Rome January: Rome in January is very interesting. The xmas holidays end on the 6th of January and the winter sales begin. Whether luxury brands or reasonably priced goods, you will find current fashion at greatly reduced prices. Temperatures are mild and frost rarely occurs towards the end of the month.
Starting from the end of the Christmas season (6th January) there are fewer tourists in Rome. January is a good month to visit the many Roman museums.
Also in January you have to reserve the entrance time at the Coliseum, at the Vatican Museums and at the Galerie Borghese, otherwise there may be waiting times.
In the cold season, the heavy Roman cuisine tastes particularly good. You can get to know many delicious specialties.
In January in Rome you will find everything: churches and museums, good food and the winter sales.
Museums opening hours
Colosseum Rome January
The Colosseum is the most visited museum in Italy. It can only be visited by reservation.
Opening hours:
8:30 – 15:30 closing 16:30.
On the 1st of January is closed.
Details about the Colosseum Tickets>
First Sunday of the month free entry
On January 5th, the entrance to the Colosseum is free and no reservation is possible. Due to the high demand, there are long waiting times for the issue of free tickets as well as for the security check. On January 1st, the Colosseum Archeopark is closed like all the museums in Rome.
Sunday 5 January, entry to all national museums is free. The museums of the municipality of Rome also offer free entry on 5 January, with the exception of the special exhibitions. All information and opening times can be found in the list of museums.
Tickets for the National Museums
Vatican Museums Rome January
The Vatican Museums are among the most visited museums worldwide. During normal opening hours the Vatican Museums are always very busy. It is much quieter before the official opening in the early morning.
For the Vatican Museums you should buy the tickets well in advance. Otherwise you risk long waiting times at the cash register. Details about the Vatican Museums>
The Vatican Museums are closed on January 1st + 6th and every Sunday except for the last Sunday of the month.
Opening hours 9 – 16 closing 18.
Free entry to the Vatican Museums is on Sunday, January 26, 2020 . However, there are long lines and it gets extremely crowded. 9 – 12:30 closing 14:00
Tickets Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
When is St. Peter's closed in January
St. Peter’s Basilica is closed during the pope’s celebrations, for which you need invitations.
These are the dates of the Pope in January:
Masses on January 1st and 6th at 10:00 and Sunday 12th at 9:30 in St. Peter’s Basilica
General Audiences on every Wednesday with the exception of 1st January
Angelus prayer on January 1st and 6th and every Sunday at 12:00 in St. Peter’s Square. For the Angelus prayer you don’t need invitaton.
Events
For nativity scenes (until 12.1.2020), amusement parks and the Christmas market in Piazza Navona read
Rome Christmas 2019 · Markets · Nativity scenes · Museums
Rome Christmas 2019. Here you will learn everything about Christmas markets in… →
You will need invitation cards for all the Pope’s Masses in St. Peter’s Basilica and for the General Audiences.
1.1. 10:00 Pope’s Mass
1.1. 12:00 Angelus prayer of the Pope
6.1. Epiphany, Feast of the Befana
10:00 Pope’s Mass
12:00 Angelus prayer of the Pope
12.1. 10:00 Trofeo Lidense 15km run in Ostia Web www.trofeolidense.it
12.1. 9:30 Pope’s Mass The baptism of the Lord – with the baptism of some children
12.1. 12:00 Angelus prayer of the Pope
15.1. Papal general audience
19.1. Traffic-calmed Sunday – driving ban for private vehicles with combustion engines in the green zone
7:30 – 12:30, 16:30 – 20:30
19.1. 12:00 Angelus prayer of the Pope
19.1. La corsa di Miguel
Start 9:30 La Corsa di Miguel – 10 km run Piazzale della Farnesina (between Ponte Milvio and the Olympic Stadium) – 3 km run from Ponte della Musica
22.1. Papal general audience
25.1. Chinese New Year
25.1. 19:00 Oltre la serratura
Concert in the Villa of the Order of Malta – Luigi Piovano, violoncello
musiche di J.S. Bach, A. Piovano e L. Andriessen
26.1. 12:00 Angelus prayer of the Pope
29.1. Papal general audience
31.1.-2.2. Via Pulchritudinis International Fair of Sacred Art. Music, liturgical furnishings, paintings, sculptures, glass art
Fiera di Roma – Rome Fair Train FL1 direction Fiumicino airport
31.1. -2.2. Roma Travel Show Travel fair
Palazzo dei Congressi, Piazza John F. Kennedy 
Bus 30/130F, 170, 714, 791, N2, N3 Colombo/Agricoltura
Exhibitions
Cinecittà si mostra Visit the dream factory of Roman cinema, Metro A Station Cinecittà Tickets
Stadium of the Domitian The stadium under Piazza NavonaVia di Tor Sanguigna 3 Tickets
Galleria Colonna – one of the largest ancient private palaces in Rome. The most beautiful rooms of the palace and the art collection of the family with artists from the 15th and 16th centuries such as Pinturicchio, Cosmè Tura, Carracci, Guido Reni, Tintoretto, Salvator Rosa, Bronzino, Guercino, Veronese, Vanvitelli
Via della Pilotta 17 (near Piazza Venezia) Bus 51, 60, 63, 80, 83, 85, 160, 170, H, n5, n8, n11, n90, n543, n716 (Piazza Venezia) Tickets
Domus Romane – the Roman houses under Palazzo ValentiniPiazza Venezia, Via Foro Traiano 85, opposite the pillar of the Trajan Tickets
Capuchin Crypt – Museum and Crypt of the Capuchins
Via Vittorio Veneto 27 Bus 52, 53, 61, 63, 80, 83, 160, n90, nMA (Barberini) Tickets
Leonardo da Vinci Museum – in the Galleria Agostiana at Piazza del Popolo
Piazza del Popolo 12 Metro A, Tram 2, Bus 61, 89, 160, 490, 495, 628, nMA (Flaminio) Roma – Viterbo Tickets
The Coliseum tells of itself, permanent exhibition in the Coliseum – with the support of Heinz Beste, DAI Rom
Piazza del Colosseo Metro B Colosseo Tickets
Arte Virtuale Van Gogh e Monet Experience – Virtual Art Van Gogh and Monet in Videocittà
Ex Barracks Guido Reni, Via Guido Reni 7 Hall X Tram 2 Apollodoro or Flaminia/Reni Tickets
Living Dinosaurs Live – an incredible journey through time in Videocittà
Ex Barracks Guido Reni, Via Guido Reni 7 Hall 11 + 12 Tram 2 Apollodoro or Flaminia/Reni Tickets
until January 12 – Mo(nu)mentum . Robert Morris 2015-2018
National Gallery of Modern Art Tuesday – Sunday 8:30am – 7:30pm via delle belle arti 131 Tram 3, 19 Galleria Arte Moderna
Until January 26 – Gioiello. Intimo colloquio, jewels and sculptures in the Villa Torlonia, Casina delle Civette
Tuesday – Sunday 9-19 Via Nomentana Bus Nomentana/Villa Torlonia 60, 66, 82
until February 2, Colors of the Etruscans, Treasures in terracotta in the Centrale Montemartini, Via Ostiense 106, Metro B Garbatella, Bus 23, 769, 792 Ostiense/Garbatella Tickets
until March 1 – Roads Of Arabia – Archaeological Treasures of Saudi Arabia, special exhibition in the Baths of Diocletian via Enrico de Nicola 79 Termini train station, Metro A Repubblica Tickets
until March 29 Carthage – The immortal myth, special exhibition in the Colosseum
Piazza del Colosseo Metro B Colosseo Tickets
Impressionisti segreti, treasures from private collections, including Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, Pissarro, Sisley, Caillebotte, Morisot, Gonzalès, Gauguin, Signac, Van Rysselberghe and Cross
Palazzo Bonaparte – at Piazza Venezia Tickets
Bacon, Freud, La scuola di Londra, Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud, two giants of painting for the first time in Italy in a joint exhibition Chiostro del Bramante Bus 30, 70, 81, 87, 492, 628, C3 Zanardelli
Tickets at 
Canova, eternal beauty, an exhibition of international collections, Museo di Roma Tuesday – Sunday 9-19 Piazza Navona
The sculptor Canova (1757-1822) with his marble figures is one of the main representatives of Italian classicism. Exhibition at the Museo di Roma Palazzo Braschi in Piazza Navona. Tickets for Palazzo Braschi
Frida Kahlo – Il caos dentro, a documentary Spazio Eventi Via Tirso 16 Tram 3, 19 Bus 63, 83, 92 Buenos Aires
Tickets at
I love Lego An exhibition for children of all ages and for Lego lovers
Palazzo Bonaparte – bei Piazza Venezia Tickets
Concerts
16.1. A Silent Noise in concert
22-23:30 Klang, Via Stefano Colonna 9
Tram 5, 14, 19 Piazzale Prenestino
Freier Eintritt
24.1. Gigi D’Alessio – Nino D’Angelo – Palazzo dello Sport
Metro B EUR Palasport
Tickets
MezzoSangue Rap – Atlantico
Via dell’Oceano Atlantico, 271/d
Tickets
Viale J.F. Kennedy 52, Ciampino Stazione Ciampino
Tickets
The music park of Rome
A jewel is the Parco della Musica, built by the internationally renowned architect Renzo Piano, in the north of Rome on Via Flaminia. Tram 2
The Parco della Musica has several auditoriums and an open air theater. Here you find performances in all styles.
Some events are organized together with the House of Jazz “Casa del Jazz” Events and tickets Casa del Jazz
Bus 160, 671, 714, 792
Classical music
5.1. 11:00 Family Concert Piano & Voice
5.1. 11:30 – 17:30 – 6.1. 11:30 Cosa bolle in Orchestra Entertaining spectacle with the artist clowns Michele Cafaggi and Davide Baldi
8.1. 20:30 Archi di Santa Cecilia Luigi Piovano direttore Avi Avital mandolino
Haydn – the creation
9.1. 19:30 – 10.1. 20:30 11.1. 18:00
Antonio Pappano – Janine Jansen
16.1. 19:30 – 17.1. 20:30 18.1. 18:00
20.1. 20:30 Beethoven Integrale delle sonate per pianoforte e violino
29.1. 20:30 Bach: 12 capolavori suonati e spiegati da Mario Brunello
30.1. 19.30 – 31.1. 20:30 – 1.2. 18:00 Tchaikovsky – Piano concerto
Practical tips for Rome January
Climate and clothing
The maximum temperatures in January in Rome, according to statistics, are at 13 ° C, the minimum temperatures at 3 ° C. January is the coldest month in Rome.
