Rome May Baths of Diocletian

Rome May 2024 · May in Rome is worth a visit

Last Updated on 28. March 2024

May is an excellent month to visit Rome. The weather is almost summery and the city is less crowded. Take this chance for a pleasant and relaxing holiday.

Partner-Links helfen uns dabei, unsere Informationen kostenlos bereitzustellen. Für abgeschlossene Buchungen erhalten wir eine Provision – ohne Mehrkosten für Sie! Mehr

Partner links help us to provide our information free of charge. For completed bookings we receive a commission – at no extra cost to you! More

I link dei partner ci aiutano a fornire gratuitamente le nostre informazioni. Riceviamo una commissione per le prenotazioni completate, senza alcun costo aggiuntivo per voi! Di più

May in Rome

May in Rome is a busy time with considerable crowds. However, Rome being a expansive city, there are numerous hidden gems to uncover just beyond the typical tourist routes.

To secure accommodations in the prime city center location, a substantial budget is necessary. For detailed insights on our preferred options, tips on finding affordable rooms, and recommendations for favorable areas, please refer to our comprehensive guide on Hotels in Rome.

Welcome to Rome show

Welcome to Rome Multimediashow

In the center of Rome, between the Vatican and Piazza Navona, a 30-minute multidimensional film show and an exhibition with interactive models await you.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 203 Google maps Bus 46, 62, 64, 916 C.so Vittorio Emanuele / Navona

Tickets

May temperatures in Rome

What is the weather like in Rome during May?

The weather in Rome during May is perfect, with warm daytime temperatures and cool nights. Rainfall is rare.

The highest temperature ever recorded in May was 34°C/93.2°F, the lowest was 2°C/35.6°F.

Climate data May

Tmax Ø23°C/73.8°F
Tmin Ø13°C/55.4°F
Sunshine hours Ø7.3
Days with rain Ø7

Source: www.wetter.com

What to wear in Rome in May

Rome May Baths of Diocletian dance

You will be out and about a lot in Rome. Don’t forget to protect yourself from the sun. For outdoor activities in the evenings it is advisable to have a light jacket and for unexpected rain showers a foldable cape. Comfortable shoes are important due to extensive walking and uneven sidewalks in Rome.

Keep in mind the dress code when visiting sacred sites, such as churches and catacombs. Shoulders and knees should be covered, so if you’re wearing off-the-shoulder shirts or dresses, a shawl or pareo will be needed.

What’s on?

Apart from May 1st, there are no public holidays in May. Most shops in the city center remain open throughout the week, including weekends, allowing for convenient shopping. Rome offers a plethora of sights and experiences, especially with the arrival of summer temperatures.

To capture a May sunrise in Rome, an early wake-up call is necessary. At the beginning of May, the sunrise occurs at 6:08 am, while at the end of May, it is as early as 5:39 am. Before 6 am, the streets are peaceful with minimal traffic, and some joggers can be seen enjoying their morning runs. The deserted Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain can be captured in photographs. St. Peter’s Basilica can be visited from 7 am, allowing you to experience the magnificence of this basilica almost in solitude.

Rome May Opening hours

St. Peter’s Basilica

Basilica 7-19.10 – Dome 7.30-18 – Cathedral Treasury 7.30-18.30

More information about St. Peter’s Basilica>

St. Peter’s Basilica is closed during the Pope’s celebrations for which you need invitation cards. In May, these are the masses of Pope Francis on Pentecost Sunday and the audiences on Wednesday mornings.

Colosseum

8:30 am – 18:15 Closing 19:15

Admission is free on the first Sunday of the month

Details about the Colosseum>

Vatican Museums

Monday – Thursday 8 – 17 Closed 19, Friday – Saturday 8 – 18 Closed 20. Closed on Sundays and May 1.

Free admission on Sunday 26, 9 – 12:30 closing 14:00.

Details on the Vatican Museums>

City museums and national museums

In Rome, some of the museums belong to the municipality and some to the state.

Rome May Capitoline Museums

The city’s museums include the Capitoline Museums, Trajan’s Markets, Imperial Forums and numerous other museums. National museums include the Colosseum, Castel Sant’Angelo, Borghese Gallery and many more. For the full list of museums, opening times and tickets, see our Rome Museums page.

Free entry

Admission to all national museums and the museums of the municipality of Rome is free on May 5.

Night of the museums

On May 18 is the European Night Museums. Many museums participate and offer a cultural program with animations and spectacles. City museums 8 pm – 2 am, National Museums 7 pm – 10 pm.

Exhibitions

Rome Rose Garden Roseto comunale

The rose garden of the Municipality of Rome is open daily 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. The Rose Garden is located on the slope of the Aventine above the Circus Maximus. Admission is free of charge.

Until May 18 only the Collections section is open, from May 19 the Competitions section is also open.

may

30may2427oct24The art of women in RomeExhibition of women artists active in Rome during the twentieth centuryMusei di Villa Torlonia, Via Nomentana, 70, 00161 Roma RM

25may2403nov24Keith Haring DeletedPhoto exhibition on the figure Keith Haring.Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Via Francesco Crispi, 24, 00187 Roma RM

17may2406oct24Dino PedrialiRetrospective on Dino Pedriali (Rome, 1950-2021), curated by Massimo Scaringella and produced by the Dino Pedriali Archive, which aims to explore the photographer's artistic journey through the presentation of more than 100 photographic works from the 1970s to the present day.Museo di Roma in Trastevere, Piazza di S. Egidio, 1/b, 00153 Roma RM

15may2415sep24Genius Loci TtozoiOn display are works created by the artists of the TTOZOI duo (Stefano Forgione and Giuseppe Rossi) during work sessions at the Royal Palace of Caserta (November 2017); the Amphitheater of the Pompeii Archaeological Complex (December 2017); and the Colosseum (June 2022).Museo Carlo Bilotti Aranciera di Villa Borghese, Viale Fiorello La Guardia, 6, 00197 Roma RM

07may2415sep24Paolo Di Capua. Human NatureSolo exhibition of artist Paolo Di Capua including works created since the late 1990s.Museo Carlo Bilotti Aranciera di Villa Borghese, Viale Fiorello La Guardia, 6, 00197 Roma RM

01may2431mar25Elagabalus and Eastern Cults in RomeWith about 60 works from major Italian and international museums, this exhibition is divided into two major macro-areas.Mercati di Traiano, Via Quattro Novembre, 94, 00187 Roma RM

21apr2428jul24From father to son. Filippo and Filippino Lippi Florentine painters of the 15th centuryThe extraordinary case of a father and son, both exceptionally talented painters and draftsmen. Palazzo CaffarelliMusei Capitolini, Piazza del Campidoglio, 1, 00186 Roma RM

17apr2407jul24Ouka LeeleExhibition dedicated to the recently deceased multidisciplinary artist Ouka Leele, who combined photography and painting in an original way.Museo di Roma in Trastevere, Piazza di S. Egidio, 1/b, 00153 Roma RM

29mar2429sep24Theatrum. Actors authors and stories of ancient theaterThe life force of theatrical performances, their popularity, and the sometimes difficult lives of actors and other major players in the world of 'ludi' in Rome.Museo dell'Ara Pacis, Lungotevere in Augusta, 00186 Roma RM

15mar2408sep24Giuseppe Primoli and the fascination of the OrientOn the occasion of the exhibition on collecting Japanese art in Italy between the 19th and 20th centuries, the Napoleonic Museum offers a thematic exhibition on Count Giuseppe Primoli's interest in the art of Japan and, more generally, the Asian continent.Museo Napoleonico, Piazza di Ponte Umberto I, 1, 00186 Roma RM

01mar2416jun24Giacomo Matteotti. Life and Death of a Father of DemocracyOn the occasion of the centenary of his death, this exhibition pays tribute to the congressman and secretary of the Socialist Reformist Party Giacomo Matteotti, a central figure in the history of the 20th century, tracing his life, political journey and dramatic end.Museo di Roma, Piazza Navona, 2, 00186 Roma RM

24feb2426may24Reality Optional. Miaz Brothers with the masters of the 20th centuryThe works painted by the art duo Miaz Brothers depict blurred images of undefined characters, which only the viewer's memory and imagination can complete.Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Via Francesco Crispi, 24, 00187 Roma RM

20feb2423jun24UKIYOE. The Floating WorldThe exhibition is a fascinating journey into Edo-era Japanese art through a selection of 150 masterpieces between the 17th and 19th centuries including paintings, scrolls, fans and prints, and traditional Japanese objects such as kimonos and musical instruments.Museo di Roma, Piazza Navona, 2, 00186 Roma RM

25jan2405may24Giancarla Frare - Inhabiting DistanceExhibition with an anthological slant tracing Giancarla Frare's 40-year career.Musei di Villa Torlonia, Via Nomentana, 70, 00161 Roma RM

24jan2405may24Uninhabitable architecturesA new perspective on architecture, aimed at discovering a conception of it other than the one commonly associated with housing functionality.Centrale Montemartini, Via Ostiense, 106, 00154 Roma RM

17jan2405may24Hilde in ItalyPrints created by the skillful eye of German photographer Hilde Lotz-Bauer make up the photo exhibit hosted at the Museo di Roma in Trastevere.Museo di Roma in Trastevere, Piazza di S. Egidio, 1/b, 00153 Roma RM

