Is November a good time to visit Rome and Florence?

My husband and I were there last year from November 2nd until the 12th. We went prepared for some showers but the weather was lovely & we never used our umbrella or even raincoat. The morning were a bit cloudy but the sun was out by midday & the temperature were good with a light jacket. We did Florence, Venice & Rome.
It was still crowded at all the major sights so I recommend booking or making reservations ahead of time for whatever you’re interested in. I’m sure during peak time it is even worst but definitely if I go back there I will always go during off peak season because we wouldn’t have enjoyed the place if it was more crowded.
I believe the hours were reduced but we are morning people so we always aimed at visiting all the major sites as soon they open & it worked out perfectly but the crowd was getting worse by the minutes.
Overall our experience there was awesome & will go back any day during off peak season.

Hi Lynne,

are considering going to Rome, Florence with possible side trips in early November.

November will be transitioning into the 'low season.' It will slow down some since coming off the summer months and early Autumn.

According to some stats, it appears November may get more rain days compared to early - mid December. I went in early December. The weather was pretty perfect - days were sunny, brisk, and windy, but not annoying. At nightfall, the temps dipped to around the 30's.

My second trip to Rome, same time of year, was very different weather wise. It was above normal temps - a day or two got up to 70 degrees. It rained a bit and got muggy. At night, it got cool and fairly normal. Not freezing.

Airfares and hotels "may" still be charging the higher rates in November. Although, you may be able to catch an airfare deal with airlines who advertise flash sales. That is how I got a super deal on British Airways from Logan to Heathrow (LHR) to Rome (FCO.) (twice)

Museums and other major attractions will have less wait times and less crowding compared to the peak months. A lot of the attractions are within a short walking distance from each other (with the exception of The Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, and Castel Sant'Angelo - good to group these visits in the same day since they are a little pebble's throw from each other.)

• Oops, forgot about the Colosseum. That is a little further out.
  

I know you asked about November. For me, both trips to Rome, I loved going in early December - low, RT airfare, low hotel rate.

I found it to be very beautiful for a lot of reasons - seeing The Nativity (sculpted with sand from Venezia), going (many times) to St. Peter's Basilica and leaving with unbelievable and awe-inspiring memories.

Rome begins to sparkle with the start of Christmas decorations - usually on or about December 8th. It is the official start to the Christmas season.

Also, December 8th is the Feast of The Immaculate Conception, where Pope Francis makes his way to Piazza di Spagna to "lay" a laurel wreath at the column of the Immaculate Conception. It is fascinating to witness. He starts off at St. Peter's and hops in his Pope mobile and makes his way to The Spanish Steps.

Last year, they brought back the "Christmas market" at Piazza Navona. It was a big hit. Lots of fun.

In December, you'll experience the popping of the Chestnuts as you walk by the little "almost forgotten" side streets; the street musicians, the Piazzas all lit up once it hits dusk.

Hands down, my most favorite - St. Peter's Basilica. I went different times on a few days and each was an experience in itself. One night, as I walked away from the Basilica, I turned around for one last look - there it was - all lit up in its glory and beauty - just "there" - the statues standing guard http://stpetersbasilica.info/Exterior/Facade/Facade.htm

I "snapped a memory" and finally walked to leave the Piazza.

There was also the huge, huge Christmas Tree. Every year, they have special ornaments and their representation.

You may know already, Florence is a two-hour fast train ride from Rome Termini Station - that is, if your base will be in Rome. You can also go to Orvieto - a sweet, "hill town" that is one hour by regular train from Termini. It is in the Umbria region, but you can get a slice of a "Tuscany feel." It was a little secret, but a lot of travelers have caught on to its quaintness, its relaxing stance, lots of cute shops and proud people.

I could go on and on about Rome in December. Love it! Have fun whenever you go.

• added

Great post. I would add that Naples is also a wonderful city, one that we travel to at Christmas time.

Regarding Orvieto, indeed a very cute town, you take the bus up to town [tickets from the shop in the station] and the funicular back down.

Haven't been to Rome in November for many years -- when we were there, it was before the official turn-on-the-heat date so our hotel was COLD. Other than that, great time with fewer tourists.

This is our first trip to Italy and we are in the very early stages of planning.

Also Lynne, additional thoughts:

Timed-entry tickets to certain sights - The Vatican, The Colosseum and The Borghese Gallery (all in Rome) would need to be booked far in advance.

The Vatican - http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/visita-i-musei/scegli-la-visita.html
The Colosseum - https://www.coopculture.it/en/it/colosseo-e-shop.cfm
The Borghese - http://galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it/en/visita/visit-the-galleria-borghese

It is a very good idea to check the policies, etc. on each official website. There can be or has been changes to times, exhibits, etc.

Please be mindful of the policies for major attractions - such as modest dressing (women and men) covering shoulders and knees in Churches - most especially The Vatican and St. Peter's.