It can rain occasionally in January. The rain does not last long and you may find a shelter. After 15 or 30 minutes, everything is usually over again.
It is memorable when there is snow or frost in Rome. That happens only once in three or four years. This special spectacle then goes through all the newspapers.
Since you spend a lot of time outdoors in Rome, you need warm clothing and rainwear. Also important in Rome are comfortable shoes, as you will be walking a lot and the walkways are often bumpy.
Rome for early risers
Of course, it takes some overcoming to get up in the dark. Nevertheless, I would like to recommend that you start a day early in the morning. There is very little traffic in Rome until six o’clock in the morning and you can take beautiful photos of monuments and squares undisturbed. With a little luck, you’ll find a misty morning that offers beautiful and unique photo opportunities. The sunrise is in Rome in November between 7:38 and 7:25.
The early morning is also the best time to jog.
Mid season in Rome, what you should consider
As soon as the Christmas holidaysare over on the 6th of January, the sights in Rome will be quieter.
There are fewer visitors to Rome in January because it’s pretty cold.
If you would like to visit the museums in Rome and the Vatican, January is the best month for you.
Rome is also interesting for shopping in January. Very interesting are the offers in winter sales.
Even if you always have to book for the main attractions such as the Coosseum and the Vatican Museums, the visit is much more pleasant because there are not that many visitors.
Entry to St. Peter’s Basilica is free.
In any case, I would advise you to take a guided tour, because otherwise you will not be able to capture many of the details of the basilica with its more than 1,500-year history. If you book the tour in advance on the Internet, you can pass the queue at the security checkpoint with priority granted by the visitor service of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Trevi Fountain often attracts so many visitors that it has to be closed for security reasons. Book a hotel in the center and visit the fountains and squares before breakfast when no other visitors are there. This is a unique experience! Very usful are the Hop on hop off buses, especially between the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the Colosseum and Castel Sant’Angelo. The buses run at regular intervals and are more reliable than public transport. 
If you are walking in the center, choose one of the small romantic back streets with less traffic. I have prepared some tips with half-day programs in the category Three days in Rome.Food
Romans have an extensive lunch only on Sundays. During the week they take only a sandwich at a bar or a first course in a small restaurant.
In Rome there is an interesting street food scene and of course the best pizza al taglio. Also in January, the ice cream parlors are open. The best ice cream parlors offer flavor variations for every season. For dinner, the Romans spend more time. It can take several hours between appetizer and dessert. There is a lot of fish and grilled. The heavy Roman Cuisine is very suitable for January. Book a street food tour to get a good introduction.
Also in January it is a good idea to take the train from the pyramid to Ostia and have a nice dinner by the sea.
Winter sales
Italian fashion is known worldwide and everyone will envy you for your purchases.
In January everything has to go out and you can find many interesting bargains. Leave enough space in the suitcase for your purchases!
The luxury brands can be found around Via dei Condotti, which leads from the Spanish Steps to Via del Corso. Along Via del Corso you will find shops in all price ranges.
A special consumption temple is the department store La Rinascente in via del Tritone. In the basement you can visit the ancient aqueduct which supplies water to the Trevi Fountain and the fountains in Piazza Navona. On the roof terrace you have a wonderful view over the city.
Also in the side streets around Piazza Navona and around Campo de ‘Fiori there are many nice little shops and boutiques.
Other shopping streets are Via Cola di Rienzo and Via Appia. The Via Marconi and the Via Tuscolana as well as the newly built shopping centers are too far away from the center for most tourists. Read about shopping in Rome.
Excursions
It’s a good idea to take a day to explore Rome’s surroundings.
Very popular is the drive to the sea to Ostia with the local train from the pyramid (Metro B) to Ostia Lido. On the way you can see the interesting archaeological excavations in Ostia Antica.
Here you will find a complete trading city with theater. The theater stages some concerts still today.
When the weather is nice, you can take a walk on the beach and enjoy the fresh salty sea air. Read also my Day trip to Ostia
Very interesting is a visit to the Villa D’Este in Tivoli. The numerous fountains and water features fed by the river Aniene provide a cool breeze even on hot days. Not far from Villa D’Este is Villa Adriana, the largest villa ever built by an emperor. It is always hot there in summer, but in November the visit is very pleasant. Nice is also a trip to Castel Gandolfo. There you can visit the papal summer residence and have a good lunch with local wine. 
A little further away is Assisi, where St. Francis founded his order. You can visit the Basilica of St. Francis there and enjoy a lunch of excellent Umbrian cuisine.