Rome's climate :
the weather in Rome, Italy,
in the winter months.
Rome's climate in winter is quite mild.
Here's our take on the winter climate in Rome, Italy, and suggestions for things to do in Rome to celebrate Christmas in Italy.
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Christmas in Rome : St Peter's Square has a gorgeous Christmas tree
and a famous life-size nativity crib.
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When is Winter?
From mid November until April.
Temperature in Winter :
Rome's climate in winter is still relatively mild; the temperature rarely falls below freezing and snow is virtually unheard of - it fell in 2010 after an absence of twenty-one years!
January tends to be the coldest month with temperatures averaging from 1°C (34°F) to a high of 12°C (54°F).
Travelling soon and need to know what to pack? Have a look at
Rome, Italy - weather today
for current conditions, and a six day forecast.
What about rain?
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Even Italian animals dress warmly in winter!
Spotted on the Spanish Steps, December.
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The weather in Rome, Italy, in winter may be reasonably mild, but it can be very wet. The wettest months are November and December, right through until March, when icy winds are also a feature.
The River Tiber has a history of flooding during the winter months, although the city itself is rarely affected as the high embankment walls built in the 1870s contain the rise in water level.
So what's good about Rome's climate in Winter?
Skies can often be bright blue, and the air is really fresh. There are very few tourists about at this time of year and as long as you wrap up well, it can be an excellent time to see the sights without having to stand in the queues of summer.
It's a bit chilly to sit outside but many cafes and restaurants have now invested in outdoor patio heaters which extend the 'al fresco' season into winter.
And what's not good?
Rome's climate in the winter months can be wet and quite cold. Make sure your hotel has central heating and take a warm outer coat, gloves and a scarf to wear.
Some attractions can be closed during the winter months for refurbishment and others will have the outside obscured by scaffolding. Your hotel should be able to give you details.
Any special things to do in Rome in the Winter?
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Roman Presepi figures can be very elaborate - this one's
an electric pig on a revolving spit!
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Christmas in Italy can be a very special experience. If you're lucky enough to be in Rome in December, don't miss the enormous Christmas tree and the larger than life-sized nativity scene in St Peter's Square.
On Christmas Eve, the Pope celebrates midnight mass on St Peter's Square and on Christmas Day he gives his famous "urbi et orbi" blessing from the balcony above St Peter's Basilica. Pilgrims and Roman citizens alike flock to hear it.
Try to brave the cold and wet of Rome's climate in winter to see some of the amazing life-sized nativity cribs, known as 'Presepe' ('Presepi' in the plural) to be found in unlikely places : in front of Termini staton, on the second level of the Spanish Steps, on the Capitoline Hill.
At Piazza Navona during December, as well as its own life-size crib, there's a famous Italian Christmas market at which you can buy models for your very own 'Presepe' - not just the usual figures, but sometimes highly elaborate moving models such as working windmills and watermills, fishermen, bakers and even pizza ovens!
Don't miss this market - it's a brilliant atmosphere and a definite part of an Italian Christmas in Rome.
Roman 'Presepi' aren't just images of the stable but of entire villages, towns, and sometimes regions. Some are of dubious artistic quality, others are extremely old and valuable, but almost all their settings are beautiful. Kids love them!
If you're in Rome any time from the end of November until early January, have a look at the display of cribs in the Piazza del Popolo. There are over two hundred scenes, some of them dating back as far as the sixteenth century and, whatever your beliefs, worth seeing for their artistry.
So, if you're looking for
things to do in Rome
in December, call in to any local church you come across because by the week before Christmas virtually all will have a crib worth looking at. You'll find the oldest at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Traditionally, Romans will do this on December 26th - join the crowds and enjoy the atmosphere.
And if you visit them before Christmas Day, don't worry if there's no figure of the baby in these scenes - he's not usually added until the midnight mass on Christmas Eve.
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Nativity crib, St Peter's Square, Rome.
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Winter too cold for you?
Here's a page about Rome in the Spring.
Like it really hot?
This page is a description of Rome's climate in the summer.
Romantic Rome - autumn in the Eternal City.
Rome's climate in winter to our home page about Italian culture.