01dec2305may24"Poetry looks at you". Homage to Group 70 (1963-2023)On May 24, 1963, the conference "Art and Communication" opened in Florence at Forte del Belvedere, which is considered by scholars to be the official founding act of Group 70.Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Via Francesco Crispi, 24, 00187 Roma RM

29nov2329sep24EMOTION. Contemporary Art tells about EmotionsA three-meter-tall mushroom welcomes and invites a journey. It had already happened in a fairy tale, in another journey, in another world, in another wonder: this is a journey in art.Chiostro del Bramante, Arco della Pace, 5, 00186 Roma RM

24nov2302jun24In the sign of Cambellotti. Virgilio Retrosi artist and craftsmanThe exhibition is based on the substantial body of ceramic plates depicting the Rioni di Roma in the collections of the Museum of RomeMusei di Villa Torlonia, Via Nomentana, 70, 00161 Roma RM

24nov2305may24PhidiasMonographic exhibition dedicated to Phidias, the greatest Greek sculptor of the classical age for the first time in Italy at the Capitoline Museums - Villa Caffarelli in Rome.Musei Capitolini, Piazza del Campidoglio, 1, 00186 Roma RM

31oct2305may24Escher100 years after his first visit to Rome in 1923, Escher returns to Rome with the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever dedicated to him, at the Palazzo Bonaparte.Palazzo Bonaparte, Piazza Venezia, 5, 00186 Roma RM

13apr2230apr32The Colors of Antiquity. Santarelli Marbles at the Capitoline MuseumsIn two rooms of Palazzo Clementino at the Capitoline Museums, there is on display a broad overview of the use of colored marbles, from their origins to the 20th century, through a fine selection of pieces from the Santarelli Foundation.Musei Capitolini, Piazza del Campidoglio, 1, 00186 Roma RM

Events in Rome in May

Papal audience every Wednesday at 9:00 am
Every Sunday at 12:00 Angelus prayer of the Pope at St. Peter’s Square

Ascension Day is celebrated on Sunday May 12, Pentecost on May 19

Porta Portese Market

every Sunday 7:00 – 14:00 Flea market & antiques

between Porta Portese and Via Ippolito Nievo Google maps

Ponte Milvio Market

Antiques market every Sunday

Between Ponte Milvio and Ponte Duca D’Aosta Google maps

Rome May 2024 · May in Rome is worth a visit 1

1.5. 9:00 Lavoro in corsa

10.3 km run and 5.35 km free run over Caelius Hill and Oppius Hill

Start: Via Carlo Felice web

Rome May 2024 · May in Rome is worth a visit 2

9-12 May Race for the Cure

Event for the fight against breast cancer. With 5km run and free run.

Circo Massimo https://www.raceforthecure.it/

Mercati di Traiano Nacht

May 18 Night of the Museums

City musems: With cultural program with animations and presentations. 8 pm – 2 am Ticket 1 €

Musei Capitolini, Centrale Montemartini, Mercati di Traiano – Museo dei Fori Imperiali, Museo dell’Ara Pacis, Museo di Roma, Museo Napoleonico, Museo di Roma in Trastevere, Museo Pietro Canonica a Villa Borghese, Musei di Villa Torlonia, Museo delle Mura, Museo Carlo Bilotti – Aranciera di Villa Borghese, Museo di Scultura Antica Giovanni Barracco, Museo Civico di Zoologia, Museo della Repubblica Romana e della memoria garibaldina, Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Museo di Casal de’ Pazzi.

National Museums: 7 pm – 10 pm Ticket 1 €

Colosseo, Pantheon, Galleria Borghese, Istituto autonomo Vittoriano e Palazzo Venezia, Museo Nazionale Romano – Palazzo Massimo – Palazzo Altemps – Terme di Diocleziano, Castel Sant’Angelo e Passetto di Borgo, Terme di Caracalla, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Museo nazionale etrusco di Villa Giulia, area archeologica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, Mitreo Barberini, Mercato di Testaccio, Museo nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo e Passetto di Borgo, Galleria Spada

Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Viale delle Belle Arti, 131 Google maps

Extraordinary opening of the Palazzo Palazzo Patrizi, seat of the Soprintendence, Via Cavalletti, 2 Google maps

Parco Archeologico dell’Appia Antica (Mausoleo di Cecilia Metella, Villa dei Quintili, Capo di Bove), Museo della Civiltà – Piazza Guglielmo Marconi, 14 (EUR)

Villa D’Este, Villa Adriana

may

30apr2419may24Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2024ATP World Tour Masters 1000 WTAForo Italico - Tennis, Viale delle Olimpiadi, 61, 00135 Roma RM

23may2426may24Bingham Cup 2024The inclusive Rugby World CupNew Rugby Roma, Via delle Tre Fontane, 5, 00144 Roma RM

26may2426may24Giro d’Italia – last stageStart: Roma EUR Finish: Via dei Fori ImperialiVia dei Fori Imperiali, Via dei Fori Imperiali, 00186 Roma RM

Concerts

Rome has a lively music scene. Many pubs and music venues offer live music, especially on weekends. Classical music can be found in many churches and palaces.

