Visiting Rome in winter is an insider tip. Get to know Rome and its treasures and delicacies without the hustle and bustle of tourists.
Winter in Rome is the perfect time to visit if you desire a serene experience exploring churches and museums. Apart from the Christmas period, Rome has less tourists during this season, allowing you to freely wander the city, churches, and museums with a greater sense of tranquility.
3 reasons to visit Rome in winter
Rome is very interesting in winter. In the pre-Christmas period the city is festively decorated. Right in January, the winter sales begin and shopping is then really fun. There is not much going on at the sights, the churches and museums and the quietness increases the enjoyment of art. You can also enjoy the heavy Roman cuisine in the long winter evenings.
Weather in Rome in winter
It doesn’t get really cold in Rome until the winter solstice on December 21. It is often windy at night, but frost is rare. Sometimes there can be fog in the morning, which gives the city and the parks a special atmosphere.
The Romans hope that it will snow in the nearby Apennines. Then they go to one of the nearby ski resorts.
Roman winter weather can remain chilly until mid-February, although it varies from year to year. As we reach mid-February, signs of spring start to emerge.
There are also often heavy downpours, but they usually do not last long. Long lasting rain is rather rare.
The urban area of Rome is quite extensive and the climate varies. Thus, it often rains more in the north of the city and snowfalls are also more likely.
Climate data Rome winter
| Dec | Jan | Feb | |
| Tmax Ø | 12°C/53.6°F | 11°C/51.8°F | 12°C/53.6°F |
| Tmax absolute | 21°C/69.8°F | 21°C/69.8°F | 23°C/73.4°F |
| Tmin Ø | 5°C/41°F | 4°C/39.2°F | 4°C/39.2°F |
| Tmin absolute | -6°C/21.2°F | -7°C/19.4°F | -7°C/19.4°F |
| Sunshine hours Ø | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.8 |
| Days with rain Ø | 10 | 8 | 9 |
Source: www.wetter.com
Ice and snow in Rome
Every now and then there is snow in Rome. When it snows in Rome, it gets really funny. Since the Romans are in principle only with summer tires on the road, nothing works. The traffic comes to a complete halt, the schools remain closed. The buses do not drive anymore. The exceptional situation lasts at most two days, then everything is over.
If you are lucky enough to experience snow in Rome, you should definitely take pictures. You can remember that for a long time.
The fact that there are icy temperatures for Roman conditions is nothing unusual at the end of January and the beginning of February. If it stays cold for longer, the wells freeze. This special spectacle could be admired in late January 2017.
What’s going on in winter in Rome
For opening hours, exhibitions, events and concerts in the winter months in rome please read our actual monthly information.
December 8 with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is an official holiday.
Hotels
Budget-friendly hotels are located around Termini train station, but require the use of public transportation or longer walks to get to various locations. 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.
Rome Winter food
In winter you can immerse yourself in the pleasures of Roman cuisine without regrets. Tie napkin and off you go! Deep-fried artichokes – Carciofi alla Giudia (say Kartschofee alla Djudeea), pickled artichokes – Carciofi alla Romana, fried zucchini flowers, deep-fried stockfish – baccalà, fried rice balls – Supplì, fried olives with meat filling – Olive Ascolane, with a beautiful buffalo mozzarella from Campania, white bacon – Lardo, spicy sausage and cured ham. Also popular are preparations made from beans or lentils, which are served in clay pots “cocci”.
It continues with a nice pasta dish, for example, the Gricia (pronounced Greetscha) bacon and the sheep’s cheese Pecorino, the Amatriciana (pronounced Amatritschana) – a Gricia with tomatoes, or Cacio e Pepe – there the noodles are finished in a cheese melt.
A classic Roman main dish is the oxtail in tomato sauce – coda alla vaccinara (pronounced vatscheenara), or offal. If you are not so adventurous, you are on the safe side with a saltimbocca alla romana – veal escalope with cured ham and sage. Also excellent is polenta with sausage or pork ribs in tomato sauce.
In Rome there is very good fresh fish. Some restaurants also offer raw fish, such as raw scampi or gamberi, tartare and carpaccio.
Our favorite for the fish is the bar Sotto il Mare in Via Tunisi, below the entrance to the Vatican Museums. This place is very rustic, also the service, but the fish dishes are prepared with the utmost care. For dessert there is fruit ice cream in the fruit skin from Naples.
See also our recommendations for good restaurants in Rome and browse our category Food in Rome.
Rome winter shopping
Especially in the Christmas season in Rome you will find a huge range from classy designer fashion to international chains with mass production.
As soon as the Christmas season is over, the first shops are lowering their prices. You can find real bargains in Rome after the 6th of January. On the Via del Corso and the side streets you will find everything your heart desires.
Other well-stocked shopping centers are Euroma2, which is not easily accessible by public transport, and Porta di Roma, bus line 38 from Termini and line 80 from Piazza Venezia.
Outside Rome, there are two outlet centers, in Castel Romano and in Valmontone.
Bargains and collectibles can also be found at the Porta Portese flea market every Sunday morning between Viale Trastevere and Tiber, Tram 3 and 8.
More details you find in our category Shopping in Rome.
Amusement parks
In Rome and the surrounding area there are a few parks that offer a welcome change. However, in winter they are mostly only open on weekends and public holidays. The parks are decorated for Christmas and the children can get to know Santa Claus.
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 7 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 with numerous rides. It is located next to the outlet center Castel Romano on Via Pontina between Rome and Pomezia. The park is open 11 – 19 on the following days: 2.+3.12, 8.-10.12, 16.+17.12, 25.-30.12. On New Year’s Eve the park is open until after midnight.
The park can be reached by car or by regional buses. There is a shuttle bus to the adjacent outlet center from Termini station. 
Cinecittà World tickets
Excursions around Rome
Rome has beautiful surroundings. The Romans go to the seaside or the mountains for a good meal on weekends.
The seaside fish restaurants are well attended even in winter. In the mountains there is a rustic cuisine that goes well with the cooler temperatures. When there is snow, the Romans ski in the nearby Apennines.
You can reach many destinations by public transport.
Excursions to the sea
If you want to see the sea, just go 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. The destination of the excursionists is the pier “Pontile di Ostia” to enjoy the fresh breeze and watch the sound of the waves.
Excursions in the mountains
Very picturesque are the wine villages around the volcanic cone in the south of Rome. Here you will find good food and, during the Christmas season, lovely decorations. In Castel Gandolfo you can visit the palace and gardens of the summer residence of the popes.
Cultural treasures and ruins you can visit not only in Rome. On the slopes of the Apennines lies the small town of Tivoli, famous above all for the water games in the pompous Villa D’Este. In the early winter evenings, you can enjoy the sunset over Rome here. Further down the valley are the ruins of the huge imperial Villa Adriana.
Rome winter 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 trip to Venice is also worthwhile. Famous is the carnival, but then Venice is very busy. It is more pleasant when there are not so many visitors in Venice.
Find tickets and tours on GetYourGuide:
