Rome in March

I've been in Rome in March twice. Temps were in the 60s, no heavy sweater/jacket needed. Definitely not empty--there are still lots of people, but not like the crowds of summer.

I have been to Rome in March for the last two years and I am planning a third trip next March. In my opinion, it is a great time to visit as you avoid the heat and the crowds you find in the summer. The weather can vary, last March I arrived a couple of weeks after they had a rare snowfall – with Rome literally blanketed in snow! By the time I arrived, it was back to normal. I bring a light jacket for early morning and evenings, as it does tend to be a little cool when the sun is not out. I usually wear short sleeve shirts and long pants.

While there is still a lot of people, it is nothing like in the summer. I have been able to see most of the sites with little wait time, with the Pantheon and Colosseum being the exception, but even at those places the wait was not really too long. I actually walked right up to the Forum ticket office and purchased a ticket with no one in line! I would see the Pantheon in the mornings before the crowds build up, and if you already have a ticket for the Colosseum be sure to get in the right line.

Congrats on your upcoming trip to Rome!

Offering feedback in reverse order of your questions... Like Davey, I have been in Rome in March this year and last year. 2017 weather was mild late winter conditions. This year was very cold and very, very wet. That snowfall Davey mentioned? Yep, I trudged through that snow at 5:45am from my Pantheon-based hotel to get to Termini train station... with all bags in tow. Then I was in Florence when it snowed there on March 1 this year. The weather was wild on this most recent trip. Doesn’t stop me from planning that next trip, though!

You will get a ton of great suggestions and recommendations for wardrobe for March in Rome. Based on my experiences, I recommend packing layers + a quality rain jacket. I had packed my puffer jacket for both trips. While that worked fine in 2017, I was cold to the bone in the soggy weather this year. The better quality rain jackets take the edge off the chill.

Sightseeing question... Are you planning to use the Roma Pass for any other activities besides the Colosseum? If not, you can save $$ by getting timed entry tickets directly from coopculture when they become available 2 months out.

Let us know if you have additional questions and happy planning!

Thank you for the information. Yes we will use the transportation while we are there since we will not be renting a car.

Is your arrival from the US or another place in Europe? If from US, I would not do the food tour the first night of your arrival day. You will be dealing with jet lag and fighting to keep your eyes open.
Instead of packing a heavy sweater buy an Icebreaker liner layer or REI’s version. It is merino wool, lightweight and will keep you warm. Doesn’t take up much space in luggage.

I've found that a food tour is a good thing to do an a jetlagged first day. I need to take a nap when I get to my hotel, and after a 1½-2 hour nap, I'm ready for a walk and some dinner. A food tour is perfect.

We are arriving that morning from the US. The food tour is at 7pm so we plan to nap prior. The food tour people suggested we do it the first night. My husband has made several trips to Japan for work so he thinks it will be ok for us as long as we nap. The rest of us have never traveled out of the US so hopefully it will be ok.

The 2017 and 2018 examples described above probably show the extremes in weather in Rome in March.

We spent a week at an apartment by Campo de' Fiori February 26-March 4, 2017, and we really lucked out. 60-65 during the day, 50 at night and mid-40's early morning for my walks along the Tiber, just a perfect climate for touring. Maybe sprinkled rain once. Even at only 60 degrees, however, the humidity was high, making it feel decidedly warmer. Make sure you can peel off layers.

Enjoy your planning!

Agree with the suggestion to plan on layers. For March and October trips, I always take a good rain jacket, a lightweight wool cardigan, a lightweight (pack able) down jacket, a hat and gloves. I hate being cold, but with layers I can take off as needed as days warm up. I was surprised by the snow we had last March in Bologna.