Most tourists consider the last month of winter not the best time to get to know the Eternal City - they are afraid of the unpredictable weather characteristic of Rome in February. But those who were not afraid of the changeable weather in Rome in February, and visited the Italian capital in the offseason, confidently say that this time is much better for sightseeing and walking around the city than a hot summer. The main thing is to dress properly!
As already mentioned, the weather in Rome in February can be very changeable.
Weather in Rome in February
Cold rainy days give way to warm and sunny in spring, and air temperature ranges from +18 to + 4C. Sometimes February in Rome is abnormally warm - the grass turns green in gardens and parks, sakura begins to bloom, in some years - abnormally cold and snowy, but this is rather an exception to the rule.
The weather in Rome in February can be very changeable
When collecting your suitcase for a trip to Rome in February, be sure to put an umbrella, comfortable shoes that can withstand dampness, slush, and sometimes ice, as well as a couple of sets of clothes - one designed for damp cold weather, the second is lighter for warm days when the sun warms up quite like a spring.
- The average daily temperature in Rome in February + 12C
- The average night temperature in Rome in February + 5C
- Number of rainy days - 9
Cultural program
The brightest and most significant event taking place in Rome in February - Carnival, usually lasting 11 days. Despite the fact that it is somewhat inferior in size to the Venetian one, there are many who wish to take part in this grandiose action.
The history of the carnival is rooted in pagan times, when noisy and crowded celebrations marked the transition from a cold winter to a warm and sunny spring. With the advent of Christians, carnivals and similar celebrations were banned, and in the Renaissance - resumed again.
The last revival of the Roman carnival was in 2010 - after a long break, the city streets were again flooded with participants in this event, dressed up in intricate costumes.
The carnival in Rome opens a fancy-dress procession starting at the Piazza del Popolo. In the following days, theatrical performances, performances, concerts, sales fairs, tastings of Italian dishes are organized in the city squares, and the festivities end with traditional fireworks.
Carnival in Rome opens a costume parade in Piazza del Popolo
February 14, the Romans celebrate Valentine's Day - a holiday that was born precisely in Rome. Regarding the true origin of Valentine's Day, historians disagree.
Some believe that Valentine's Day originates from the Roman Lupercalia - a holiday honoring Juno Februa - the goddess of feverish love, and Faunus - the god of fertility, others associate the holiday with St. Valentine - a priest who secretly married lovers during the time of Claudius II, who forbade men to marry, and girls to get married.
Today, Valentine's Day is very popular, especially among young people: lovers exchange heart-shaped souvenirs - postcards, sweets, plush toys, balloons. In Rome, so-called "kisses" are sold at every step - chocolates wrapped in candy wrappers, in which declarations of love are written in different languages.
Valentine's Day is very popular in Rome
Fans of shopping will undoubtedly be pleased with winter sales starting in January and continuing until mid-February. The end of the sales season is characterized by the largest discounts - they sometimes reach 70% of the initial price. Of course, the assortment of goods in Rome’s stores in February is already small, but if you look carefully, you can please yourself with new things at nice prices.
What else to do in Rome in February
Warm and clear February days can be devoted to exploring the famous Roman sights - the Colosseum, Pantheon, Forum, the Trevi Fountain, and in rainy weather go on excursions to museums and galleries - the Museum of Roman Civilization, the Borghese Gallery, the Papal Pinacoteca, the Capitoline Museums.
In order not to lose time in lines of sightseeing with a paid entrance, tickets should be purchased in advance. This is especially true for TOP places in Rome that do not know the high and low seasons: the Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums. The lines are especially long, and in them it is quite possible to lose a few hours. And if you are also “lucky” with the rain, then the campaign will be remembered not by historical and cultural artifacts, but rather by several hours of waiting, wet feet and the subsequent cold.
Bernini - The Abduction of Proserpine (1621-1622), Borghese Gallery
Booking in advance makes sense and tickets to the Borghese Gallery. There is a limit on the number of visitors who can visit the attraction on a daily basis. And since the demand for the Gallery always exceeds supply, it is a very rare luck to purchase tickets on the spot.
Entrance tickets to the main attractions of Rome can be ordered in advance using the links below:
Another way to have fun is to go on famous walking (and not only) excursions. The main thing here is not to get lost in the number of offers: the excursion program in Rome is diverse at any time of the year.
To help travelers make their choice, BlogoItaliano turned to a popular Rome guide for a TOP list of the most remarkable city tours. The result can be found in our articles Excursions in Rome in Russian: 5 most popular and most interesting excursions in the Vatican. There, in the articles, there is also a guide’s contact, which you can contact to clarify the details of each tour.
Finally, you can use our route in Rometo stroll through the main attractions of the city on your own. The route covers most of the most interesting places in the Eternal City - with both paid and free admission. Learn more about the route on this page.
Castle of the Holy Angel was a tomb, and the residence of the Popes, and even a prison
At any time of the year you can make a one-day trip from Rome to other important cities in Italy, among which Florence is especially popular. Although the distance between Rome and the Cradle of the Renaissance is almost 300 km, a fast train runs it in just 1.5 hours, and the number of flights is such that going back and forth during the day is not difficult.
In Florence, like Rome, there are a lot of places worth visiting. It is extremely difficult to cover them all in one day, but if you highlight the main ones, then, of course, the Uffizi Gallery and the Academy Gallery, the Palazzo Vecchio and the Pitti Palace, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and the Ponte Vecchio Bridge.
As with the main attractions of Rome, Rome-Florence train tickets should be purchased in advanceotherwise, the ticket office of the main station of Roma Termini will nullify the advantage in time that Italian fast trains are so famous for.
Florence at any time of the year is the TOP destination from Rome, and therefore there is always a rush of demand at the box office. You can book train tickets to Florence in advance online here. Well, in more detail about all the ways to get from Rome to Florence and vice versa BlogoItaliano told in this article.
More ideas on what to see and do in Rome can be found in the BlogoItaliano mobile smartphone guidebook, an irreplaceable thing for anyone traveling to the Eternal City. With a map, GPS navigation, mode of operation and addresses of all the most interesting places, it will help you not to get lost in Rome and easily find all the most important things.
February in Rome. Summary
Visit Rome in February - A great option for a budget trip. Due to the rains, quite frequent during this period, February is considered a low season - tourists at this time are much less than in spring or summer, and the cost of air tickets, hotel rooms and other services is 30-40% lower.
The weather in Rome in February can be both cloudy and sunny - the main thing, as experienced travelers say, is to dress correctly, and then no weather surprises will prevent you from enjoying the sights of the Italian capital. The lack of crowds of tourists on the streets, in museums, restaurants and shops fully compensates for some of the inconvenience associated with bad weather.
