sporty, we have also put together information on jogging and hiking.
What’s going on in autumn in Rome
For opening hours, exhibitions, events and concerts please read our monthly overviews.
November 1, All Saints, is a national holiday in Italy. Shops and museums are open except for the Vatican Museums.
Hotels
Until the end of September, it is advisable to choose accommodation with air conditioning.
Hotels around Termini Station are relatively inexpensive. However, they require the use of public transport or longer walks to reach the various sights.
If you want to experience authentic Roman city life, hotels in the center are perfect, right on the historic Mars Field, which stretches from the Tiber to Piazza del Popolo, the Spanish Steps and Piazza Venezia. If you choose a hotel on the other side of the Tiber, make sure it is not too far from the Vatican. You can find more hotel suggestions on our Hotels page.
Gastronomy
On your sightseeing tour of Rome, you will likely only have a short break for lunch.
Whether you want an opulent dinner, a pizza, a sandwich, an ice cream or something sweet, in Rome you will find a large selection of the best quality. Roman gastronomy is usually excellent. In our food category you will find tips on street food, pizza, the best ice cream parlors, but also on very elegant restaurants. For an initial overview, we recommend a street food tour.
The cooler it gets, the better the heavy Roman cuisine tastes. Typical dishes are fried rice balls, supplì, and oxtail in tomato sauce, coda alla vaccinara. In autumn, local artichokes also appear on the market, either “alla Romana”, boiled, or “alla giudia”, fried.
It is also worth mentioning in particular the fried stockfish – baccalà – which you can enjoy all year round with a nice cool beer or a fresh wine.
Of course there are always pasta dishes such as Cacio e Pepe, Gricia, Amatriciana and Carbonara.
The Romans also like to eat fish. Good fish restaurants are everywhere in Rome and of course by the sea in Ostia and Fiumicino. Very good, and usually expensive, restaurants also offer raw fish and raw shellfish.
Shopping
Rome is a shopping paradise. Regardless of whether you want to stock up on fashion, look for vintage or antiques or bring a culinary specialty home with you, you will find the right ideas in our Shopping category.
On December 8, the Christmas lights are officially switched on, in the central luxury shopping street Via dei Condotti even earlier. The stores are decorated extra festive and on the weekends many people come to store in the city.
In the early evenings, a stroll through the alleys lined with quaint stores is particularly atmospheric. Take a break along the way for an ice cream with winter flavors, a tiramisù or a mulled wine.
Amusement parks
Some amusement parks in Rome and the surrounding area offer a welcome change of pace.
Luneur
The Luneur Park offers many rides. It is located in the south of the city in the EUR district on Via Cristoforo Colombo. The opening hours are irregular in winter, mostly Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 18, in summer daily until midnight. On the Luneur website you can see the calendar with the opening days. Bus connections are lines 30, 170, 714 and 791, Colombo / Agricoltura stop. From there it is 750 meters to the entrance on Via delle Tre Fontane 100.
Hydromania
Hydromania is an pleasure bath in western Rome.
Hydromania is located at exit 33 of the Grande Raccordo Anulare. Unfortunately it is not easy to reach by public transport. The journey by bus 088 from the terminus of Tram 8 near Casaletto is a bit lengthy.
Cinecittà World
Cinecittà World is a theme park about cinema and television. It is located next to the Castel Romano outlet center on Via Pontina between Rome and Pomezia. A shuttle bus runs from the Termini main station. Tickets
Roma World
Roma World is a theme park on ancient Rome. It is right next to Cinecittà World. The program is supported by the Gruppo Storico Romano. Roma World is open in summer. Tickets
Excursions in the area
Rome has a beautiful environment and in autumn it is especially lovely. It is the time of harvest with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and with the grape harvest.
It is worth renting a car and exploring the surroundings of Rome. Our excursions usually take us north towards Lago di Bracciano or Lago di Vico, to Viterbo, Orvieto or Assisi. But also a visit to the wine villages of the Castelli Romani is worthwhile. At the seaside you can eat delicious food all year round.
Trips to the sea
Most Romans go to the sea to eat good fish with a bottle of wine. The bathing season lasts well into November, and you can soak up the sun while walking along the beach.
It is very easy to get to Ostia Lido. A ticket for city traffic is sufficient for the journey and on the way you can visit the excavations of the old port city of Ostia Antica.
Formia is very beautiful in the south of Rome. The journey from Roma Termini takes around 90 minutes.
Trips to the mountains
Castel Gandolfo, the Pope’s summer residence, is one of the wine villages. The palace and gardens at Castel Gandolfo can be visited.
You can get to Castel Gandolfo by train from Roma Termini or from Ciampino with a 3-zone ticket. The train station is on the volcanic hill between Lake Albano and the village.
Another popular destination is Tivoli. The place is the namesake of many amusement parks. The main reason is Villa D’Este with its water features and magnificent view over Rome to the sea. Nearby Villa Gregoriana has a circular trail with lots of nature, spectacular waterfalls and ancient relics. Further down the valley is Villa Adriana, the stately residence of Emperor Hadrian.
Day trips
With the high-speed trains that are punctual to the minute, Florence and Naples are only around 1 ½ hours away. With our tips you can put together your own day tour or book an organized tour. Take a day to stroll around Florence and see the world famous Uffizi Gallery. Or visit the excavations in Pompeii and see Vesuvius, which is still active today and buried the city under its ashes. A day trip to Venice is also a good idea.
Find tickets and tours on GetYourGuide:
Thank you for all the information on your site.
I have a question about the ecological sunday with the traffic ban. How can I reach Fiumicino airport? My hotel is near Piazza Navona. Thank you for your help.
Hi Anne, The traffic ban is not for taxis, the limousine service and public transport. Read here how to get to Fiumicino Airport.
Enjoy your stay in Rome