After a security check, bags of a decent size were allowed by the guards - From experience and watching others, to be on the safe side, bring a purse/messenger bag/backpack of around 14 inches. They don't measure it, but the guards know. Also, try not to stuff the bag too full so it appears cumbersome. No food but water bottles were ok'd if put into the bag.

No bags allowed in the Borghese. So, if you visit the Galleria, be prepared. Perhaps sched your visit where you can leave your bag(s) in the hotel and return to complete your day. For securing valuables in the museum, look at something like a money belt to store your Euros, credit card, PP and even phone.

The Colosseum allowed bags and (small to medium) backpacks, but again, within limits.

Some people like to visit the above on their own or go with a guided tour. The Vatican offers their own tours. The Roman Guy, Walks of Italy, Dark Rome and a few others offer their own group tours. The Roman Guy and Walks of Italy seem to have smaller groups of people.

https://theromanguy.com/tours/italy
https://www.walksofitaly.com/
https://darkrome.com/rome-tours

Maybe view the itineraries of the tour groups to map out your own likes and interests.

• Perhaps invest in a current guide book with concentration on your points of travel.
• Begin with columns of cities, sites wished to visit, pros and cons, (good/bad) accessibility, costs, etc.
• You can download e-books and other helpful free stuff .
• Check out the "Travel Tips" section on this site.
• Know the Euro currency difference in bills and coins.
• Italy, especially Rome, is a "cash city," - you may even be offered a small percentage discount for paying in euro.
• Tipping (for anything) is not typical in Italy. But, some peeps round up a euro or two.
• In hotels, sometimes people may leave a little something for housekeeping - especially if your stay was long and they did an excellent job.
• Be mindful of taking taxis. Always make sure you get into a metered, official Rome taxi.
  https://www.romewise.com/taxi-in-rome.html
• There are flat rates to and from the airport to Rome's city centre. If you take a taxi inner city, the rates can be reasonable, but again, make sure it's an official one.
  (It has been reported that some rogue taxi drivers have played the sleight of hand game with money.) Always know what denomination you are giving.
  

For the most part, Rome is a very walkable city (and a beautiful walking outside museum!) Around every corner is a surprise, ornate sculptures and majestic fountains in Piazzas, beautiful architecture, the "craziness" and hustle bustle of a city, cute cafes to stop for an espresso and a sweet. The possibilities are endless in Rome.

The Vatican, St. Peter's, Castel Sant'Angelo are close in proximity and can be reached by the Express bus #40 - limited stops. Otherwise, there is Bus #64. It is important that you secure all your valuables on buses and trains - no money, cards, PP, or phone in easily accessible pockets or bags.

I ran out of space...lol

I'm more of a visual person, so I enjoy videos to learn some things:

These guys are great, funny, down-to-earth, and give some flavor to their very helpful videos - for the newbie or a refresher to others. Sean narrates most of the videos. Bojan is another guide from the company. (I don't know either of them personally. From time to time, I enjoy watching the videos.)

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+roman+guy+
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheRomanGuyTours

Orvieto videos to browse - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=orvieto+italy

And, my biggest discovery from a long, long time ago -
Roma - https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/italia/lazio/roma.html

Of course, Rome is the Lazio region. The cams are strategically placed to give a nice bird's eye view of the major Piazzas and then some. Of course, as seasons change, so will the crowds and decorations.

Tuscany - https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/italia/toscana.html
Umbria - https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/italia/umbria.html

Have fun planning!

With all due respect to Girasole's informative posts, I would be cautious of taking much of a tour's itnerary as feasible - as far as how much one can do in a day or how often to move on to another city. This is due to a tour group having someone in charge of logistics and they have done it for years. An unexperienced tourist on their own is going to have to do all their own logistics and it can take much more time. For example, Rick's Italy book has a 'recommended' 14 day itnerary for Italy for the independent traveler, but it is exhausting and means a lot of time taken up getting from A to B.
By all means, consider what they do day to day in Rome or Florence - but add 1,2, or even 3 days to get them done in.
If you have concerns about weather, use a website like wunderground.com for looking up historical weather for the past 3 years for your interested weeks of travel. It shows you both temperatures and precipitation. 'Average' weather on travel sites aren't necessarily good forecasters anymore. Generally it just means clothes that can layer, a raincoat, umbrella and more than one pair of shoes. You may find yourself outside more than at home. Outer wear will matter more than when we spend our day driving everywhere.
Have a wonderful time.

With all due respect to Girasole's informative posts, I would be cautious of taking much of a tour's itnerary as feasible

That's true Maria. I really meant to use the itineraries as a proposed guideline for Lynne to start an outline of her own interests.

LoL, I need my coffee now...

