Italy during the winter

I have been in Italy during the colder season and still enjoyed it. In fact one year, I went from End of January to the end of February and it was cold but still enjoyable. The main attractions, ruins, museums, restaurants were still operating and was actually better because not so many tourists. I really didn't avoid anything, did what I planned to do. I had actually gone by train from Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Munich, Innsbruck, Florence, Rome and then returned to Frankfurt through the same areas. In Venice saw the St Mark's Square, the Cathedral,Bridge of Sighs,The Rialto bridge and then enjoyed walking around and looking around and eating in the local restaurant. From Venice, went to Verona and stayed a couple of nights, did the same as in Venice (loved eating at one of the restaurants around Piazza Bra. Then Florence, saw the Ponte Vecchio, the Leather Market, Duomo, and walked around central Florence. Did do a side trip to Arezzo, Assisi, Cortona, Lucca, and Pisa during my 3 days in Florence. In Rome, saw the Colesseum, St Peter's, the Spanish Steps, Via Nazionale, Via Veneto, Piazza Barberini and just had a grand time. Actually, I liked the cooler weather, not as cold as in Germany or Northern Europe in the day time and a little warmer at night. Take care and have a great trip.

If you could change your flight to fly into Venice and out of Milan, that might be handier. During our June trip, we spent a few days motoring around Tuscany and I was shocked to see road signs that warned of ice and snow. Volterra was an area where we especially saw these signs. Later in the trip, our Rome guide told us a story about some of his friends who got caught in a major snowstorm in Tuscany. My advice is to target lower elevation areas in Tuscany if the weather is looking like snow. Otherwise, since you are from Portland, I'm sure you have plenty of travel rain gear you can pack with you. Let me know if you would like the name of an ex-pat in Rome to guide you around. We really maximized our visit there by letting Justin get us around. And we didn't worry a bit about hours of operation how to walk or take transportation to all the sights.

Honestly, I would recommend less nights in Cinque Terre. I have been there three times, the second time in November, and if I hadn't been there before I would have not enjoyed it at all. The days are short, most of the stores are closed, you cannot swim (and water activities are what makes CT so unique and beautiful in my opinion), and there are not alot of people there at all so it loses its atmosphere. The hike will still be gorgeous, but the rest of your time spent there most likely not be all that it could. I would say do less time there and pick up more in any of the others places you mentioned because they will still all be active at that time (Tuscany because its where people live year-round as opposed to the tourist oriented CT). I lived in Rome for 4 months, and all of their attractions will still be open regardless of the season!

Snowing in Italy is not uncommon, even at low-elevation areas. It will happen in a handful occasions in every winter. However, no "hill road" in Toscana is seasonally closed. If travelling between Lazio, Basilicata and Puglia, bear in mind that the 8 weeks surrounding mid-Oct. to early Dec. are the wettest, by far and large. The deep winter, though colder, is drier. Museums don't close for winter, they just adapt their operation hours (opening and closing earlier) in some cases.

Really only the CT will be shut down, maybe a few spots in Tuscany, but all of the cities will have Museums, restaurants, and shops fully open. I have been to Rome twice now at the end of February and really enjoyed it, maybe even prefer it to the summer. We did side trip to Venice and Florence, same thing, really enjoyed it without the crowds.