Rome’s Music Park​

The Parco della Musica Rome is a breathtaking architectural masterpiece by star architect Renzo Piano. The cultural complex on the Via Flaminia, with its unique concert halls and open-air stage, is a paradise for art and music lovers. Check out the calendar of events here. Tram 2 Parco della Musica

Casa del Jazz Paolo Fresu

Casa del Jazz Rome is a hidden gem located in a park just south of the Caracalla Baths, outside the city walls. This unique venue is all about Jazz and offers a vibrant and eclectic atmosphere for music lovers to enjoy.

Surrounded by lush greenery, Casa del Jazz provides a picturesque setting for musical events and concerts. The combination of nature and music creates a magical experience that you won’t find anywhere else in Rome. Check out the calendar of events here. Bus 160, 671, 714, 792 Casa del Jazz

may

01oct2331jul24Auditorium Parco della MusicaThe Music Park in Rome offers music from classical to folk to modern in concert halls and on an open-air stage.Parco della Musica, Via Pietro de Coubertin, 30, 00196 Roma RM

02may2409may24JenůfaLeoš JanáčekTeatro dell’Opera di Roma, Piazza Beniamino Gigli, 00184 Roma RM

04may2404may24Me Contro TeThe tour 10 years Me Contro TePalazzo dello Sport, Piazzale Pier Luigi Nervi, 1, 00144 Roma RM

04may2404may24Organ concert18:30 Chiesa di Sant'Antonio dei Portoghesi, free entryChiesa di Sant'Antonio dei Portoghesi, Via dei Portoghesi, 2, 00186 Roma RM

05may2405may24YesThe Classic Tales of Yes Tour 2024La Nuvola, Viale Asia, 40 /44, 00144 Roma RM

07may2411may24Pinguini Tattici NucleariPalasport 2024Palazzo dello Sport, Piazzale Pier Luigi Nervi, 1, 00144 Roma RM

11may2411may24Organ concert18:30 Chiesa di Sant'Antonio dei Portoghesi, free entryChiesa di Sant'Antonio dei Portoghesi, Via dei Portoghesi, 2, 00186 Roma RM

17may2417may24Jimmy Sax and Symphonic Dance OrchestraPalazzo dello Sport, Piazzale Pier Luigi Nervi, 1, 00144 Roma RM

18may2418may24Organ concert18:30 Chiesa di Sant'Antonio dei Portoghesi, free entryChiesa di Sant'Antonio dei Portoghesi, Via dei Portoghesi, 2, 00186 Roma RM

25may2425may24Organ concert18:30 Chiesa di Sant'Antonio dei Portoghesi, free entryChiesa di Sant'Antonio dei Portoghesi, Via dei Portoghesi, 2, 00186 Roma RM

26may2426may24Lion KingThe Music of Lion KingAuditorium della Conciliazione, Via della Conciliazione, 4, 00193 Roma RM

26may2426may24Concerti del TempiettoMusic Festival of NationsSala Baldini, Piazza di Campitelli, 9, 00186 Roma RM

31may2431may24Radio Zeta Future Hits Live 2024The big party at the Foro ItalicoForo Italico - Campo Centrale

Amusement parks

In Rome and the surrounding area there are a few parks that offer a welcome change.

Luneur

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 times in winter are irregular, mostly Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 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 750m to the entrance on Via delle Tre Fontane 100.

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

FAQ

Is May a good time to visit Rome

May is generally considered a great time to visit Rome. It’s a fantastic time to explore outdoor attractions such as the Colosseum and its archaeological park, the famous Via Appia Antica, the excavations of Ostia Antica, and the magnificent parks without having to deal with excessive crowds. You’ll also have the opportunity to experience some of Rome’s most famous events, such as the Rome Open tennis tournament.

What to pack for Rome in May

Pack light clothing for the warm days, a jacket for the cool evenings and a raincoat just in case. Comfortable shoes and sunscreen are also important, as is appropriate clothing for visiting churches. Carry only a small amount of cash and a credit card, and use a bum bag for protection against pickpockets.

Things to do in Rome in May

In May, explore iconic landmarks like the Colosseum and Vatican City, stroll through historic neighborhoods like Trastevere, visit ancient ruins along the Via Appia Antica and Ostia Antica, enjoy a day by the sea at Ostia Lido, and take enriching day tours to Orvieto, Assisi, and Pompeii.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.