These days weather wise you never know anymore. I imagine it to be less crowded and not too hot which I think will be a bonus

I've visited several times in November and have really enjoyed the smaller crowds, less crowded restaurants and lower hotel rates (in some cases less than half high season rates). Note that hotel rates tend to increase again as one gets into December. Weather has been generally pleasant, although it tends to become noticeably cooler towards the end of the month. Hours at sights can be shorter, but with smaller crowds you can easily work around that by doing a little bit of planning. Use evenings for nice leisurely dinners and walks to or around sights that never close, such as Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence or one of Rick's self-guided Rome walks.

Personally, we've always toured anywhere in Europe in October.

Less crowds & the weather so far has been great.

Also if the St. Mark's Piazza in Venice floods, it's usually in November/December.

Jean

Well yes, adding to the other poster -

My first trips to other parts of Italy were in the Autumn. Beautiful and warm weather. No rain.

As far as December in Rome, those are the two times, so far, I went. lol. To reiterate what I wrote, weather can vary - from normal (seasonal) to the out of the ordinary. Except for the 70-ish days, I wore my "knee length" puffy (but thin) coat and was comfortable.

Actually, last year, I noticed many Italian women wearing such coats but mostly in a beige or champagne color. Some coats had a cinch belt with a buckle of sorts or like an "elasticized" one - not garish - cute and stylish. Some window displays also had that style of coat. So, it seemed a popular fashion choice. **

My first trip to Rome in December, I wore my black wool coat. While it kept me warm on the colder, windy days, it was a bit heavy (on) after a while walking around.

After the warmer Autumn months, as was suggested, just layer or bring a thin coat, scarf, gloves. I definitely appreciated my gloves - I brought a pair of black Isotoner ones - thin, warm lining. No "snow storm" gloves needed, lol.

And maybe, when you head to Florence, you can find a lovely, Italian-made pair of leather gloves - great souvenir.

** Added

I did a Rome-Orvieto-Sienna-Florence itinerary from late October to early November 2016. Be aware November 1 is All Saints Day and around then people in Italy seem to take time off and do the things we foreign tourists do. Rome in late October was very busy. Not sure how far into November you need to get so that it would not be. I left Florence around November 6 and Florence was very uncrowded during my four-day stay. I had very good weather, yours may vary of course. Rome was positively hot in late October. I think in general November is a good time to go to these cities. I would not visit them later than April or before late October due to crowding and/or potentially hot weather. That said, both are an issue in Venice as well and I had a very successful visit there May 5-8 of this year.

I've spoken to this issue at length before, but the way I'm wired I don't think I'll ever visit Italy in high season, which to me means mid-May through the end of September. FYI I've been 3 times, once in October, twice in February/March, and the lack of lines & crowds made it a true pleasure to be there.

Maybe, just maybe, I would visit Italy during that 'high season' timeframe if I were at a rural villa with a picturesque little village nearby--that nobody knew about. (Good luck with that!) But I certainly wouldn't travel from there very much, which kind of defeats the exploration/actual travel part of the journey, the aspect I enjoy so much.

I was about to say that most of Italy has been tromped upon by unthinking tourists from all parts of the globe, but that's really not true, is it? Using this forum as a litmus test of sorts, as a somewhat-seasoned traveler & forum viewer there's just so much endless discussion on the big 3--Rome, Florence & Venice--followed by Lake Como, Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast, that it becomes mind-numbing, leading others to think that's all Italy has to offer.

Beyond that, however, much of the country lies to be examined, explored & savored. The entire eastern coast along the Adriatic awaits--Rimini, Pesaro, Ancona, then down to Bari & Polignano a Mare. That's a trip for me down the line. Or my other bucket list journey from Salerno south through Calabria, crossing the Straits of Messina on the train/ferry into Sicily, with Cefalu on the north coast as a destination. Can't wait to try either one.

So, OP---savor your November trip!!

Thank you Girasole for your informative posts!

I totally agree that end of October/November is a great timing to visit Rome and Florence. There are less crowds comparing summer months but the weather is still nice! My family joined 3 tours in Rome and Florence with What a Life Tours. If you book the Vatican Early Access and Colosseum Underground Tour, you have a discount code of 10% as well. We were so happy with their tour guides that we booked another in Florence, great tour as well!

https://www.whatalifetours.com

Have a great time in Italy lynne!

Thank you also Garret, for the suggestion and experience of The Vatican Tour. Always good to have choices bookmarked.
https://www.whatalifetours.com

I've been to both in February, when the overall weather in Italy is colder and rainier. One of my best days in Rome was after a night of snow - it was around 50 degrees and sunny, absolutely stunning. I've never had temps below freezing, and more days when I chucked my jacket and had a cold drink at a sidewalk cafe, basking in the sun, than rainy ones. You can see daily historic weather data here, by month, for the last 10 years.

The top sights in both places are always crowded, so plan to order tickets in advance. I may be repeating someone else here - if you're going this year, train tickets are already on sale and you'll save by buying them as far in advance as possible.